# Ca pen finish



## Woodguy95 (Jan 4, 2016)

Hello everyone.
I've had a lot of help from this forum over the past few weeks. So I just wanted to return the favor so I made a short video on how I make my CA pen finish so the newbies can go watch and learn. 
I am showing the way I do it but I may not be using the best way to do it in someone's view. There are a lot of ways to get to the same end this is just mine. 
https://youtu.be/n1WooMko5xw


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## studioseven (Jan 4, 2016)

That was a good looking piece of oak.  Thanks for sharing.

Seven


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 4, 2016)

As a matter of fact it's a piece of bocote


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## stuckinohio (Jan 4, 2016)

Good Video. Liked the music!


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## Sunami (Jan 8, 2016)

Great Video thank you. I am struggling to get a good finish on my pens. I keep getting a cloudy finish though when I do it. Is it from the accelerator?


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 8, 2016)

Sunami said:


> Great Video thank you. I am struggling to get a good finish on my pens. I keep getting a cloudy finish though when I do it. Is it from the accelerator?



It could be from the accelerator. I would recommand you to try the finish without the accelerator. Then if you do not get any difference in your finish it could be a water problem. If you wetsand your blank make sure it is really dry before applying the finish as this could cause cloudiness. Please give more infos on how you finish your blanks. 
Simon


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## Sunami (Jan 9, 2016)

I use the stick fast CA system. I apply 3-5 coats of medium Cs then use the mesh included in he kit to sand then apply the satin and then the gloss. Between each application I use he accelerator but I may be a little heavy handed with the accelerator. Also, I do not wet sand, maybe I should try that in addition to the other sanding or wet send with that mesh?


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 9, 2016)

Sunami said:


> I use the stick fast CA system. I apply 3-5 coats of medium Cs then use the mesh included in he kit to sand then apply the satin and then the gloss. Between each application I use he accelerator but I may be a little heavy handed with the accelerator. Also, I do not wet sand, maybe I should try that in addition to the other sanding or wet send with that mesh?



Try not using accelerator for one pen it should take about 30 seconds to cure per layer. As for the micro mesh you should defeneatly wet sand with it as it will improve the time the mesh will last cause it will wear. Also what do you apply the ca with?
Hope that helps a bit


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## jeff3285 (Jan 10, 2016)

I tried using the ca finish and not only for me to get a good smooth finish,,,but the odor was really bad,,,the best finish for me is lock tite  495 super glue,,, put it on a soft paper towel,,,apply it,,wait for about 5 seconds,,then apply the second coat,,or as many as you want,,,no sanding whatsoever between coats and your finish is like glass,,,I have started using it on bowls and goblets,,,I also have a thread with pictures on here,,thank you


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## chartle (Jan 10, 2016)

jeff3285 said:


> I tried using the ca finish and not only for me to get a good smooth finish,,,but the odor was really bad,,,the best finish for me is lock tite  495 super glue,,, put it on a soft paper towel,,,apply it,,wait for about 5 seconds,,then apply the second coat,,or as many as you want,,,no sanding whatsoever between coats and your finish is like glass,,,I have started using it on bowls and goblets,,,I also have a thread with pictures on here,,thank you



I think you have posted this before and I'm bringing up a point that may or my not have been addressed. Loctite  495 super glue is Cyanoacrylate aka CA glue. Unless you are specifically talking about the stick fast CA system which maybe has different odors. But its all CA.

Does it have a different smell? I find most of the smell comes from the paper towels soaked with too much glue.


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## stuckinohio (Jan 10, 2016)

jeff3285 said:


> I tried using the ca finish and not only for me to get a good smooth finish,,,but the odor was really bad,,,the best finish for me is lock tite  495 super glue,,, put it on a soft paper towel,,,apply it,,wait for about 5 seconds,,then apply the second coat,,or as many as you want,,,no sanding whatsoever between coats and your finish is like glass,,,I have started using it on bowls and goblets,,,I also have a thread with pictures on here,,thank you



Interesting. I might try that.


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## jeff3285 (Jan 10, 2016)

What I'm talking about has very little smell,,and no it is nowhere near your typical ca glue,,,,throw all the videos on you tube away on a applying a c a finish,,,it's as simple as I said,,with no sanding, ,and not much odor,,and yes,,I have posted this on another thread,,please excuse me for putting my 2 cents in,,I was only trying to help,,this is just a hobby for me ,,I'm sure I'm nowhere near as smart as the pros on here!!!!


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## chartle (Jan 10, 2016)

jeff3285 said:


> What I'm talking about has very little smell,,and no it is nowhere near your typical ca glue,,,,throw all the videos on you tube away on a applying a c a finish,,,it's as simple as I said,,with no sanding, ,and not much odor,,and yes,,I have posted this on another thread,,please excuse me for putting my 2 cents in,,I was only trying to help,,this is just a hobby for me ,,I'm sure I'm nowhere near as smart as the pros on here!!!!



The reason I asked is I lost track of that thread and was wondering how it was better than any other CA glue/finish.

I also cast PR so I have a carbon face mask I use. I find if I wear it even for just turning wood but especially turning PR and applying CA that I just seem to feel better.

Though I'm kind of moving away from CA. I have some nice walnut burl/crotch wood and I like that it still feels like wood after I use a fiction polish on it.


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 10, 2016)

cyano acrylate is a family of glue. That family is wide includind a lot of different chemical compounds. Basically it'a cyanic group with an acrylate group. There might be other groupements in the molecules. What I'm trying to say is that ca is ca. But the solvent in which it is present can change. I didn't study ca glues at all and do not know if any company uses different solvents. 
What I can say though is that some ca are made for special uses and other ca are made for other uses.
One use for exemple is medical use. 

I believe it's more of how you apply it that will change the odor produced/ the finish.
I would guess that the solvents used in ca do not smell as bad as the ca itself.


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## jeff3285 (Jan 10, 2016)

Woodguy95 said:


> cyano acrylate is a family of glue. That family is wide includind a lot of different chemical compounds. Basically it'a cyanic group with an acrylate group. There might be other groupements in the molecules. What I'm trying to say is that ca is ca. But the solvent in which it is present can change. I didn't study ca glues at all and do not know if any company uses different solvents.
> What I can say though is that some ca are made for special uses and other ca are made for other uses.
> One use for exemple is medical use.
> 
> ...



I'm not a chemist and all I can tell is what I know,,,I applied 2 coats last night on a lid that I turned for a candy bowl,,,it is made out of cherry and walnut,,,2 coats,,,no sanding,,very very little odor,,and no buffing,,it looks as slick as glass,,it actually looks like it is wrapped in plastic,,,,


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## chartle (Jan 10, 2016)

Woodguy95 said:


> I believe it's more of how you apply it that will change the odor produced/ the finish.
> I would guess that the solvents used in ca do not smell as bad as the ca itself.



Yes If I pour on the CA and use a small piece of paper towel to spread it the paper gets saturated and it can start to heat up and then smoke. I've been close to burned and have melted many a nitrile glove. I sometimes put a bit of 3M tape on my index finger to act as a barrier.


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## Rockytime (Jan 10, 2016)

I rarely use CA. However, the video is excellent, well produced and very instructive. I really enjoyed it.


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 10, 2016)

jeff3285 said:


> [
> I'm not a chemist and all I can tell is what I know,,,I applied 2 coats last night on a lid that I turned for a candy bowl,,,it is made out of cherry and walnut,,,2 coats,,,no sanding,,very very little odor,,and no buffing,,it looks as slick as glass,,it actually looks like it is wrapped in plastic,,,,



As I said there are many ways to get to the same point. First off what do you apply the ca with? Second is your ca thin medium or thick? What's the dry time. I would like to know that way I might be able to improve my technique


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 10, 2016)

chartle said:


> Yes If I pour on the CA and use a small piece of paper towel to spread it the paper gets saturated and it can start to heat up and then smoke. I've been close to burned and have melted many a nitrile glove. I sometimes put a bit of 3M tape on my index finger to act as a barrier.



you could put your fingers into a plastic bag under the paper towel as the ca will have a hard time bonding to plastic bags such as ziploc bags. I used to put the finish on my pens using the plastic bag alone and it worked fine. You could try that too.


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## Notscottish (Jan 10, 2016)

On the subject of the accelerator clouding the finish.  

I spray a trace of accelerator on the paper towel and then run it along the pen blank.  This insures that you do not apply too much.  

I do this every three coats of thin CA.


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## chartle (Jan 10, 2016)

Woodguy95 said:


> you could put your fingers into a plastic bag under the paper towel as the ca will have a hard time bonding to plastic bags such as ziploc bags. I used to put the finish on my pens using the plastic bag alone and it worked fine. You could try that too.



I'm more worried about the heat and it melting the plastic onto my fingers.


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## jeff3285 (Jan 10, 2016)

Notscottish said:


> On the subject of the accelerator clouding the finish.
> 
> I spray a trace of accelerator on the paper towel and then run it along the pen blank.  This insures that you do not apply too much.
> 
> I do this every three coats of thin CA.



All I do is turn the speed of the lathe on about 800 rpm,,,the bottle does not say either which thickness it is, ,,I put some on a white paper towel and with the lathe running put it on,,and I give it about 5 secones to dry,,turn the lathe off  to see if there is a nice even coat on it with no buildup like ca glue,,which there never is,,,then repeat the process for each coat,,,,and no I do not use accelerator,,I guess you could if you wish,,,and I DO NOT SAND PERIOD,,,and the results are truly amazing,,,,I'm at work and can't upload a picture I took of a lid I turned yesterday but when I get home I will upload it and you be the judge,,


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## stuckinohio (Jan 10, 2016)

I'm anxious to try this!  I was just at Home Depot,  but they didn't have any unfortunately.


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## jeff3285 (Jan 10, 2016)

stuckinohio said:


> I'm anxious to try this!  I was just at Home Depot,  but they didn't have any unfortunately.



these are the pictures I took,,notice the droplet of water,,this has 2 coats


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## stuckinohio (Jan 10, 2016)

Very nice. Thank you for posting pics. Stupid Home Depot....


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## Notscottish (Jan 13, 2016)

jeff3285 said:


> stuckinohio said:
> 
> 
> > I'm anxious to try this!  I was just at Home Depot,  but they didn't have any unfortunately.
> ...



Looks great, but I still prefer the clean look that my sanding and polishing affords.


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## farmer (Jan 14, 2016)

*Stick fast CA*



Sunami said:


> I use the stick fast CA system. I apply 3-5 coats of medium Cs then use the mesh included in he kit to sand then apply the satin and then the gloss. Between each application I use he accelerator but I may be a little heavy handed with the accelerator. Also, I do not wet sand, maybe I should try that in addition to the other sanding or wet send with that mesh?



Maybe you CA is old and no longer usable ?????

If your medium CA stick fast glue ( ST ) glue gets stringy its old and needs to be replaced.
If it reminds you of snot coming out of your nose its bad ......

I always put on a couple coats of thin CA and then apply several coats of medium, and rub out or polish out the piece.

I don't use the accelerator ..........................

You could use west systems epoxy finish 105/207 fiber glass resin.
Your lathe must be able to rotate for a few hours at  35 rpm.

Epoxy finish


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## chartle (Jan 14, 2016)

farmer said:


> You could use west systems epoxy finish 105/207 fiber glass resin.
> Your lathe must be able to rotate for a few hours at  35 rpm.



Penn State has a fixture that does that.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKDRY.html


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## chartle (Jan 15, 2016)

So I went to Home Depot and as near as I can tell there was no Loctite CA glue labeled 495. 

Trying get the exact formulation since there appears to be something different about this CA glue.

Also when I search for specifically 495 Loctite I get online prices of around $20 for one ounce/28 grams. 

Loctite® Instant Adhesive 495™ S-17190 - Uline


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## Don Rabchenuk (Jan 16, 2016)

11$ with free shipping on Amazon


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## chartle (Jan 16, 2016)

djrljr said:


> 11$ with free shipping on Amazon



Not that I can see, but I'm sure someone will post a link. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00065UAH2/ref=dp_olp_new_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=new

But even at $11 twice as much as I pay normally for CA


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## RedBeard (Jan 19, 2016)

Like probably most I have tried many different brands and types of CA and for me the best I've found is the Loctite To Go. It's 4 small (.03 ounce) tubes that I get at Menards for about $2. It's probably considered fairly expensive as compared to a larger bottle but after trying the bigger containers from Loctite and Insta Bond I've gotten my best results from the small single use tubes. IN addition since they are all sealed there is no fear of the glue going bad if I haven't used it in a while. 

That video is interesting. I'm really uncomfortable wet sanding wood even with the CA finish but I may give it a try at some point in the future. I don't use any activator but I do use BLO+CA and my finishes have always come out smooth.


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## Woodguy95 (Jan 19, 2016)

I never wetsand the wood since i got mixed results dooing that. I wetsand the ca though. Ca glue is waterproof( it's a plastic so water will not go thru it) so you can wetsand ca without any issues.


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