# How many blanks does it take to get a good CA finish?



## lyonsacc (Oct 14, 2012)

How many blanks did it take to learn "your" method to get a good CA finish?

I'm up to 15 to 18 tries :redface:. It took about 10 before I was smart enough to practice on scrap blanks :befuddled:! Since work has been busy I haven't had much time, so these attempts have been spread out over many weeks. 

This isn't a thread about "how" - just how l o n g it took you to get it right (or close to right).

Trying not to get frustrated 

Thanks,
Dave


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## jmbaker79 (Oct 14, 2012)

Don't get discouraged, I made 20+ pens with what I thought was a pretty good ca finish until that one day where it just happened! Laid down a very nice finish and it blew my mind the difference from the first batch I made. Persistence! You will have to find what works best for you and you alone! Practice doesn't make perfect, practice makes permanent! Back to basics and  tweak this and that to achieve your desired result!


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## Lenny (Oct 14, 2012)

Dave, it's hard to know what part of a CA finish your having trouble with but let me try to give you some tips that might help...

Assuming you have a nice well sanded blank, cover your lathe bed with something to protect it from the splatter of glue. I like to clean the blank with a little ca accelerant. No risk of contaminating the raw wood with something that will interfere with the adhesion of the CA that way. Then, with the lathe on a slow speed I drizzle a few drops of THIN CA glue
onto the blank while making a quick swipe underneath with a small piece of doubled up paper towel. I also have my finger wrapped in blue painters tape to protect it from the heat of the ca in case it sets up before you get your finger pulled away. Three coats of thin applied this way with a blast of accelerator if needed. Then a few additional coats of Medium applied the same way. I usually spray with accelerant every two or three coats. Nothing worse than almost getting there only to have your paper towel stick to the blank at the last second. Good ca glue and accelerant help eliminate most problems I have encountered. 
Once you have sufficient build up your ready to sand with the full range of micro mesh pads. I follow that up with Meguires Plastx. The real trick is figuring out the amount of ca build up in thickness an gauging for it in order to have a good fit.


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## skiprat (Oct 14, 2012)

I'm certainly no expert on CA finishes and I mostly use plastic these days.
I find that not only do I sometimes struggle with different species of wood, but also sometimes just different blanks of the same species. 
If I'm using a new wood I often turn it to the just fully round state and then see how it reacts to my CA technique. Sometimes I'm lucky and find the solution on my first try, sometimes I have to sand it all down and try several times before it's acceptable. Once I've sussed it, I turn it to size and do it again.


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## randyrls (Oct 14, 2012)

I practiced on blanks when learning.  Turn the blank down to round, not so it is in the finished shape, but just round.  Sand and apply finish to one blank and then do the other one.  Turn off the finish on the worst blank, and try again on the other blank.  Repeat until you are satisfied with the finish.

It took me about 10 blanks to get good at the finish, and i still mess one up occasionally.


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## bradh (Oct 14, 2012)

I thought I had CA down after 20 pens, but after 100 I realized it had improved quite a bit. After another 100 it had improved more. After a third hundred, it was about the same look, but my CA finish was much faster and more consitent.


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## Texatdurango (Oct 14, 2012)

lyonsacc said:


> How many blanks did it take to learn "your" method to get a good CA finish?
> 
> I'm up to 15 to 18 tries :redface:. It took about 10 before I was smart enough to practice on scrap blanks :befuddled:! Since work has been busy I haven't had much time, so these attempts have been spread out over many weeks.
> 
> ...



Counting last week........ a few hundred!:wink:   Actually, when I started doing CA finishes it felt like I was reinventing the wheel on each pen as I felt I was doing something a little different each time with one pen being nice and another not so nice so I made myself follow a strict regiment of proven results.  That's about the time the finishes started looking better, now it's just second nature.


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## kena (Oct 14, 2012)

If you attend the Barry Gross class at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, the CA finish will become very easy to apply.  The class is unbelievable and Barry shares all of his knowledge and experience/


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## lyonsacc (Oct 14, 2012)

Thanks for the encouragement!  I'll keep at it . . .


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## wouldentu2? (Oct 14, 2012)

Three pens to look ok and about 20 more to look great. And every once in a while you will still throw one away.


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## commercialbuilder (Oct 14, 2012)

I was like you but I did not start getting excellent results until I started using the craft foam as an applicator and using no more than 1 drop of glue for each coat. The foam spreds the glue evenly without soaking into the foam and the small amount of glue keeps you from getting ridges in the finish.


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## randy kelly (Oct 15, 2012)

Google, my simple ca finish by colin nelson. I have used this and have had great results. this might help.


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## randy kelly (Oct 15, 2012)

It is also a long lasting finish


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## Dustygoose (Oct 15, 2012)

I used a 3/8 dowel to practice on. But I noticed different woods take CA differently


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## azamiryou (Oct 15, 2012)

My very first CA finish came out great!

After that, I have had a LOT of failures. Success rate is not too bad now, but I can still finish two pens the same day with the same wood and the same CA, and have one come out great and the other fail.


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## joefrog (Oct 15, 2012)

Well, I'm not sure WHAT I am doing wrong.  I thought I had perfected the process, and was getting an absolute glassy finish.  That was then... Now, my finishes seem to be getting worse!  I don't know if it's my pads wearing out, or what!  I'm certainly doing nothing different.

I want some clarification on that "craft foam applicator" comment from above.  What is it?


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## edstreet (Oct 15, 2012)

lyonsacc said:


> How many blanks did it take to learn "your" method to get a good CA finish?
> 
> I'm up to 15 to 18 tries :redface:. It took about 10 before I was smart enough to practice on scrap blanks :befuddled:! Since work has been busy I haven't had much time, so these attempts have been spread out over many weeks.
> 
> ...



Honestly?  Took 1 blank.  I went to youtube and looked up the various methods to apply it.  If you make a mistake you can sand it off and start over.


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## jmbaker79 (Oct 15, 2012)

joefrog said:


> Well, I'm not sure WHAT I am doing wrong.  I thought I had perfected the process, and was getting an absolute glassy finish.  That was then... Now, my finishes seem to be getting worse!  I don't know if it's my pads wearing out, or what!  I'm certainly doing nothing different.
> 
> I want some clarification on that "craft foam applicator" comment from above.  What is it?



Dealt with this as well... Believe it was my ca just going bad after being left open for awhile irresponsibly on my part. Usually replace it and my mm if it ever becomes a problem and the next finished pen comes oh great! Craft foam is available at michaels etc... Comes in sheets or small Popsicle shaped pieces etc... Usually a whole isle devoted to craft foam. I made that switch for awhile, and had great results, but somehow made my way back to paper towels...hope that helps a little!


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## bradh (Oct 16, 2012)

joefrog said:


> Well, I'm not sure WHAT I am doing wrong.  I thought I had perfected the process, and was getting an absolute glassy finish.  That was then... Now, my finishes seem to be getting worse!  I don't know if it's my pads wearing out, or what!  I'm certainly doing nothing different.
> =trim==



One of the keys to consitency is to realize CA finishes change with the weather and seasons. This post by Russ Fairfield was key for me understanding the issue:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f28/finishing-weather-54384/#post935740


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## fitzman163 (Oct 16, 2012)

I watched this video on youtube How I apply my 20 coats of thin CA - pen turning - YouTube what I found I was doing wrong was giving it to much attention. Just like spackling put it on and let it alone. I always run my applicator across one to many times. I also act like paper towel is a $100 a roll be free with it.


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## 76winger (Oct 16, 2012)

less than half a dozen to get good results repeatedly with CA. 

Almost 300 pens made now though and I still am not happy with radial scratches I have to back up and deal with all too frequently on both CA and Acrylics. However getting a good coat of CA has rarely been an issue.


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## wouldentu2? (Oct 16, 2012)

Going to the craft foam versus paper towels would likely improve your technique.

One drop is all you need and no waste is being absorbed into the towel.


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## joefrog (Oct 17, 2012)

fitzman163 said:


> I watched this video on youtube How I apply my 20 coats of thin CA - pen turning - YouTube what I found I was doing wrong was giving it to much attention. Just like spackling put it on and let it alone. I always run my applicator across one to many times. I also act like paper towel is a $100 a roll be free with it.



That'll be the next technique I try. Thanks!


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## joefrog (Oct 17, 2012)

joefrog said:


> fitzman163 said:
> 
> 
> > I watched this video on youtube How I apply my 20 coats of thin CA - pen turning - YouTube what I found I was doing wrong was giving it to much attention. Just like spackling put it on and let it alone. I always run my applicator across one to many times. I also act like paper towel is a $100 a roll be free with it.
> ...



First try turned out gorgeous!  We may have a winner!  Maybe I was applying the CA at too fast a speed, who knows?


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## beck3906 (Oct 17, 2012)

How many did it take me?

200-300, maybe more.


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## fitzman163 (Oct 19, 2012)

Very good Joe, I think I was also doing it to fast and to long. I can't wait to try it myself.


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