# Fangar's finish application question



## GaryMGg (Dec 24, 2006)

I probably missed the explanation somewhere.

Why paper towel instead of cotton cloth to apply the CA?

Thanks,
Gary


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## its_virgil (Dec 24, 2006)

For me it works better, or should I say paper towel is the only applicator material I've had success with, and I've tried them all. For others, here may be other reason's why paper towel is used. Some swear by them, and others think they stink as a applicator material. I say, use what works for you. If you are having problems with paper towels, try some of the other stuff that is used.
Do a good turn daily!
Don


> _Originally posted by GaryMGg_
> <br />I probably missed the explanation somewhere.
> 
> Why paper towel instead of cotton cloth to apply the CA?
> ...


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## les-smith (Dec 25, 2006)

Some say the paper towel accelerates the CA slightly.  I like them because I can cut them down to smaller pieces and get a lot of uses out of a roll/box of them.


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## Dario (Dec 25, 2006)

Maybe because paper towel is much cheaper than cloth? []


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## Chuck B (Dec 25, 2006)

I use the blue shop towels. I get them at work I fold them up & cut them into 5 peices. I use one for the thin CA application. & then either one or two for the 3-4 thick coats of thick CA. IfI do the CA/BLO finish I use the paer towel.

Question I remember reading somewhere that someone uses walnut oil instead of BLO why? what is the what do you get when you use walnut oil?


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## DocStram (Dec 25, 2006)

I use paper towels.  They're cheap plus easy to cut into small sections and fold up. I once tried cotton swabs. What a mess.  I had cotton embedded in the ca.


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## jaywood1207 (Dec 25, 2006)

Some fabrics will react to CA worse and create a ton of heat and burn a lot quicker.  Not sure about cotton as I haven't tried it.  We have had a few people at work that ended up with burns because of CA reacting to a cotton/polyester blend including a maintenance guy who sat on a small spot by accident.  Sure glad I wasn't his supervisor at the time when he asked somebody to check it out.[]  Paper towels do heat up but not as much as some fabric IMO.


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## leehljp (Dec 25, 2006)

Using a rubber glove, apply 2, 3 or 4 drops of CA, rubbing them along the spinning blank; then try the same with folded paper towel. With the rubber glove, you can apply it lightly or with some force; while it it totally wet or until it dries enought to grab the glove off of your hand (*BTDT). It does not get hot**. Then compare it with a couple of strokes of CA'd paper towell. Totally different story. The paper towell is not inert as an applicator, where as the rubber glove almost totally is inert as an applicator. The point is that paper towels seem to me to have the best balance in being a natural mild accellerator, soft enough to conform to the shape and yet become stiff quick enough to prevent being grabbed by the curing CA. I too have had cloth fibers (cotton and cotton like material) grab and go spinning. Rarely does this happen with paper towel for me.

* BTDT=Been there, done that. [B)]
** I will say that I do not have access to the best of CAs like some of you do and that can influence conclusions of my experiments/accidents. [][)][B)]


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## sandking (Dec 26, 2006)

> _Originally posted by leehljp_
> <br />Using a rubber glove, apply 2, 3 or 4 drops of CA, rubbing them along the spinning blank; then try the same with folded paper towel. With the rubber glove, you can apply it lightly or with some force; while it it totally wet or until it dries enought to grab the glove off of your hand (*BTDT). It does not get hot**. Then compare it with a couple of strokes of CA'd paper towell. Totally different story. The paper towell is not inert as an applicator, where as the rubber glove almost totally is inert as an applicator. The point is that paper towels seem to me to have the best balance in being a natural mild accellerator, soft enough to conform to the shape and yet become stiff quick enough to prevent being grabbed by the curing CA. I too have had cloth fibers (cotton and cotton like material) grab and go spinning. Rarely does this happen with paper towel for me.
> 
> * BTDT=Been there, done that. [B)]
> ** I will say that I do not have access to the best of CAs like some of you do and that can influence conclusions of my experiments/accidents. [][)][B)]



When i make pens I use latex gloves and paper towels to apply thin and thick CA.  If I don't fold the paper towel thick enough it goes to the glove heats up a burns my fingers.  I would never try it with just a glove.


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## leehljp (Dec 26, 2006)

> _Originally posted by sandking_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



Sandking:
What you said - Yes! But it is the <b>paper towell</b> that makes it hot, not the rubber gloves. My point was that it does not get hot from the rubber gloves because the gloves are an inert material, while the paper towell acts as an accellerator. Paper towels, CA and the friction from the spinning blank causes the heat. Rubber gloves, CA and a spinning blank do not. 

Once it gets hot in the situation that you mentioned, the rubber gloves will not prevent the heat from reaching your fingers, but it is not the rubber gloves that causes the heat, rather the CA and paper towell - which was the point of this thread - why paper towell.

I know you are pointing out that you would never use a rubber/latex glove by itself, but I will say that a rubber glove as an applicator does make a very very smooth layer of CA, but it is tricky. A second problem is that it does not act as an accellerant and takes 1 to 3 minutes to cure this way.

I do try things and lots of them are dumb. I often follow an old saying: "Beaten paths are for beaten men." If the danger is not immediately obvious, I will often try it. But I listen to others who stray off the beaten path for sure, and look for dangers prior to blazing my own path.

I would say that Eagle and others do this trail blazing well.


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## TellicoTurning (Dec 26, 2006)

I like to the the closed foam wrap that comes in computer boxes and other electronics... it's thin and flexible and can be cut into little squares... the Ca doesn't seem to re-act with it... I use that to spread the Ca, then after it drys, a Viva towel to polish.


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## GaryMGg (Dec 26, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Dario_
> <br />Maybe because paper towel is much cheaper than cloth? []



Ha! That's what I was really wondering. The truth can now be told:
I've got a set of 100% cotton king size sheets that have worn out.
I've been using it for BLO and wax applications BUT I don't want to
ruin my finishes for want of a crowbar. [)]
I've got enough 100% cotton cloth to last several years.
I'm gonna try paper towels just the same and see if there's any difference.

Cheers,
Gary


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## Jerryconn (Dec 27, 2006)

I use the little plastic bags that the individual pen parts are packaged in.  It only takes one or two per pen and they are FREE! I have also used a paper towel and I believe it is easier to get a coating that is more level with a paper towel than other methods I have tried (waxpaper, rubber gloves,etc). As I have experimented with different methods of application I now use the plastic bags up until the last coat of thick CA I then switch over to a paper towel so I can that last cost as level as possible.


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