# fast drying



## steamshovel (Oct 29, 2018)

when my blanks are ready I want a final finish that will dry very fast and I want it to be shiny-shiny. Anything someone has used they would recommend
?

Preston


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## bsshog40 (Oct 29, 2018)

I am sure that the majority of answers you will receive here for that type of finish will be a CA Finish.


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## jttheclockman (Oct 29, 2018)

Ca nothing faster and shinier.


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## leehljp (Oct 29, 2018)

CA finish is not the perfect finish for all situations, but when "fast" and "shiny" are mentioned together, CA is the one that stands out by a huge margin. 

Two caveats: 
1. For many people - a fair sized learning curve to be consistent. After consistency is achieved, fairly simple.
2. For some people - severe respiratory allergies down the road unless face mask or dust collector system used.


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## mark james (Oct 29, 2018)

I'll pitch the lowly Wipe On Polyurethane (several finishes).  Either Les Elms' dipping method or under a heat lamp and slow speed turning motor.

My suggestion is no where close in time to a CA finish... 30-60 minutes per coat vs 3-5 minutes for ALL coats.  So I acknowledge the deficiencies for time, but there may be a thought to the feel and appearance.

Many finishes, many preferences.  Have fun.


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## magpens (Oct 29, 2018)

Don't we all wish for a "genie" to do the finishing ... flawlessly ... and Presto !


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## bsshog40 (Oct 29, 2018)

mark james said:


> I'll pitch the lowly Wipe On Polyurethane (several finishes).  Either Les Elms' dipping method or under a heat lamp and slow speed turning motor.
> 
> My suggestion is no where close in time to a CA finish... 30-60 minutes per coat vs 3-5 minutes for ALL coats.  So I acknowledge the deficiencies for time, but there may be a thought to the feel and appearance.
> 
> Many finishes, many preferences.  Have fun.


I actually love a wipe on poly finish also Mark. The only problem right now is winter is coming and the poly won't cure overnight. And I can't heat my shop 24/7 as it's not finacially feasible. I'm at CA and WTF right now. Come summer, poly will be back in the group also. Lol


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## gtriever (Oct 30, 2018)

How about a small heated cabinet in your shop?  I picked up a 2-door overhead kitchen cabinet (unfinished) from Lowe's at a "cheap" price, and wired it with a Lux Win100 switched-outlet thermostat for a light bulb "heater". In the winter, it keeps my glues and finishes at a balmy 75 degrees and it has enough room for my drying rack as well.


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## TonyL (Oct 30, 2018)

I have found thin CA to dry the fastest. However, unless you are one or two of the  members who can produce a finish with one coat of the "thin:, one may prefer to use a half dozen coats or so. I found that gluboost to cure pretty quickly. I do not know if it is the gluboost accelerator or the gluboost CA glue (or both), but it dries pretty fast. I have found the Mercury Flex medium to take a little longer to cure - but nothing that stops me from using it. The search will continue and it is likely to be discovered here .


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## bsshog40 (Oct 30, 2018)

gtriever said:


> How about a small heated cabinet in your shop?  I picked up a 2-door overhead kitchen cabinet (unfinished) from Lowe's at a "cheap" price, and wired it with a Lux Win100 switched-outlet thermostat for a light bulb "heater". In the winter, it keeps my glues and finishes at a balmy 75 degrees and it has enough room for my drying rack as well.




Maybe one day if I start doing more pens. I have a 215,000 btu propane space  heater in the shop now that heats it up fast and I can keep it warm while I'm working. It has a thermostat but I don't trust something shooting a giant flame out the front to stay on all night. Lol


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## rd_ab_penman (Oct 30, 2018)

MINWAX WBOM Clear Gloss Polyurethane.

Les


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## ed4copies (Oct 30, 2018)

bsshog40 said:


> gtriever said:
> 
> 
> > How about a small heated cabinet in your shop?  I picked up a 2-door overhead kitchen cabinet (unfinished) from Lowe's at a "cheap" price, and wired it with a Lux Win100 switched-outlet thermostat for a light bulb "heater". In the winter, it keeps my glues and finishes at a balmy 75 degrees and it has enough room for my drying rack as well.
> ...




Take the blanks you have finished that day into the house, which I am assuming is heated.


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## bsshog40 (Oct 30, 2018)

ed4copies said:


> bsshog40 said:
> 
> 
> > gtriever said:
> ...


Well thats an ok idea. I would have to make a transport box to take them to the house. Here in west texas, 30 mph winds are a nice day. Lol I have an acre to cross providing the horse leaves me alone, I might make it without it being covered in dust. Lol


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## Loucurr (Nov 1, 2018)

Has anyone ever tried a UV finish on pens?


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## MRDucks2 (Nov 1, 2018)

Actually there are a couple of very good articles/threads here on IAP about UV finishes. 


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## raar25 (Nov 7, 2018)

For anyone who needs to keep blanks warm curing on a cool shop, take a ride to your local junk/recycling yard and get a small scrap refrigerator.  Drill a bunch of holes in it to allow air flow and throw a shop light in there.  Depending on the size I have found that a standard 25 watt bulb keeps mine at about 75-80 deg F.  I was using it to dry some bowl blanks but they crack too often so I abandoned that.


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## thewishman (Nov 7, 2018)

Dissolved plexigas in acetone. Fast, easy, cheap and very shiny. 40 coats in 3 minutes.


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## jttheclockman (Nov 7, 2018)

raar25 said:


> For anyone who needs to keep blanks warm curing on a cool shop, take a ride to your local junk/recycling yard and get a small scrap refrigerator.  Drill a bunch of holes in it to allow air flow and throw a shop light in there.  Depending on the size I have found that a standard 25 watt bulb keeps mine at about 75-80 deg F.  I was using it to dry some bowl blanks but they crack too often so I abandoned that.



Large cooler work too. Everyone throws those out. I think I would stay clear of the styrofoam ones though


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## TonyL (Nov 7, 2018)

> Dissolved plexigas in acetone. Fast, easy, cheap and very shiny. 40 coats in 3 minutes.



Hey Chris! I still have enough of to finish the Titanic!


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## thewishman (Nov 7, 2018)

TonyL said:


> > Dissolved plexigas in acetone. Fast, easy, cheap and very shiny. 40 coats in 3 minutes.
> 
> 
> 
> Hey Chris! I still have enough of to finish the Titanic!



A square foot of .25" plexi would be enough to finish about 6500 pens.


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## Hutch9022 (Nov 8, 2018)

Has anyone used a hairdryer or heat gun to cure CA?


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## bsshog40 (Nov 8, 2018)

Hutch9022 said:


> Has anyone used a hairdryer or heat gun to cure CA?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app


CA is baically super glue. I don't see any reason for a heat gun. By the time you get it out it would probably be dry. Now there is an aerosol accelerator that you can spray on right after application of CA.


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## leehljp (Nov 8, 2018)

Hutch9022 said:


> Has anyone used a hairdryer or heat gun to cure CA?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app



Sure. I have a heat gun and a hair dryer in my shop by the lathe. Been doing this for about 12 - 13 years. A hair dryer is better overall because it does not get as hot. With a heat gun, there is less tolerance for incorrect distance. In unheated shops where temperatures go below 60°F, medium CA and even thin will begin to progressively take more time to cure. AND what most people do not realize is that with temp swings there are often humidity swings which affect other finishes. It is not only the temp, but humidity that affects the curing time of CA and different finishes. 

if the moisture content of a blank is high after sitting in 75% humidity for a few days, the heat on the outside from curing CA can cause cloudiness inside the CA layer as the humidity is drawn outward. I heat my blanks when I haven't turned the heat on in the shop. The hair dryer will help in speeding up the curing and will help get the moisture out of the wood before applying. 

IF one uses Paper Towel as an applicator, it is less of a problem because the PT puts on thinner layers and the PT friction action heats the blank and CA. But it takes many more layers to build up a finish.


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## Hutch9022 (Nov 8, 2018)

Ok thank you. My shop is not heated and I thought a hair dryer would help. Thanks a lot!!!


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## bsshog40 (Nov 8, 2018)

Thanks hank for that info. I usually heat my shop up some so I wasn't aware of this. I thought super glue would just harden no matter what. It does to my fingers. Lol


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## TonyL (Nov 8, 2018)

Solarez (Youtube it) cures via UV light in a few seconds. I have experimented with it with limited success.  Before going that route, read all you can about oxygen inhibition. 

I am finding the gluboost combo to work really well. Fewer coats.


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## ramaroodle (Nov 12, 2018)

TonyL said:


> Solarez (Youtube it) cures via UV light in a few seconds. I have experimented with it with limited success.  Before going that route, read all you can about oxygen inhibition.
> 
> I am finding the gluboost combo to work really well. Fewer coats.



+1 for gluboost


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