# Please critique my process



## ramaroodle (Feb 16, 2018)

1st post here. Below is a summary of what I have developed as a finishing process and am looking for some feedback as to how I can improve / change it.

Brand new to turning but this is what trial and error has taught me over the last week. Got my best results just last night. Two things have to be smooth. The wood and the CA. If the wood isn’t baby butt smooth neither will the CA be. No amount of CA will make bumpy wood smooth. Like the old photographic analogy, you can’t get a clear picture from a fuzzy negative.

Thanks in advance.

Sand from 80 to 600 using abranet. Don’t skip grits.
Apply 3-4 coats of thin CA to fill any spaces (I might try Med CA for this part next time)
Sand back to 320 or wherever you need to to get rid of anything that is still shiny from the 1st coats of CA. Then you know it’s smooth.
Sand back up to 600.
Wipe with slightly damp paper towel.
Apply 4-8 coats of thin CA. (some advocate for med CA for the final coats but I find it to be too hard to smooth out) Sand the CA to 600 again then use wet microfiber pads through 12K (I’ve found that the micro fiber pads won’t smooth the CA enough so that’s why I go over it with the 600)
Use EEE ultra shine abrasive wax (2x’s if needed) (I tried using auto polishing compound but it didn’t work as well as EEE)
Apply friction polish (DIY mix instead of $32.95 for Shellawax)


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## greenmtnguy (Feb 16, 2018)

Try this for simple CA finish
https://youtu.be/eL9T-H8Hfv8


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## ramaroodle (Feb 16, 2018)

greenmtnguy said:


> Try this for simple CA finish
> https://youtu.be/eL9T-H8Hfv8


I like that. Looks fast, easy and high quality.  Saves a few steps.  Gotta find the plastic polish.  I've seen it mentioned elsewhere.


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## greenmtnguy (Feb 16, 2018)

It's not my video but I use a liquid car polish. I think any car polish will work as long as you have a smooth CA finish.


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## ramaroodle (Feb 16, 2018)

I have some Maguires PlastX at home.  Folks seem to like that stuff too.  Thanks.


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## pshrynk (Feb 19, 2018)

My brother says he uses headlight cleaner.  Haven't tried it yet, myself, though.


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## ramaroodle (Feb 19, 2018)

pshrynk said:


> My brother says he uses headlight cleaner.  Haven't tried it yet, myself, though.



Yeah.  Everybody says it's the same stuff.  Just polishes plastic.  Thanks.


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## JimB (Feb 19, 2018)

Why are you applying a friction polish at the end?


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## ramaroodle (Feb 19, 2018)

JimB said:


> Why are you applying a friction polish at the end?


Cuz that seems to be the process that everyone suggests and is does take the finish to the next level over and above the plastic polish.  The friction polish makes it smooth as glass.

Like I said, I'm new at this so my only knowledge base is what I have seen online.


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## leehljp (Feb 19, 2018)

ramaroodle said:


> Brand new to turning but this is what *trial and error* has taught me over the last week. Got my best results just last night. Two things have to be smooth. The wood and the CA. If the wood isn’t baby butt smooth neither will the CA be. No amount of CA will make bumpy wood smooth. Like the old photographic analogy, you can’t get a clear picture from a fuzzy negative.



Trial and error, the best teacher!

Pick up tips from others as you are asking. Some work and some don't.

The reason some work and some don't, And, some methods work for one and not the other is that: 
1. there are differences in some CAs
2. Temp and Humidity differences in different regions affect finishes and times.
3. Relative instructions - what is "sand softly to a 250LB man" is "sand moderately hard" to a 125lb person; what is a "few seconds" to one person is 30 to 40 seconds to another; Speed of lathe when sanding is relative also - some sand at 1500 and above and some sand at much less than 1000 rpm and some at 200 - 300 RPM.

How one person interprets the actions of another in following directions is highly relative without each other realizing it. 

You have discovered what works for you; keep trying it until it is repeatable. Next, with the changing of seasons and humidity swings, you may notice (with experience) a difference in the curing times.

Next, read other methods, and try them on a simple plain wood pen blank, not for the purpose of making a pen but learning new methods. If pen turning stays with you for more than a couple of years, your expanded experience will enhance your finishing techniques. Don't be afraid to try other methods. But for now, work on getting one down and repeatable. 

Great looking finishes on those two pens!


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## JimB (Feb 19, 2018)

ramaroodle said:


> JimB said:
> 
> 
> > Why are you applying a friction polish at the end?
> ...



I don’t think I have seen anyone recommend a friction polish over a CA finish. Wax over CA yes. That is for fingerprints. Some folks use a friction polish to seal the wood before the CA finish. 

A friction polish wears off with use and will cause the finish to look uneven.

Of course maybe I am misunderstanding what you mean by a friction polish.


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## ramaroodle (Feb 19, 2018)

leehljp said:


> ramaroodle said:
> 
> 
> > Brand new to turning but this is what *trial and error* has taught me over the last week. Got my best results just last night. Two things have to be smooth. The wood and the CA. If the wood isn’t baby butt smooth neither will the CA be. No amount of CA will make bumpy wood smooth. Like the old photographic analogy, you can’t get a clear picture from a fuzzy negative.
> ...



Thanks.  Great advice.  For instance, I turned a few pens last night and it seems a lot of my issues stem from using medium thickness ca.  Seems like using medium might be a good idea after the initial raw wood sanding or maybe even after just up to 320.  Then use 320 or even 220 again to smooth the whole thing out before going to 400 & 600.  Then use 8 coats of thin before going to the micro abrasive pads.  Medium just seems to make me have to do more sanding to smooth the whole thing out again.  I also seem to get better results with paper towels vs using plastic or tape on my finger. Seems to flow better.  Tonight I'm going to compare EEE to Plastx, but it still seems that the friction polish gives that glass like finish as the final step. Thin also seems to play better with activator than medium does.

Like you said, I'm just trying to get to something that is consistently repeatable.


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## ramaroodle (Feb 19, 2018)

JimB said:


> Why are you applying a friction polish at the end?



In short, because that's the technique that I saw on youtube that gave nice results. EEE or Plastx followed by friction polish applied at a high speed to generate heat and cure the friction polish.  I thought there was a difference and improvement in feel and appearance after applying the friction polish but I might be wrong. 
I'll go back and compare.  I'm open to suggestions especially if it eliminates steps.

As you know there are as many different techniques as there are videos.  Just trying to find the one that works for me.


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## ramaroodle (Feb 19, 2018)

JimB said:


> Why are you applying a friction polish at the end?


At the end of this vid he uses friction polish after using EEE instead of Plastix or Shellawax.


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