# To BLO or not to BLO



## CaliforniaRed (Sep 15, 2005)

Now that I have your attention, get your mind out of the gutter.  In a previous quote by COACH he stated,



> _Originally posted by coach_
> 
> I sanded through 400, 2 coats myland's cellulose sanding sealer, finished sanding through 2000.  Then, I buff with the higher micro mesh grits.  EEE ultra shine.  BLO, then mylands high build fricition polish.



My question is, what does the BLO do since the blanks are sealed?  I assume it won't pop the grain or add color.


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## dubdrvrkev (Sep 16, 2005)

Well it seems we all have our own methods. Personally, I apply BLO after I sand to 400 then MM all the way through, solvent wipe and add BLO again. Then let it sit for at least a day before anything else goes on. Then its off to CA land for its protective shell.


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## ldimick (Sep 16, 2005)

In my experience BLO does different things for different woods. Based on my observations I think that it really just removes the dust from the wood and makes the grain show up with more contrast.

The key to a good finish is the sanding sealer. It gives a much better base for whatever your choice of finish is.

*REMEMBER* This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it - nothing![}]


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## vick (Sep 16, 2005)

Maybe you should PM coach and ask him why he did it.  It would not work to "pop the grain"  the way he is using it but it may react with the friction polish to get some kind of desired effect.  I believe BLO is an ingedient in most friction polishes to begin with, so I definately would not consider it off the wall.  I would suspect that the more BLO the softer the finish and the longer it would take to cure.


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## coach (Sep 16, 2005)

I found it to make the polish more glossy.  I actually do several different finishes now.  That post was from May.


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## its_virgil (Sep 16, 2005)

I agree. I have been doing CA/BLO finish for over a year (because I don't like the way friction polish, wax sticks, or any combination of friction polish/wax sticks wears..or should I say the lack of durablility)  and my CA/BLO finish has been looking quite nice. Just recently I've started using a sanding sealer and the CA/BLO finish looks even nicer. I have been pleased how the sanding sealer has helped the CA finish. I will not see how it helps friction polish, though. Don't have any and will not be purchasing any.
Do a good turn daily!
Don




> _Originally posted by ldimick_
> <br />
> The key to a good finish is the sanding sealer. It gives a much better base for whatever your choice of finish is.
> 
> *REMEMBER* This advice is worth exactly what you paid for it - nothing![}]


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## coach (Sep 16, 2005)

Don, that is pretty much exactly how I have been doing my finishes now.  They have been coming out really nice.  I use my friction polish on bottle stoppers and bowls to give them a nice shine.


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## RussFairfield (Sep 16, 2005)

The bottom line is that, regardless of what the experts tell us, much of finishing wood is more witchcraft than science and logic. Many of the things I read about finishes on this forum has no basis in either logic or fact; but if it works, who cares. The result is what is important, not how we got there.


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## atvrules1 (Sep 17, 2005)

yay Russ, my thoughts exactly.  I like to do the sanding sealer then a BLO/CA finish.....but somedays I guess I just don't hold my mouth right or turn to the right 3 times, or wave the steel wool just right...then it just doesn't work out.  Someday I'll get it more consistant, I hope.


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## Jim Boyd (Sep 17, 2005)

I read here somewhere that the Hot Stuff ca I have been using doesn't leave the best finish. I thought it looked good enough to me. Yesterday I picked up a different brand from an RC modelers store and gave it a try. WOW! What a difference! Now I have to go back and refinish all of my pens[}]


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## RussFairfield (Sep 17, 2005)

Jim, 
You have discovered what many have yet to learn. All CA glues are not created equal, it has nothing to do with their price, and the brand that works best for one person may not for another. 

CA glue is a complex material. As such, there are a lot of things that can influence your success with using it as either finish or adhesive. Besides the brand name on the bottle, your CA finish will also be determined by your technique, how it is applied, what is used to apply it, the age of the glue before the bottle was opened, how long it has been opened, how it was stored after it was opened, the temperature and humidity at the time it is used, and I wouldn't be surprized to learn that the phase of the moon had something to do with it.

What is the new brand of glue that you used?? Was it the same consistency?? I would also suspect that its time on the shelf before you bought it, and that you had just opened it may also have improved the finish you got with it.


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