# CA finish - tips and tricks



## Drewboy22 (Sep 25, 2015)

I know there are a lot of ways to use CA as a finish.  My process is as follows - 
1. Sanded pen from 150 - 600
2. Messed up CA finish - (Kinda squirt the CA on the pen and smooth it out with a paper towel method)
3. Sanded again from 220 - 600
4. Messed up again - Same as above
5. Sanded from 220 - 600
6. This time I put the CA on the paper towel and ran the towel under the blanks.  This method seemed to be more consistent and easier.  I did this 12 times.  

The over all finish I am not real pleased with.  It is not "Smooth as Glass" or even really glossy at this point.  I do have some MM on order that should be here next week sometime, this will probably help some.

My main question is about the ends of each blank, where the blank and the bushing were glued together.  I used a skew tip to cut the CA but I still ended up with white plastic tips.  I don't like these.  What can I do to better separate the bushing from the blank?











Finished Pen










C&C are always welcome

Thanks again,

Drew


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## jttheclockman (Sep 25, 2015)

That is a sign of the CA cracking and pulling away from the blank. The best way is to make some cone shaped bushings (preferrably from delrin material). CA will not stick to it. There is articles in the library and if you do a search you will find many threads about this. Some people put wax on the bushing but to me that is a waste of time and now you contaminate the finish. I am sure others will chime in.

One other thing I would like to mention because you shown this pen in another thread. This wood is an oily wood so it should be wiped down before CA applied for better adhesion. The thing I suggest if you are going to stay in this you would want to get a few things. Acetone is one for wiping oily woods down and won't hurt for any woods. But get yourself some Nitrile gloves when working with this or any stains or finishes. They can be absorbed through the hands easily. Always wear safety glasses. Have fun.


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## edstreet (Sep 26, 2015)

Problem is not the ca separation but sanding methods employed.  Work on that first.


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## CREID (Sep 26, 2015)

You could run an X-ACTO knife or some other real thin blade between the blank and bushing. I take the blank off the bushings and use I believe 60 degree delrin bushings that slide onto the mandrel and then CA.

Curt


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## hcpens (Sep 26, 2015)

Drewboy22, sent you a PM.


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## Skie_M (Sep 26, 2015)

What I usually do is right before I get into my finish coat, I sand up to 1000 grit, nearly giving a polished appearance to the wood.

Then, while the lathe is spinning at low speed, I apply rubbing alcohol. This evaporates pretty fast, stripping the oils and a little water out of the surface of the wood. Then, I apply Minwax Stain and Seal "natural" color, and while that's still wet, I apply a coat of CA. I don't spend more than 3 seconds with the applicator against the wood. Any more than that and I risk the applicator getting glued to the pen barrel.

After applying 6 - 9 coats of CA, I then begin my wet sanding, starting with 1000 grit to knock off any ridges that may have formed. Then I sand "with the grain" with the lathe turned off. Then I jump to micromesh pads (I get them from Hobby Lobby), 3200 grit, wet .... followed by turning the lathe off and sanding "with the grain" again. As I work my way up to 12,000 grit, every 3 pads or so, I stop the lathe again to sand "with the grain".

Finally, I apply some Meguiar's PlastX and buff at high speed .... I leave the lathe spinning at high speed while I follow up with a coat of Turtle Wax Hard Coat and buff it to a glassy mirror shine. The results look as though the wood was encased in glass.


Keep in mind that if you are looking to get results like mine, you'll have to follow my entire procedure step by step, taking no shortcuts or deviations. Certain substitutions may work well, like swapping out my minwax for some danish oil, boiled linseed oil, walnut oil, or what have you ... the brand of superglue used can also be changed up, as I just use the cheap stuff I buy at Harbor Freight in the 10-packs. If you have One-Step plastic polish, you can swap that in to take the place of the PlastX. In fact, they're both made by the same company.  


(reposted from another topic you made)

As for the final question, how to separate the barrels from the bushings ....  I take my small skew and use the toe (pointed end) and run it just along the bushing right next to the pen barrels to cut through the CA right there, and after I take them off the lathe, I run some 1000 grit on the end to clean it up.  (1000 grit paper glued to a flat scrap of glass.)


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## MTViper (Sep 26, 2015)

The easiest way to keep the bushings from sticking to the pen banks is to wipe them down with paste wax before you start turning.  Even after turning, sanding, and finishing, the wax will keep the glue from sticking tightly.  You can just twist the bushing loose.


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## Drewboy22 (Sep 26, 2015)

Thanks for all the good comments today.  I got lost of stuff to learn and practice. 


HCPENS it was nice meeting you today. Thanks for the help and advice.


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## Joey-Nieves (Sep 27, 2015)

Drew:
This how I do It


Sand your blank one coarse heavier than what you thunk you need, ex. if you think 220 is ok use 100.
sand  up to 400 or 600 on the lathe and sand by hand with the grain between  grits(I do this with dark woods to eliminate the scratches)
clean  the blank before applying finish, I use a small amount of Dr. kirks  sanding wax, preferably a old rag that has the stuff impregnated  already.  then make sure to use a clean rag to remove the wax before you  apply CA.  At this point you will see exactly how it's going to look  once finished. Remember minor wood scratches will be filled by the CA.
Set  your lathe to the lowest speed, Apply thin CA directly to the blank  with your napkin beneath the blank. I use shop towels because they react  slower than regular napkins.  This coat will penetrate the wood and  give the subsequent coats something to grab on to. Apply small mist of  activator and wait 15 seconds
Apply small dab of medium or thick  CA glue to shop towel and apply to blank, with practice you should be  able to apply 10 or more drops to the blank at a time then apply  activator.
you can apply some more CA to smooth out the blank if necessary.
Use heat gun from about 18" away to speed up drying.
Polish to desired shine


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## jsolie (Sep 27, 2015)

Ask 5 pen turners how to do a CA finish and you'll get 9 answers, all of which are right. :biggrin:

To answer your question about separating the bushing from the blank, try removing the bushings from the equation. 

If you have a dead center and a live center for your lathe, you can spin the finished pieces without any bushings at all.  Be careful you don't put too much pressure from the tailstock otherwise you can flare out the ends of the tube and crack the wood.  This way, there's no bushing in the mix to get glued to the pen.  I've finished a lot of pens this way.

The other way is to replace your bushings with Delrin or finishing bushings like these https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/16/6020/Stick-Fast-Non-Stick-Pen-Bushings-4-Pack

The CA will get on these, but it can be picked off easily.  I currently use something similar and have enjoyed great success.

I also ditched the paper towel and use thin craft foam from Hobby Lobby.  I bought a 12"x18" sheet of 2mm thick craft foam for something like 89 cents.  I cut it into strips about an inch across.  I find that I'm using a fraction of the CA that I used to use, and it goes on much smoother - I still have to start sanding with 400 grit when polishing, but I don't have to work it nearly as much.

Hope this helps!


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 5, 2015)

Thanks for all the advice and help!  I took a lot of what you said and applied it to a couple pens this weekend.

Wood = Bocote
Kit = PSI Slimline (Gold Ti and Black Ti)

Blank was turned on a mandrel on high (3450) and I used a spindle roughing gouge and a skew for final shaping.

Turned lathe to low speed (875) for sanding.  Sanded from 150 to 600 stopping after every grit to sand with the grain.

After Sanding I applied some Denatured Alcohol and some Boiled Linseed Oil. and let it dry.

Folded a paper towel into a long strip for CA application.  Turned lathe at low speed (875) and dripped 4 drops onto paper towel and moved towel from left to right, let it dry, added another 4 drops and swiped from right to left.  I did this 6 times for a total of 12 coats.  Left to dry and cure about 20 - 30 min.

Got a small bowl with a drop of dish soap and my MM pads. My kit only had 6 pads, 600, 800, 1500, 2400, 4000 and 12000 grit.  I started wet sanding with the 800 trying to just keep a light touch as to not sand off all the CA I just put on .  From there I kept moving up the grits until I got to 12000.  I also wiped the blank with a wet paper towel after each sanding to remove any residue.  

With the wet sanding done the last step was to apply a little HUT plastic polish.  Keeping the lathe on low (875) and Polished with a piece of old T-shirt.











Thanks again for all your help!


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## csr67 (Oct 5, 2015)

Drewboy22 said:


> Thanks for all the advice and help!  I took a lot of what you said and applied it to a couple pens this weekend.
> 
> Wood = Bocote
> Kit = PSI Slimline (Gold Ti and Black Ti)
> ...



Sounds like a good process.  I do just that process, but no linseed oil.  Just make sure you've sealed the ends of any wood blank with some thin CA before doing any wet sanding!


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## Skie_M (Oct 5, 2015)

Looking really nice!

A safety concern that many here will point out, as well as I .... never EVER use a piece of cloth of ANY kind with a spinning lathe.  If the fabric catches on anything at all, it's strong enough that it can pull your fingers and wrap your hand, possibly your arm, around the spindle.  The damage can be pretty violent.  Use a paper towel of some kind ....


For polishing and CA application, I go the extra dollar and buy the "Blue Shop Towels" from a local automotive parts store.  These things are extra thick and tough, but easily tear when you have a catch on the lathe, rather than pulling your fingers into harm's way.  They are also, for the most part, lint free.  My one issue with them is that they ARE somewhat absorbent, being thick matted paper, so I'm quite interested in the technique of using a cheap craft foam pad for CA application.  I have quite a few sheets of this around, as I get my micromesh paper from Hobby Lobby and use this same foam pad material as a backer for my home made micromesh pads.


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 5, 2015)

csr67 said:


> Sounds like a good process.  I do just that process, but no linseed oil.  Just make sure you've sealed the ends of any wood blank with some thin CA before doing any wet sanding!



Never thought of that.  I will have to remember this next time.  Thanks


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 5, 2015)

Skie_M said:


> Looking really nice!
> 
> A safety concern that many here will point out, as well as I .... never EVER use a piece of cloth of ANY kind with a spinning lathe.  If the fabric catches on anything at all, it's strong enough that it can pull your fingers and wrap your hand, possibly your arm, around the spindle.  The damage can be pretty violent.  Use a paper towel of some kind ....
> 
> ...



Good Call.  The piece I was using was only about 3inX3in but I do see the concern.  Thanks


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 12, 2015)

*Next question.*

So, would it do any good to apply another set of coats of ca after you wet sand?  In other words, if I put 10 coats of ca, wet sand, dry and reapply another 10 coats, wet sand and polish.

Thoughts??


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## jttheclockman (Oct 12, 2015)

Drewboy22 said:


> So, would it do any good to apply another set of coats of ca after you wet sand?  In other words, if I put 10 coats of ca, wet sand, dry and reapply another 10 coats, wet sand and polish.
> 
> Thoughts??




My question to you is WHY???? What are you looking for?  Remember you now will have the body of the pen built up past the components. 10 coats of CA is that thin or med??? I suggest working on getting the finish you are looking for before final sanding and polishing.


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 12, 2015)

jttheclockman said:


> Drewboy22 said:
> 
> 
> > So, would it do any good to apply another set of coats of ca after you wet sand?  In other words, if I put 10 coats of ca, wet sand, dry and reapply another 10 coats, wet sand and polish.
> ...



 Why not?  I am looking for a fuller smoother finish. I have seen several pens that seem as though they plastic coating on them. Real smooth and have a thickness to it. On my pens that have come out nice you can still see the imperfections in the grain that are transferred into the ca. I would like to see a solid smooth coat of ca without the dimples of the wood.

I use thin ca for my finish.


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## Joey-Nieves (Oct 12, 2015)

Andrew:
I also like my pens to look deep and shinny.  I apply about 20 coats of CA. As I said before, 2 or 3 coats of thin CA the rest should be medium or thick depending on where you live.  In Puerto Rico, in the tropics, thick CA runs more thinner almost like a heavy Medium CA.  
I apply a few even coats of thin a CA then about 10 coats of Thick and a shot of activator. I wait a little, then use a new piece of napkin and apply 10 more coats,  with practice they will come out nice and smooth, if not you can sand with 220 grit clean and apply 1 or 2 more coats. 
Allow to dry and then wet sand with micro mesh and a dab of blue magic or mothers.
I do this all the time and it works for me and make a lot of pens a year(close to 2000 a year)

Remember everybody has a way of applying CA you need to find one that works for you!


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## jttheclockman (Oct 12, 2015)

Drewboy22 said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > Drewboy22 said:
> ...




Well then you need to adjust your method of applying in the first place. You need to switch to med CA. A couple of thin to seal the blank and then 4 or 5 coats is all that is needed. There are many ways of applying and methods used. You can do a search here till the cows come home They have been documented many times. But to go through all that trouble to sand and polish and then start over again on top of what you have is counter productive in my eyes. 

My suggestion like I said is to start with a couple thin layers. 2 or 3 is fine. Then switch to Med. CA and apply about 3 coats. Now you can take some 800 grit sandpaper and lightly sand the blank. If you have shiny spots among the blank after sanding, means you have low spots. Wipe the blank down and add a couple more layers. Again sand and again look for shiny spots. If all gone then that means any layers you add now will fully cover and build on the blank. Add 2 or 3 more coats and make sure the CA is cured before sanding and polishing. I do not use accelorator. As been mentioned many times here. All CA is not created equal. I use Hot Stuff from Satellite City. 

There will be other giving you their methods but I believe the feeling will be the same as to the extra work you want to create is not necessary. 

Remember though the more coats you add the thicker the finish and you need to take this into account for fit on the components. Good luck.


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## CREID (Oct 12, 2015)

The best thing to do is experiment. Personally, I use 3 or 4 coats of thin and then 4, 5, 6 coats of medium and I get a finish that looks like glass. You will get a hundred different ways to do things, but some things never change no matter who does it. 
1. The amount of CA that actually gets on for each coat is up to you and how much you put on the paper towel, craft foam or some people even use the little zip bags the pen parts come in. AND the amount of pressure you use while applying.
2. How much you sand. If you sand a lot, you will go through the CA and have to apply more and take a lighter touch with the sandpaper. With practice your CA applying will get smoother and you will do less sanding to get it smooth.

After these 2 you get many different ways to go, all of them are correct if they work for the person that does it.

Some people go from smoothing the CA with 400 grit right to a liquid polish. 
Some do more sanding (wet or dry).
Some do micro mesh (wet or dry).

If you like, here is my method, keep in mind it took me a while to get it work for me and now it works for ME, almost every time.

First I sand the blank smooth through 600 grit.
Second I apply a few coats of thin CA and about 4 to 6 coats of Medium (why about 4 to 6? Because I forget to count and it doesn't have to be exact.)
Third I smooth the CA out with sandpaper. If I did a good job of applying a smooth coating, I use 400 and wet sand to make sure it is smooth (basically I sand until I see no more glossy parts) then I go over it lightly with 600 wet sand.
Fourth I wet sand with micro mesh to 12,000.
Fifth. I use Maguires plastix auto polish (plastix, plastex, plastics, not real sure of exactly the name).
Sixth. I look at it to see if it looks ok, if it does I put the pen together, if it doesn't, I do it over (this rarely happens anymore).

Most important, Practice, practice, practice. Before long you will be able to answer all your questions.

Curt


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## TonyL (Oct 13, 2015)

These tips helped *me*:

Resist the temptation to touch the finish to see if the CA is dry.

Do not lift the applicator (paper towel, craft foam, plastic bag, etc.) off the surface and return it to the surface. Chances are that curing has started and you will only mar the surface

Make sure the ends and edges are well sealed.

As I said, these steps helped me. Your experience may be different.


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 13, 2015)

CREID said:


> The best thing to do is experiment. Personally, I use 3 or 4 coats of thin and then 4, 5, 6 coats of medium and I get a finish that looks like glass. You will get a hundred different ways to do things, but some things never change no matter who does it.
> 1. The amount of CA that actually gets on for each coat is up to you and how much you put on the paper towel, craft foam or some people even use the little zip bags the pen parts come in. AND the amount of pressure you use while applying.
> 2. How much you sand. If you sand a lot, you will go through the CA and have to apply more and take a lighter touch with the sandpaper. With practice your CA applying will get smoother and you will do less sanding to get it smooth.
> 
> ...





			
				JTTHECLOCKMAN said:
			
		

> My suggestion like I said is to start with a couple thin layers. 2 or 3 is fine. Then switch to Med. CA and apply about 3 coats. Now you can take some 800 grit sandpaper and lightly sand the blank. If you have shiny spots among the blank after sanding, means you have low spots. Wipe the blank down and add a couple more layers. Again sand and again look for shiny spots. If all gone then that means any layers you add now will fully cover and build on the blank. Add 2 or 3 more coats and make sure the CA is cured before sanding and polishing. I do not use accelerator. As been mentioned many times here. All CA is not created equal. I use Hot Stuff from Satellite City.


Thank you Curt and JT,

  This is basically what I was trying to find out.  I may have been thinking of too many coats before sanding but sanding between coats will work.

Thank you for the info


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## Joey-Nieves (Oct 13, 2015)

Drew:
All the above methods work, because they are doing them and have the results they want.  The hard part is finding one for you.

The only time I wet sand and apply more CA and Wet sand again is if I find imperfections in the finish.  These happen for various reasons, but the most common for me are I apply the activator too close and it cause the finish to dry uneven causing little pin marks or I applied more CA when one already applied was curing causing an orange peel look.

So what I've been doing lately is I apply 1 more coat after I apply the activator then wait for it to dry.  I also setup a heat gun about 18" away from my Lathe and turn it on while the lathe is spinning slowly to help it dry.


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## hcpens (Oct 13, 2015)

*The official way to apply CA*

OK, here is the correct and by the way the ONLY way to apply CA to a pen. 

This method has be tested and re-tested by highly qualified and respected lab personnel in hundreds of location throughout the world, in every known environmental condition that could be found.

They have had thousands of failures (or learning results,) and many more successful and satisfying results over the decades of trails.

The test are still on going, scientifically controlled by each lab in their specific area of the globe.

The trail official name is : TRIAL BY ERROR or However you want to do it and you are successful. :biggrin:



I personally have tried several dozen methods and found on most of the wood I turn, 3 coats of thin, WET sand( I seal my tube ends) to 12000, then a shot of clear acrylic spray.


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## Joey-Nieves (Oct 13, 2015)

hcpens said:


> OK, here is the correct and by the way the ONLY way to apply CA to a pen.
> 
> This method has be tested and re-tested by highly qualified and respected lab personnel in hundreds of location throughout the world, in every known environmental condition that could be found.
> 
> ...



Well this is the way I learned to, no mater how you explain or try to make a video you can't " people "show" the real secret; pressure!  In all my trails and experiments it all came down to how much pressure I put on the blank when I apply the CA. 
The only way I can describe it is like trying to "float" the CA between the applicator and the blank.  I try not to touch the blank with the napkin, just try to keep the CA between the tip of my Napkin-ed finger and the blank.

Am I making sense?

As for wet sanding, you guys would kill me! 
I go to the body paint supply store and buy the 220, 400, 600, 800, grit wet paper and 2500, 5000 sponge type. I wrap the paper around an old Micro mesh sponge and do my thing. then I apply a little blue magic with a damp towel. Glass finish every time.
I get about 20 to 30 pens before I change the paper.  This about as many pens  as can make in about 2 days.  I turn one day finish them the next.


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## Sabaharr (Oct 13, 2015)

Joey, I am with you on the pressure only I let a protruding corner of paper towel touch the barrel while move it from one end to the other. The stiffness of a bent paper towel corner is all the pressure I put. Using medium CA this applies a thick coat so 4 coats is all that's needed. A little practice eliminates most ridges and the skew gets the rest.


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 13, 2015)

The above is good info to have.  The main thing I see is that medium CA is the common.  I will have to pick some up and give it a go. Thanks,

Drew


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## Skie_M (Oct 13, 2015)

Never tried anything other than the cheap superglue tubes you get in the 10-pack from Harbor Freight .... but as for the pressure during application, yes ... I "float" the superglue onto the pen to leave a thin slick layer behind, sweeping evenly and quickly from left to right and back to left in one motion, taking no longer than 3 seconds.

I generally apply 6 to 9 layers, and then start my wet sanding with 1000 grit paper, and then jump to micromesh, usually.

Last night, I tried a different technique, and it seems it could just about work.  Right after the 1000 grit, I went straight to the Meguiar's PlastX (or you could use One-Step).  It removed about 95% of the surface scratches in 2 applications.  I didn't like the scratches that were left, but it was still a marked improvement over the 1000 grit.  After the PlastX I went back to micro mesh 3200 wet sanding and worked my way up to 12,000.  After the next round of PlastX there were no visible scratches whatsoever.


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## edstreet (Oct 13, 2015)

Ah yes.  Someone disclosed one of the great secrets.  Pressure.  Same holds true with sanding.   

If you are describing and advocating 'coats' on ca then your doing it wrong.  The 'coat' method is a throw back method when people did not know better. 

CA is not all the same yet it gets treated as the same in the community. This continues to elude the group for some strange reason. It's like saying all chocolate is the same.


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## TurtleTom (Oct 13, 2015)

Drewboy, there are many, and I mean many, videos on YouTube showing how to apply CA and the other favorite CA and BLO (boiled linseed oil).  I learned the BLO technique when I was making rings from wood and I still like it.  Just search "CA pen finish", google will do the rest.


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## CREID (Oct 13, 2015)

Bottom line is "I do it MYYYYYYYYYY WAAAAAYYYYYYY"

Curt


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 18, 2015)

Drewboy22 said:


> Thanks for all the advice and help!  I took a lot of what you said and applied it to a couple pens this weekend.
> 
> Wood = Bocote
> Kit = PSI Slimline (Gold Ti and Black Ti)
> ...



Ok, I was trying something new today and I think it came out real nice.  It is kinda tied to the other thread I started about sanding after CA and then more CA. 

So I did basically the same thing with an added step in the middle.  I dry sanded up to 800, denatured alcohol, and BLO, sealed the ends and put back on the mandrel with some CA bushings.  

Different steps were:

6 coats of thin CA the dry sand with my 1500 mm pad (lightly, just to knock down the high spots.) Cleaned the blank again with some Denatured Alcohol and put on 4 more coats of CA.  From here I wet sanded from 1500 to 12000 mm and used HUT Polish to finish it off.  

Pen Info - Pen and Pencil set from Woodcraft made with Maple wood.

Thoughts?











Thanks for Looking :wink:

Drew


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## TurtleTom (Oct 18, 2015)

By George, I believe he's got it.  They look very nice Drew.


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## Skie_M (Oct 19, 2015)

An awesome finish.  I'ld be proud to pull those off my mandrel any day!


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 19, 2015)

Thanks Tom and Greg.  This is the finish I have been trying to do.  I am very satisfied with it


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## TurtleTom (Oct 19, 2015)

I certainly don't consider myself an expert on CA finishes but I checked the instructions that came with my MM set from Exotic Blanks by BG Artforms.  It advised wet sanding down the entire sheet.  The bottom line on the last paragraph: Do not use water on wooden pen blanks!"  
   I hope you don't get any blush on your pens.
   I suspect humidity plays a great part in CA success but you rarely hear anything about it.  The humidity here varies by 40% depending on the time of day.  I try to finish in the lowest humidity I can by checking the UndergroundWeather channel predictions.  Water in any form is not a friend to CA.


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## jttheclockman (Oct 19, 2015)

TurtleTom said:


> I certainly don't consider myself an expert on CA finishes but I checked the instructions that came with my MM set from Exotic Blanks by BG Artforms.  It advised wet sanding down the entire sheet.  The bottom line on the last paragraph: Do not use water on wooden pen blanks!"
> I hope you don't get any blush on your pens.
> I suspect humidity plays a great part in CA success but you rarely hear anything about it.  The humidity here varies by 40% depending on the time of day.  I try to finish in the lowest humidity I can by checking the UndergroundWeather channel predictions.  Water in any form is not a friend to CA.




Not totally true. When dried and cured it can be wet sanded with no problems at all. I do it all the time. I never use MM or any sandpaper on  wood or acrylic blanks dry. The key to wood blanks is seal the ends.


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## TurtleTom (Oct 20, 2015)

thanks John, any special precautions to sealing the ends?  I just worry about a bloom showing up weeks later.


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## edstreet (Oct 20, 2015)

Bloom happens during polymerization. 

What can happen is the wood moves and pulls loose from the inflexible CA causing an ugly spot. Paper does the same thing.  

Even when you 'seal' the ends you will still get moisture exchange.


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## TurtleTom (Oct 20, 2015)

edstreet said:


> Bloom happens during polymerization.
> 
> What can happen is the wood moves and pulls loose from the inflexible CA causing an ugly spot. Paper does the same thing.
> 
> Even when you 'seal' the ends you will still get moisture exchange.



Yes, that's the worry.  But back to basics a sec here, why sand wet in the first place?  Why not just do it dry?  I've never wet sanded a pen before.  
 Is damp better than wet?


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## jttheclockman (Oct 20, 2015)

Wet sanding is done on cars all the time. A liquid will make the sandpaper last longer,clog less. and glide smoother. Also less scratches.

I seal the ends of wood pen blanks with a dab of thin CA before sanding. If i need to touch up before assembly it is very easy to do.

I even go as far as using lemon oil when I wet sand my woodworking projects that use exotic woods. because of the tight grain and the oils it just a natural to do. They polish to a mirror shine.


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## TurtleTom (Oct 20, 2015)

jttheclockman said:


> Wet sanding is done on cars all the time. A liquid will make the sandpaper last longer,clog less. and glide smoother. Also less scratches.
> 
> I seal the ends of wood pen blanks with a dab of thin CA before sanding. If i need to touch up before assembly it is very easy to do.
> 
> I even go as far as using lemon oil when I wet sand my woodworking projects that use exotic woods. because of the tight grain and the oils it just a natural to do. They polish to a mirror shine.




I got a laugh out of it, I googled lemon oil to learn a little about it and there was a post citing  10 reasons to use lemon oil.  I'm saying to myself I'll post this for a laugh and get him John with it, but lo and behold Dr. Axe's #6 of the 10 best uses for lemon oil is 6. wood and silver polish.  Who would argue with Dr. Axe?  Not me.  
Would the lemon oil eventually clog the sanding pad or do you frequently use soap and water to clean the pad?
How much life do you get from these pads?


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## Drewboy22 (Oct 20, 2015)

jttheclockman said:


> Wet sanding is done on cars all the time. A liquid will make the sandpaper last longer,clog less. and glide smoother. Also less scratches.
> 
> I seal the ends of wood pen blanks with a dab of thin CA before sanding. If i need to touch up before assembly it is very easy to do.
> 
> I even go as far as using lemon oil when I wet sand my woodworking projects that use exotic woods. because of the tight grain and the oils it just a natural to do. They polish to a mirror shine.



I have heard people use Walnut oil for wood working but this is the first time I heard Lemon Oil. Learn something new everyday 

So without using CA you will use the oil and wet sand as a polish that way or do you still use CA?


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## Skie_M (Oct 20, 2015)

You can use it either way ... the oils will lubricate the sandpaper and help carry the sanding detritus away to prevent scratching of the surface by the larger particles.

When using it on bare wood, the oils work their way into the wood helping to preserve it.  Lemon oil is a natural antibacterial.

When using it on an acrylic, it just helps keep the surface cleaner and helps wash away that sanding residue.  Using it on a CA finish is the same as using it on an acrylic.


Walnut oil is a nice alternative to using boiled linseed oil ...  I'll have to pick some up to try someday, but for now I still have over 3/4 of a can of Minwax Stain and Seal and I like the effect it has on the wood in darkening it just a little  (natural color).  It gives it a "wet" appearance right before I seal it permanently with CA.


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## jttheclockman (Oct 20, 2015)

TurtleTom said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > Wet sanding is done on cars all the time. A liquid will make the sandpaper last longer,clog less. and glide smoother. Also less scratches.
> ...





Drewboy22 said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > Wet sanding is done on cars all the time. A liquid will make the sandpaper last longer,clog less. and glide smoother. Also less scratches.
> ...





Tom and Andrew

I group your questions together because they are related. Lets take a step back. When I do pens I use CA on all my wood pens. I feel the CA gives a depth to the grain. Unless a client strickly wants to feel the wood then I will Danish oil the wood blank and skip the CA. I sand and polish using the wet method. I use water on polishing CA. The CA seals the wood so lemon oil will do nothing. Can it be used absolutely. It is a lubricant. Now if i made the client a wood pen and only used Danish oil then I will polish with lemon oil. The oil will get into the grain and give it a slight hue which warms the look of wood unless they want a holy blank then no oil, no Danish oil but use a coat of waterlox clear. Again this does the same thing as above. 

Now I make so many more things other than pens and use exotic woods a lot. I love how it can accent a piece. In this case I will Danish oil the wood and polish it out using lemon oil. I use Formby's lemon oil. Now As with pens I will polish with MM pads. I have a set of sheets just for this. 

The oil does not clog the pads, it does help preserve them longer, and as I said it helps glide smoother. I do not clean the sheets at all. I let them dry and have them ready for the next project. The sheets clean as you dip in the oil just as the MM pads clean when dipped in water. 

Take it another step further and I use water based lacquer on many projects too. Sometime there are a few nibs or stray overspray and I knock this back with the MM sheets and the lemon oil again. Never dry sanding. The only time I dry sand is when I am building a project and need to clean up or level off a surface. When the finish is applied all dry sanding stops in my shop. 

Here is a couple examples. The pen rack is made from Rosewood and yellow heart. Danish oil and polished with the MM sheets and lemon oil. I think you can see the sheen.

The second example is desk watches. These were sprayed with a water base lacquer and then polished again with lemon oil and MMsheets. Hope this helps clear that up.


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## TurtleTom (Oct 20, 2015)

John and Skie, thank you for clearing this up for us.


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