# Happiness with your finish



## JBCustomPens (Apr 4, 2010)

Hey everyone,

Just curious here. How happy are you with your finish?


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## Lenny (Apr 4, 2010)

Not very! But I keep working at it! :biggrin:


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## witz1976 (Apr 4, 2010)

ditto


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## hunter-27 (Apr 4, 2010)

Pretty happy but everyday I see better so I keep trying to improve


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## toddlajoie (Apr 4, 2010)

I'm off and on... I can do a really good CA finish, it just takes me 3-4 days...


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## RAdams (Apr 4, 2010)

I guess i am just lucky. I have never had much problem with the ca finish. Every now and then i try to get too aggressive and mess one up but most of the time it is no problem.


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## Displaced Canadian (Apr 4, 2010)

With a little patience I can get a consistent quality finish every time. Just thick CA, Several coats, MM then A few more and MM.


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## Bree (Apr 4, 2010)

I have been less happy with my CA lately. I think I got some bad CA. I bought a complete new set of fresh stuff and I am looking to try it out. Problem is that I have been building some new gondola shelving to hold my lumber. Had to move several hundred BF of oak and other lumber and the cart in two complete sets of shelving units... one was VERY heavy.

Built one of them today and will start loading wood tomorrow. Why am I telling you this?? Because I can't turn until I get all this junk out of the way that is blocking my lathe!!! So now you know more than you wanted to know!!


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## Chief Hill (Apr 4, 2010)

As long as I have all the supplys I need I will turn out a good CA finish. Its always the hardest and longest process with pen making.


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## Phunky_2003 (Apr 4, 2010)

I am happy with mine most of the time.  Sometimes I will start over and redo it.  I still work on it from time to time trying to get something better, but overall happy with it.


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## Mark (Apr 5, 2010)

I'm still working at it. I have the time, so I don't quit till I'm totally happy with the outcome. :beat-up:


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## jskeen (Apr 5, 2010)

I didn't claim to be able to get that glassy smooth finish THE FIRST TIME, everytime, but I can almost always get there eventually.  and hey, it's not a race.  I'm not doing this for a living.  It's fun, as in challenging and different every time.  If it got to the point that I never had a glitch and needed to redo something, I would be in serious danger of getting bored.


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## Buzzzz4 (Apr 5, 2010)

This past week for some reason has been my worst. Many end chip outs even with delrin tapered bushings. Just finished a puzzle pen though, and I think I'm heading back on track. 5-6 coats med ca with micro mesh.


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## ldb2000 (Apr 5, 2010)

I finally got mine down . It took me three years of trying but as they say "Practice makes perfect" . I shouldn't jinx it but I can't remember the last time one went south on me .


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## chriselle (Apr 5, 2010)

I have a real love/hate relationship with my preferred method of finishing.  Love the final outcome ....hate the time it takes.


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## ldb2000 (Apr 5, 2010)

chriselle said:


> I have a real love/hate relationship with my preferred method of finishing. Love the final outcome ....hate the time it takes.


 
Yes but when your done a Urushi finish is unbelievable . I envy your skill with it .


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## Mac (Apr 5, 2010)

After seeing George do a demo on straight CA finish (NO BLO) and coming home and making it my own, by adding and taking away ,this took almost a year, I can say that I am very happy at this time,
but new and better ways may still be out there. And I am one to try all and experiment with all to........


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## shadow man (Apr 5, 2010)

I am not sure there is such thing as a perfect finish. That being said I am pleased most of the time with my CA finish. If not then I do it over until I am happy. I am not trying to do production work so time is not that important. Every time I think I have it totally figured out the pen gods bite me in the backside:biggrin: 
George


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## MartinPens (Apr 7, 2010)

I've got a system down now that produces a glass finish every time with little exception. The exception seems to be very oily wood.


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## Caden_Hrabak (Apr 22, 2010)

ive only ever used wax and polyurethane and i like my finishes but i want them much much shinier


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## Displaced Canadian (Apr 22, 2010)

Caden, Would you like to try shellawax or learn to do a CA finish?


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## SDB777 (Apr 22, 2010)

I get better results with Poly, but it takes so long to do them.

CA/BLO gives okay results, but it isn't what I'd call consistant.







Scott (gives me fits) B


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## Rfturner (May 16, 2010)

I like my finish I get it very consitent and mirror like about 75% of the time, the other 25% I get minor imperfections that Are realtively easy to fix with more layers of Ca. I do a Blo/Ca finish that I repeat the BLO every two layers or so, up to 5-8 layers I have gotten to the point that I am very comfortable with my finish and it only causes me problems rarely now, it seems to hold up to daily abuse as I have put it to the test before I used it on customers pens.


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