varnishing/ laqcuering poles

[consuelagignoux]

Would anyone know how to achieve a high gloss/ chinese laquered look for a black bamboo pole. I will be hanging a delicate material from it, so therefore need a varnish that will not stain the material. Thanks in advance.

[Mark Meckes]

Hi! What is the condition of your black bamboo pole?
Does it currently have a greyish waxy surface coating?
This needs to be removed to bring out the colour intensity of the bamboo.

I have not tried the varnishing lacquer methods you are referring to, on the outer surface of bamboo... though I may try out a tung oil based finish in the near future and will let you know how it works...
Still, I would need to remove the excess waxy residue on the surface beforehand.

This can be achieved by rubbing the surface with very fine #0000 steel wool until the excess waxy residue is removed, or heating the surface lightly with an electric heat gun ( a hairdryer held very closely might work (?) or a propane torch held about 4+ inches (10+cm) and moved rapidly up and down and around each section.
The grey waxy film very quickly becomes clear, at which time any excess residue should wiped off with a cloth.

For polishing poles to a high lustre, I prefer to do as above, while using a furniture paste type wax applied to the cloth, which acts as a solvent for dissolving the waxy residue, a cleaning agent and a polish.
You will notice that the surface becomes tacky sticky when it is slightly heated which hardens again when it cools).
Using this method of applying heat to remove excess surface wax while using a paste wax as a solvent, cleaner and polish will produce a fine lustre with no residue.

Hope this helps,
Mark