# Other Finishing Methods



## Tomspens (Jul 24, 2010)

Besides CA glue, what kind of finishing does everyone else use?


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## Tomspens (Jul 24, 2010)

Is shellac any good?

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## keithkarl2007 (Jul 24, 2010)

Some members use a wipe on poly or lacquer, I don't think shellac would be very durable on an item that could be used constantly


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## tool-man (Jul 24, 2010)

Take a look at the finishing forum on this site. http://www.penturners.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=28
There are all kinds of finishing ideas discussed there.


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## Smitty37 (Jul 25, 2010)

*Shellac*



Tomspens said:


> Is shellac any good?
> 
> www.tomspens.com
> ______________________________________
> www.shop.tomspens.com


 
Shellac is just fine.  I use several coats and let the pen sit for about two weeks for it to be fully cured.  Nice thing about it is once fully cured it is completel non-toxic so if jr decides to cut his teeth on a pen it won't kill him.  It's also pretty hard and it doesn't wear bad.


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## mredburn (Jul 25, 2010)

I have used poly, the wipe on kind, the regular kind, water based poly, It all works you just have to give it time to dry.  Both between coats and after the final coat before you do final finish on it. I have pens I did more than 10 years ago that are finished in poly. they are little beat upfrom baniging around but have not worn off or robbed off.  CA is just faster.


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## its_virgil (Jul 25, 2010)

I think the next best finish is lacquer but lacquer needs to cure for a week or longer before it can be buffed to its optimum shine. Several choices are friction polish, both shellac and lacquer based, lacquer ( wipe on, brush on, spray on and dipping), various oils such as tung oil and Waterlox, Enduro (water born lacauer), polyurathane, and the list goes on. Go to Russ Fairfield's website and do some reading from someone who knows all there is to know about finishing wood: http://www.Woodturnerruss.com
Do a good turn daily!
Don



Tomspens said:


> Besides CA glue, what kind of finishing does everyone else use?
> 
> 
> www.tomspens.com
> ...


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## Dave_M (Jul 25, 2010)

Behlen's Qualalacq gloss lacquer has been my go to finish for a while now.  Best lacquer I've used so far.


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## Jim Burr (Jul 26, 2010)

WOP is good for a dull sheen that many like for wood. For durability, Arm r seal is a good top coat. Rattle can is good, but I like to sand in between each coat.


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## Bill Sampson (Jul 26, 2010)

There are several great ways to finish pens and people on this site do them extremely well. My suggestion is to pick the one you do reasonably well and perfect it for your use.
Russ Fairchild refers to the finish that has been used on violens for centuries. I was taught the process of this finish from an excellent luthier (violen maker) and now use it on all wooden pens. It is simply a clean white rag "charged" with DNA, Behlen's Qualasole Padding Finish, and one drop of OZ Creme. 
It may or not be the "best", but it works best for me.

Bill Sampson, Richmond


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## thewishman (Jul 26, 2010)

I use plexiglas dissolved in acetone.


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## PenMan1 (Jul 26, 2010)

Plexiglass works almost as well as CA. The problem here is that you have to make your own and it is time consuming and the application closely mimics that of CA. IT IS easier to learn to get good, repeatable results with plexi, but all the "glass" breaking, acetone mixing, thinning and waiting fir drying between coats drove me back to CA.


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