# Finishing a Jeff Powell blank



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

I have just turned a Bllod Moon blank by Master scrollsaw artist and member Jeff Powell. 
I remember reading a post concerning special considerations when finishing his blanks ...scrolled wood in cast resin ... 

Should I apply several coats of CA to the whole pen in order to seal the wooden parts.
Or should I try to just apply the CA to the wood and then sand everything with MM? Followed up with Plastic polish? Then buff ...?
Any other tips I should be aware of ???

Thanks!


----------



## ThomJ (Sep 27, 2010)

Heck Lenny, at least you turned it, I have one of Jeffs blanks and haven't gotten up the courage to.


----------



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

ThomJ said:


> Heck Lenny, at least you turned it, I have one of Jeffs blanks and haven't gotten up the courage to.


 
I DIDN'T say I did a good job on it!  :wink::redface:


----------



## DCBluesman (Sep 27, 2010)

If you are the least bit concerned, why wouldn't you put a protective finish on it?


----------



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

DCBluesman said:


> If you are the least bit concerned, why wouldn't you put a protective finish on it?


 
This is my first example of mixing wood with PR. I understand that I have to protect the wood and so I'm assuming that I also use CA on the whole blank???
I guess my question wasn't worded very well. Having never used CA over anything but wood, are there any issues or things to watch for, or is it pretty much the same deal as wood? Even though the lower end of the blank is all PR, I would assume I need to treat it the same way for consistant results?
Hope that is a better explaination of my ?


----------



## DCBluesman (Sep 27, 2010)

With the re-wording, yes - you can certainly finish a PR/wood combo blank with CA!


----------



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

Thanks, Lou!

Off to get my fingers stuck together!


----------



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

Well I did go apply a few coats of CA to the blanks. Once I got down there I was immediately reminded of some of the questions/concerns I had. 
So, I'll try once again to better ask the questions...

Normally I would wet sand a PR blank, starting with 400 and then 600,1000 (because I still haven't found any 800) and sometimes continuing with 1200,1500,2000. Then I switch to MM pads, skipping the first 2 (coarse ones) up through 12000 (or 15000 ??) 
I would then use Plastic Polish before moving on to the buffer (I use the methods George (Texatdurango) posted.

My concern is (was) with wet sanding the bare wood part of the blank and then applying CA. 
 (worried about trapping moisture in the finish)
Therefore, what I tried to do was give the wood area a couple quick coats of thin CA. Hoping it would be enough to prevent any water from soaking into the wood while wet sanding? Am I ALL WET?  

Have I at least explained myself any better?
Haven't been having a great day! :befuddled:


----------



## RussFairfield (Sep 27, 2010)

I don't believe it will ever be possible to make wood and plastic look exactly alike, but you can get very close with CA glue.

I use CA to harden and fill the wood, and remove most of it from the plastic with the final sanding. Then I use the CA as a finish without making any chnages on either wood or plastic. There can be a higher gloss on the plastic depending on your filling and sanding of the wood, your final sanding and how fine a grit is used, but with MicroMesh a uniform gloss is possible. 

Even then, a difference in gloss may develop between the wood and the plastic parts of some pens with wear and age, but that too looks good. 

Using a softer finish like shellac will look just as good, but all of the things that happen with aging will just happen faster.


----------



## DCBluesman (Sep 27, 2010)

You did just fine.  You sealed the wood before wet sanding.  That works.


Lenny said:


> Well I did go apply a few coats of CA to the blanks. Once I got down there I was immediately reminded of some of the questions/concerns I had.
> So, I'll try once again to better ask the questions...
> 
> Normally I would wet sand a PR blank, starting with 400 and then 600,1000 (because I still haven't found any 800) and sometimes continuing with 1200,1500,2000. Then I switch to MM pads, skipping the first 2 (coarse ones) up through 12000 (or 15000 ??)
> ...


----------



## simomatra (Sep 27, 2010)

Sorry for butting in late here Lenny, I have made a few and use Minwax wipe on poly as an overall finish and they come out superb. That is on a mixed blank timber and acrylic.


----------



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

simomatra said:


> Sorry for butting in late here Lenny, I have made a few and use Minwax wipe on poly as an overall finish and they come out superb. That is on a mixed blank timber and acrylic.


 
Thanks Sam!

I haven't tried that finish on a pen yet, but I may do so at some point.


----------



## witz1976 (Sep 27, 2010)

Lenny, when I finish the wood w/ resin, I treat it like a wood pen.  I sand to about 1K or 2K depending on the wood, then coat in CA.  Let it sit for a day or two to harden, then wet sand with MM and polish with plastix.  
Good luck & post pics!


----------



## Lenny (Sep 27, 2010)

witz1976 said:


> Lenny, when I finish the wood w/ resin, I treat it like a wood pen. I sand to about 1K or 2K depending on the wood, then coat in CA. Let it sit for a day or two to harden, then wet sand with MM and polish with plastix.
> Good luck & post pics!


 
I'm assuming you mean you dry sand ? ? 

If it was mostly wood, instead of mostly PR, I would as well. But as you can see the wood part of this pen is a pretty small area. 
I used black tubes ... not sure what that line is in the photo... I can't see it on the pen??


----------



## workinforwood (Sep 28, 2010)

I would actually not have power sanded the blank.  I would just spin the blank, then lightly sand by hand to even it out in case of any chisel marks..just with 220 grit. Power sanding on wood has the potential of burning the wood, and because you have a mix of wood and plastic, the plastic might sand more than the wood, or vise versa, leaving a ridge between the two materials.  so just a light sand with 220 would be fine.  this will also give the ca a good sticking surface.  If you sand plastic too much, the ca can not stick so well.  The resin is alumilite, and will take a ca finish beautifully.  I would also apply a ca finish to the lower barrel if there is one, and this will make both sections have the same shine.

Pen photo looks great...I hadn't seen one of these spun before, and I like it.  Once a ca finish is applied, why wouldn't you wet sand it?  the water will not get into that little piece of wood when it is covered in ca.


----------



## witz1976 (Sep 28, 2010)

Lenny said:


> witz1976 said:
> 
> 
> > Lenny, when I finish the wood w/ resin, I treat it like a wood pen. I sand to about 1K or 2K depending on the wood, then coat in CA. Let it sit for a day or two to harden, then wet sand with MM and polish with plastix.
> ...



Yep you got it.  The only reason why I said 1K or 2K is I use Abralon sanding pads after the Abranet.  Just be careful with the alumulite it can heat quickly and start to melt into the pad

Jeff gave you the reason why I do this...alumulite can take CA wonderfully and you will get the same shine on both blanks.  

The barrels are looking good, I cannot wait for the finished pen!


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2010)

workinforwood said:


> Once a ca finish is applied, why wouldn't you wet sand it? the water will not get into that little piece of wood when it is covered in ca.


 
Yes, Absolutely! My only concerns were with the initial phases of the sanding process. Sounds like I may have taken the sanding too far before applying the CA, but next time I'll know. :biggrin:

Hopefully I won't have any issues with the CA sticking to the blank because I sanded it too much! 

Thanks for all the replies.


----------



## workinforwood (Sep 28, 2010)

I think you will be fine.  What's the worst that can happen?...you sand it back down a bit, rough it up and apply a few extra coats of finish is all.  I'm looking forward to seeing it dressed up.  I haven't made one myself..don't think I even have one.


----------



## Lenny (Sep 28, 2010)

I had some Jr. Gent II tubes in black so that is what I used. Now I'll have to get a kit.
I assume when you assemble it you just have to choose which side of the clip to put the wolf/moon on?


----------



## workinforwood (Sep 28, 2010)

yep.  I like to put the clip to the back, but it's all about what you want.  Of course, if you are selling it and the customer wants the clip in a different spot, you have the option of just punching a bit on the finial and turning the clip then repress it in.


----------



## Lenny (Sep 29, 2010)

workinforwood said:


> yep. I like to put the clip to the back, quote]
> 
> 
> If that's the way YOU do it ... then that's the way I'm going to do it! :biggrin:


----------

