# finish on celluloid blanks



## PenPauli (Feb 16, 2005)

I just turned my first celluloid blank and now I'm 
wondering what type of finish to use.  I usually 
use ca finish on my wood pens but I'm wondering if
it will react with the celluloid or if there is just
a better finishing technique for this stuff.

Thanks for any tips you may have.


----------



## Fred in NC (Feb 16, 2005)

I don't use a finish on plastics.  I polish to the finest grit with MM.  Sometimes I will use a liquid polish like Novus.

I put a coat of wax on the blanks, and buff.  I am using TSW with great results. Technically, wax is not a finish, by the way.


----------



## jwoodwright (Feb 16, 2005)

Paul,
I also wet sand, makes them slick.  I like MAAS Concentrated Metal Polish...  [8D]


----------



## wayneis (Feb 16, 2005)

You want to wet sand with either Micro Mesh or the MM pads, and then I use one of the plastic polishing compounds and sometimes I use more than one starting with a course and following with a less course.  Something like that anyway.

Wayne


----------



## Gregory Huey (Feb 16, 2005)

MM polish with plastic compound and TSW


----------



## jwoodwright (Feb 16, 2005)

Paul,

Of Course I should have mentioned that MAAS Metal Polish Is Not Coarse...  

It's Very Fine Grit, Like Tooth Paste...  A Lot of People use it on Guitars... [8D]


----------



## PenPauli (Feb 16, 2005)

Thanks for the quick replies.  What about the shellawax I
use after I ca wood.  Would that be ok.  I'm only making 
a few but don't want to ruin them.  Thanks again.


----------



## Fred in NC (Feb 16, 2005)

Shellawax is a FRICTION polish.... friction generates heat, which is no good for the plastic!  And the shellac will not go well on plastic.  

If you cannot find any other wax, use NEUTRAL shoe polish.  It has carnauba in it.  Light coat, and buff it with soft cloth.


----------



## jkirkb94 (Feb 16, 2005)

I just wet sand to MM 12000 then use a countertop polish that I got at HomeDepot!  Kirk[8D]


----------



## btboone (Feb 17, 2005)

Honestly, if you MM it to 12000, it doesn't really need polish at all.  It's darn shiny by then.


----------



## C. Scott (Feb 17, 2005)

PenPauli,

I'll throw my two cents in.  When I make an acrylic I wet sand all the way to 12000 MM.  Bruce is right just that by itself makes the pen very shiny.  However, if you want it over the top.  Then use a plastic polishing compound.  I'm sure those expensive polishes that our beloved suppliers sell is great, but I use a product called "Gel Gloss"  It's an acrylic/plastic/metal polish.  I bought a can over 13 years ago to clean up a nasty fiberglass bath tub.  It works great and I am still using the original can (8 or 10 oz don't remember exact size).  I think I paid $6 for it at Home Depot.  It reminds me of a Turtle Wax product called "Color Back".  Hope this helps.

PS

Oops, just read Kirk's post, [:I]  what he said. []


----------



## woodscavenger (Feb 17, 2005)

I was in Home Depot last night rummaging for some ideas and saw that Gel Gloss stuff.  It was in a bright pink can like you get BLO in.  I just about picked some up.  Now I wish I would have


----------



## C. Scott (Feb 17, 2005)

Woodscavenger,

I am the current president of the "I wish I would have..." Club.  []


----------



## PenPauli (Feb 18, 2005)

One last question on this topic, I promise.  How do you 
apply this wax or polish.  While its on the lathe running?
And I just went to home depot and they didn't have any
polish or wax that you guys mentioned.  Oh well I'll just 
have to keep looking.  I just found Mothers california 
Gold carnuba wax would this work ok.
Thanks again


----------



## KKingery (Feb 18, 2005)

I was at HD today, and wandered over to the paint section. Found the bright pink can of Gel Gloss right as you walk in! ($5.95) - now, if only my order with those acrylics would get here!


----------



## melogic (Feb 18, 2005)

Here is a picture of a set that I did from Green Crushed Pearl from PSI. I just used the acrylic sanding pads from PSI following there directions for wet sanding. Just wet sanding, no polish at all. This is how I do all of my acrylics. I have had great success!


----------



## Fred in NC (Feb 18, 2005)

Very nice set, Mark !


----------



## Gary (Feb 18, 2005)

Very nice work indeed!


----------



## C. Scott (Feb 21, 2005)

PenPauli,

Sorry for the late response.  I am typically offline on the weekends.  I didn't see your last question answered.  I polish/sand pens on the lathe running at 1800.  I don't know if the Mother's product will work, but you never know unless you try. []


----------



## PenPauli (Feb 22, 2005)

Thank you everyone for your help.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (May 4, 2005)

Before reading, keep in mind that I am pretty biased on the plastic thing, I'm very 'anti-plastic'. Enneyhow, in a trade, I acquired several different non-wood blanks. Today turned one that was a green/black/pearl white and simply marked 'celluloid'. It developed cracks running the circumfrence of the turned pen. And despite hand sanding I was not able to remove them. Using first 220 gold, then 320 gold then white pad (800 to 1200 grit depending on which ads you read), the rest of it came out looking fair. It's not bragging material so I won't post a picture. How should this stuff be finished? This was a Slimline. Into the bargain box it goes. Two for two today. [] No more this day.


----------



## driften (May 4, 2005)

I MM and then buff them with tripoli and white diamond. It makes a diffrence over just MM'ing the blanks. It makes the biggest diffrence in you view the item in the sun.


----------



## Rudy Vey (May 4, 2005)

You got to wet sand all plastics!  I go all the way up to 2000 grit wet sanding, then followed by Novus polish and Meguires Mirror Glaze polish followed by the Novus antistatic. If you get heat during sanding the blank may get cracks and you can ruin a nice blank very fast - wet sanding helps to dissipate the heat!


----------



## wayneis (May 4, 2005)

You'll also have a melt down during drilling if you are not carefull.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (May 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by wayneis_
> <br />You'll also have a melt down during drilling if you are not carefull.



I always try to be careful when drilling. Believe I am through making pens from non-wood materials. Might use some for center bands as accents, that will be about it.


----------



## PenWorks (May 5, 2005)

Frank, I had to make sure I wans't still sleeping when I read you were turning "PLASTIC" [] Great. Next thing you will be on the battle field with a resin duck call and powder horn [] I comend you for expanding your field of turning material, good one []


----------



## jdavis (May 5, 2005)

We use the Novus scratch remover then Novus polish after sanding. We apply while on the lathe. Nice set Mark. Shellawax will create too much heat.


----------



## penhead (May 5, 2005)

Naive question perhaps, but is there a difference between acrylic and celluloid...and which is betrer or more often used...and how does one tell the difference..?


----------



## Rifleman1776 (May 5, 2005)

> _Originally posted by penhead_
> <br />Naive question perhaps, but is there a difference between acrylic and celluloid...and which is betrer or more often used...and how does one tell the difference..?



  I dunno. Celluloid was the label in this ill-fated blank.
I might put it on the shelf at Wal-mart and drive folks crazy at check-out. []


----------



## swm6500 (May 5, 2005)

I agree that if you MM to 12000 you probably do not need anything else, I do however give it a coat of Renaisance Wax.


----------



## jbyrd24 (May 7, 2005)

I sand to 600 grit.  Then polish with Hut Plastic Polish using
a soft cloth. Really produces a nice shine.


----------



## Deere41h (May 7, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Rudy Vey_
> <br />
> Meguires Mirror Glaze polish



I too use Meguires Mirror Glaze #7 on all acrylic product.  It does a realy good job removing those very fine scratches that may have been left behind after MM.  And a couple of coats leaves a great shine


----------



## atvrules1 (May 7, 2005)

I've used both a commercial countertop polish as well as the novus type. Obviously after sanding to high grit.  I actually ended up with very similar luster using either plastic polish.


----------

