# polishing celluloid



## watch_art (Apr 4, 2012)

I can't get rid of those teeny tiny scratches.  I've only got wet or dry sandpaper up to 400.  You think getting some 6 and 800 would help work them out?


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## 1080Wayne (Apr 4, 2012)

Most certainly , but the complete range of Micromesh from 1500 up to 12000 would help more . 1500 is equivalent to 400 or 600 , cant remember which . There is an equivalence chart in the library .


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## watch_art (Apr 4, 2012)

OKay - then I just need to work more.  I've got all the micromesh.

Thanks!


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## leehljp (Apr 4, 2012)

I have MM and I also have fine SP up to 8000. (I brought mine with me from Japan) I START sanding at 400 and often at 600. I rarely apply a finish before sanding wood to 800 on wood. For finishes for me, CA or PR of different kinds, I never leave a finish less than 12000 MM or 8000 SP (Japanese). Pen finishing and finishes are not like wood furniture!

Those tiny scratches you see - RARELY will people inspect furniture the way we inspect pens. Furniture finishes are not critiqued as hard or in the same way as pen finishes. For that reason, I keep hammering at the fact that pen finishes are NOT to be thought of in the same way as "fine furniture". Therefore, *sanding* of pens - wood or PR or other, should not be thought of in the same manner as fine furniture.


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## watch_art (Apr 5, 2012)

made the section and cap.  no problems.  started at 400 grit instead of 220.


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## HoratioHornblower (Apr 5, 2012)

Novus #3 and #2 polishes will also help after you finish up with MM. I think they give that extra pop and help to eliminate most of the scratches that are left after MM 12000. My two cents.

David


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## drgoretex (Apr 5, 2012)

watch_art said:


> I can't get rid of those teeny tiny scratches.  I've only got wet or dry sandpaper up to 400.  You think getting some 6 and 800 would help work them out?



I never start at grit coarser than 400.  Using a succession of finer grit is a must.  If you have the Micromesh, then put it to work - you will love the result.  But make sure you have a few steps between the 400 and the Micromesh, say 600, 1000, 2000, 2500 etc.

Ken


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## mredburn (Apr 5, 2012)

Another thought is the quality of your sandpaper. Sandpaper like all things comes in different quality. So your 400 could have inconsistent sized grit particles causing the problem.


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## tim self (Apr 5, 2012)

One more tiny thing.  Sanding longways between grits helps too.  Especially in the lower stages.


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## ashaw (Apr 5, 2012)

Also finish up on a buffing wheel.


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## Texatdurango (Apr 5, 2012)

watch_art said:


> made the section and cap. no problems. started at 400 grit *instead of 220*.


* THAT* is where those "teeny" scratches got started! 

 I would set that stuff aside for your larger furniture projects.


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## IPD_Mr (Apr 5, 2012)

If it is true 100% celluloid then that stuff scratches very easily and melts if you have a fever when turning it.  Make sure your last couple of passes are very light and carbide tools would be the best.  If you can avoid sand paper all together and start with wet MM.  True celluloid and heat does not go together.  Oh and one way to tell if it is real celluloid is the smell when turning.  That stuff smells of camphor.


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## watch_art (Apr 5, 2012)

It's really celluloid - got it from american art plastics.  Purple web.  Smell of camphor is strong in the shop right now.  More so when drilling.  I wet sand only - so overheating during that process is not a worry.  I've never needed to do so much sanding this way and that with any other material I've turned - this stuff is really soft.  It takes more time, but it looks good when finished.  I do use carbide tools for the most part except for shaping the section.
Thanks everybody.
Here it is by the way:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/purple-web-celluloid-95999/


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## Haynie (Apr 5, 2012)

Are you finishing with a plastic polish like Novus or 3M?


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## watch_art (Apr 5, 2012)

I bought some turtle wax to play with, the heavy and light, but I prefer Maguire's finishing polish stuff.  Number 9 or something with a #3 cutting description on the bottle.


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## Haynie (Apr 5, 2012)

You might need a two stage finish to get those pesky scratches gone. 

I have never had good results with turtle wax for anything.  Maguires is good and I do a final wax polish with it after 3M Finesse it.


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## hkstrongside (Apr 5, 2012)

I usually start out with 400 and sand until scratches start to fade, follow up with 600.  I will stay on the 600 until scratches are very faint, almost gone.  I keep a cotton rag nearby which I use to clean the dust with every couple of passes. I will then I will hit with 1200, 1500 and 2000.  I make sure that with each pass I clean the dust with my fingers.  If you go to high of rpm too you will fuse the dust to the blank.  Big pain.  At that point the scratches should be almost non existant.  Then I follow up with 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12000.  Just do one quick pass with each.  Last, I buff with Huts plastic polish until it "shines like the top of the Chrysler building".  The polish will usually finish off any hairlines left.
For me, the main sweet spot is at 600.  If I can get it almost scratchless at that point, it will be perfect every time.


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## crabcreekind (Apr 13, 2012)

you may need to replace your micro mesh! I did it after 200 pens, and boy did it make a difference


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## luke39uk (Apr 13, 2012)

I use wet and dry, starting at 240 and work my way up to 2000. I protect my lathe bed with paper towels and sand with water, to keep the Celluloid cool, lathe spins at about 1000 rpm to stop the Celluloid scorching. After sanding I use a soft cloth with Hut plastic polish keeping to 1000 rpm. Finally on to the buffing mop and spin the mop at about 1000 rpm,then coat of Ren wax job done


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