# I know I can't be doing this right.........



## Rcd567 (Feb 11, 2010)

Long story short, my Wife and I were at a store and I saw a cutting board made out of Italian Olivewood.  It was mostly burl, almost an inch thick, and was stunning!  $14 bucks later it was mine.  Easily enough wood to make dozen pens out of.  Problem is that it's not stabilized.  So, to experiment I cut a hunk off to make a Sierra pen.  I turn it down and fill lots of the holes with sawdust and CA glue.  I also glue up the cracks.  There are a lot of irregularities in it, but I sand everything down and micro mesh it.  The pen is beautiful but I worry about the cracks and holes.....so I decide to use CA as my finish.  

Mind you, I've never used the stuff before, but heres what I do.  I fill in more of the holes, cracks, ect. and let it dry.  Then I take an old surgery cloth (doesn't shed fibers) and start the lathe on slow while I apply a good coating to the wood.  Now, I turn up the speed and let it get hot.  The smell is terrible, but the finish is crystal clear.  I let it cool down, don't sand it or anything, and do it two more times.

The finish is crystal clear and rock hard so I guess it worked like I wanted.  But looking at other folks directions, I didn't do it even close to what I'm suppose to do.  I did have a small fan blowing across the lathe to dilute the smell.

Can anyone tell me what I did and will this work in the future?


Well here is a picture of the pen.  Upon close examination, I would have to say it has more of a satin finish than a gloss.  You guys be the judge.


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## OKLAHOMAN (Feb 11, 2010)

The one thing about a CA finish there is no one way to do it. What works for you is the right way:biggrin:.


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## JimMc7 (Feb 11, 2010)

Rcd567 said:


> <snip> The finish is crystal clear and rock hard <snip>


 
Likely almost as many CA application techniques as there are those who use it so don't argue with success!


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## NewLondon88 (Feb 11, 2010)

IF it ain't broke ....  :biggrin:


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## jimbob91577 (Feb 11, 2010)

What is the texture like?  Does it feel rough to the touch or smooth to the touch like what polished acrylic would feel like?

I'd recommend trying this method with some other woods.

What consistency CA glue are you using?  At what point to do you remove your surgery rag from the pen barrel?  Are you using CA Accelerator at all?


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## JBCustomPens (Feb 11, 2010)

If you are happy with your results, I'd say you are great right now. There are many,many,many,many,many ways to do a CA finish, but if yours works then I'd stick with it.

Btw,

The smell is going to stay, no matter what. I use a DC and a mask and I can still smell it. Even though the DC is not a "fume collector" it works somewhat.


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## Russianwolf (Feb 11, 2010)

no pictures of the finished pen..... didn't happen.:tongue:


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## Rcd567 (Feb 11, 2010)

jimbob91577 said:


> What is the texture like?  Does it feel rough to the touch or smooth to the touch like what polished acrylic would feel like?
> 
> I'd recommend trying this method with some other woods.
> 
> What consistency CA glue are you using?  At what point to do you remove your surgery rag from the pen barrel?  Are you using CA Accelerator at all?



Texture is like glass.  I remove my rag right before it catches on fire  It literally gets real hot.  I'm using medium consistency and no accelerator.

I've got a couple pics, I just need to upload them.  Maybe this weekend.


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## dalemcginnis (Feb 11, 2010)

Don't worry why it works, just keep doing it.:biggrin:


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## Mr Vic (Feb 11, 2010)

If you can repeat your results don't change methods....Sounds like you need to bump up your ventlation and possibly use a mask if it smell strong and is getting that hot. You won't know you have an issue util; you wake up in the hospital......


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## altaciii (Feb 11, 2010)

I'm with Mike.  Did you dream this?  No pictures, it never happened.  Let the rest of see what the pen looks like and we can all chime in.


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## traderdon55 (Feb 12, 2010)

If it works for you then you are doing it right. Watch 100 people doing a ca finish and you will probably see it done 99 different ways. I do it 3 different ways myself depending on what I am working with.


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## Rcd567 (Feb 13, 2010)

Updated the first post with a picture.


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## HawksFeather (Feb 15, 2010)

The pen looks great to me (for whatever that is worth).  Didn't use the same (cloth) technique, but that doesn't matter.  I have used the CA with sanding dust for filling and it works really well.   Your pen looks like some of the pens that I made when I was starting to use CA as a finish, the finish is holding up fine, and I like them.  I have also added additional coats of CA to other pens when I want a high gloss finish.  

Jerry


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## jmiket91 (Feb 15, 2010)

Rcd567 said:


> Well here is a picture of the pen.  Upon close examination, I would have to say it has more of a satin finish than a gloss.  You guys be the judge.



I'd say it's got more of a satin finish.  If you want more of a glossy finish, you can always micromesh and plastic polish it.  Different pens call for different looks.  I think this one looks great.


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## Chasper (Feb 15, 2010)

Currently there are 8,801 members of this forum, which means that currently there are well over 10,000 methods of applying CA that somebody believes is the one and only correct way to finish (some of us have 2-3 ways of doing it and we are sure that each of them is the one and only correct way).  It looks like you found another.


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## dow (Feb 24, 2010)

Looks good.  Whatever you do, don't ask whether white paper towels are better than blue ones, :biggrin:


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## NewLondon88 (Feb 24, 2010)

dow said:


> Looks good.  Whatever you do, don't ask whether white paper towels are better than blue ones, :biggrin:



well, now that you've brought it up ..


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## dow (Feb 24, 2010)

NewLondon88 said:


> well, now that you've brought it up ..


:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## mick (Feb 24, 2010)

Bob, That's a pretty pen......but didn't you get the notice? There was a recall of those cutting boards, something about them accelerating rapidly off the counter. To be on the safe side send me ALL the remaining blanks and I'll dispose of them properly! :biggrin:


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