Finishing Pens with CA Glue
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- I have been asked several times what my procedure is for applying a C/A glue finish to my pens. This video shows what I do pretty much in real time.
I use a thin C/A glue, once applied to the pen blank it dries in 15 to 20 seconds.
Generally I apply six coats of glue in sets of three coats at a time with light sanding between coats. If the blank if really porous, I will continue to apply more C/A until I get a smooth surface on the pen. the maximum number of coats I have applied is twelve.
Featured Woodworker: Steve French
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Excellent guide to CA finishing.
Thanks
James
Thank you James.
Redards,
Bob
I am new to pen turning. I just finished watching your video and your method for ca glue finishing makes sense. I thank you for your no nonsense instructing. Off I go to try it myself.
+Deb Perkins Thank you Deb,
If you have any questions, let me know
Regards,
Bob
Excellent video Bob, very well done.
Thank you Carl
That's the best CA finish video I've seen yet, thanks for making and sharing it!
Wow! What a complement, Thank you very much. A comment like this means an awful lot to me. I am so happy that you liked the video.
Regards,
Bob
Great video Bob, I have never tried a ca finish before , but you make it look very straight forward so I will give it a go! So thanks for the inspiration and for the recommendation for Steve French , he is a one off !!! In a good way,and he now has another subscriber !!! Thanks and keep up the good work. Trev
Thank you Trev,
If I can answer any questions, I'm no expert but, I'm always willing to help.
Steve is a great guy, your going to love his videos.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for posting this. I found it to be very well made, clearly presented, and a perfect length. It helped give me the inspiration and confidence to try this again after not doing so well at it the first time. I tried your method on an olive wood pen for one of my nieces and it came out beautifully! Thanks again for a really helpful video.
+drdan2001 Thank you,
That is an older video, I have since updated my method a bit. Take a look at this video of how I'm doing it now.
ua-cam.com/video/9rVI3EDlHXo/v-deo.html
It may have a few more ideas you can use. Congratulations on the pen, I remember my first successful attempt, I ruined several pens learning, LOL.
Regards,
Bob
New pen turner here. I found this technique so helpful! Thanks for sharing. Just finished 4 pens. They look fabulous. Cheers!
+Marc Thank you Marc.
Regards,
Bob
Thank you for the video. I picked up some of those bushings at Woodcraft and used this method and the pen turned out very nice. I appreciate the information.
Thank you,
I'm glad my video helped and congratulations on a successful C/A finish. The best thing about C/A is its durability. I see pens I made several years ago and they still look nice.
Regards,
Bob
Your videos are incredibly helpful. I've watched a number of tutorials on applying CA and yours has been the most informative without skipping necessary steps, I truly appreciate that. you mentioned in a reply that you have changed your technique a little, possibly since making the video. I would love to hear what you have changed. Anyway, thank you and I hope you have a happy holiday.
Thank you.
Plain and simple but effective nice job Bob,love your videos 👍
+Neal MacDonald Thank you Neal.
Regards,
Bob
you seem to have a pretty good process going and it's easy to follow.
thanks
James
+icespeckledhens Thank you,
Here's a link to a newer more up to date video, a lot has changed:
ua-cam.com/video/9rVI3EDlHXo/v-deo.html
Here's a link to a polish video, I'm really liking the Plastx.
ua-cam.com/video/suiIveNVeyE/v-deo.html
I hope they help.
Regards,
Bob
Great point, I forgot how they do seem stain the blank from time to time. Thanks for the fast reply.
Your welcome.
Regards,
Bob
Excellent video! I had given up on CA glue finishing after I made a couple half arse attempts, until I made an antler pen that looked like it had a fine crack in it. I figured some thin ca glue might fill it in and figured why stop there. I decided to check youtube and your video was the first and only one I watched and BAM it just clicked. Right after watching I did up two antler pens. Today I refinished another antler pen I had to repair anyways and they look awesome. I had been using wood turners finish and loved the fast recoat time and with some wax it would shine up nice, but nothing like these pens. The whole process took less time than with the wood turners finish, so that is a plus. I hate long finishing processes. Thanks for the video! Bob
Your welcome,
I'm glad my video was helpful to you. Congratulations on the pens that were a success, C/A looks great and is about the most durable finish you can use. And that savings in time is a blessing too.
Regards,
Bob
Great video. Just what I was looking for about ca glue finish.
Thank you
Regards,
Bob
I have just purchased some of these Non Stick Bushings Bob because i was always having trouble with the CA sticking to my bushes and wrecking it trying to unstick them so i can't wait till i use these and turning some timber pens again...Thanks for sharing your way on applying CA..
cheers Mick!!!
Great to hear from you Mick,
You are going to love those bushings! I haven't lost a pen since switching to them. Just be sure not to crank the tail stock down too tight when using them, I just snug mine up enough so the blanks don't spin. Otherwise, the brass tubes cut into the bushing and chew them up.
Regards,
Bob
I bought some of these but they won't slide over my mandrel.
I have been experimenting with a couple different finishes, Mylands high build friction polish and doctors workshop pens plus and both work very well on a c/a finish. I apply the polish after i run through the micro mesh grits on the c/a.
Hello Tyler, I’ve never tried Friction Polish over C/A. It’s usually a stand alone polish for wood then I apply a wax over it to protect it. If it works and you like the results, I say go for it.
Regards,
Bob
Hey Bob - just got done with my first CA glue finish following your instructions and man, does it look nice. There's a moment there halfway through the grits where it looked like I screwed it up, but I kept going and the pen (mahogany slimline) looks amazing. My only departure from your technique was that I used Meguiar's as a final buffing agent since thats what I use for my acrylics. Thanks for all the helpful videos!
That’s awesome! Here’s a link to a more recent video what’s I use the PlastX too. It’s good stuff.
Regards,
Bob
My C/A Glue Finishing Methodua-cam.com/video/9rVI3EDlHXo/v-deo.html
Thank you for this Vid. Now I know what I was doing wrong. You save me a lot of anguish. I was over applying to much at one time and it always got lumpy. Again thank you.
Your welcome Daniel,
Let me know if you have any questions, I have changed my process a bit. I'm always looking for better ways.
Regards,
Bob
CA finish is the best! It is way simpler than I ever thought it would be before I started using it! My first exposure to this idea of using it was wood magazine and I am guessing it was in the early 90's sometime..they and an article about it! I will have to look that up. :) Nice video Bob and will definitely check out Steve French.
Best Regards
Chris
Thank you Chris,
I'd love to see that article if you ever find it. I'll bet Wood Magazine has it online somewhere.
You're going to love Steve's work and he is a great guy.
Regards,
Bob
Great video Bob. Very well explained.
Thank you J.D.,
You may recognize that pen blank in a couple days when your pens arrive.
Regards,
Bob
Great video and WOW, I really, really appreciate the shout out and positive recommendation of my channel! Thank you very much, Bob!
About the CA glue finish. I know it may sound weird to some. But I know a number of turners who finish their pens with CA glue. And having seen and held many of them in my own hands, I can testify that CA glue really does make a fantastic finish for turned pens.
Thank you Steve,
C/A produces a great finish that lasts forever.
You have a great channel with some awesome videos. I hope my shout out sends a few subscribers your way too.
Regards,
Bob
Yes, you did send me some new subscribers. Much appreciated.
This video helped alot. i just finished my first pen and am looking for some good finishing.
Thank you,
If you have any specific finishing questions, I'll be happy to attempt to answer them for you.
Regards,
Bob
Very good. Will try it.
Thank you Robert.
Regards,
Bob
Very good video. Feel like I can try it now
+Maryke Dykhuizen Thank you.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for your video. I am new to pen turning and am eager to try finishing with CA. Your video is very easy to follow. I will give your technique a try.
Pacifico Paculba Thank you, If you can lay your hands on some HDPE, turn a couple non-stick bushings and your C/A finishing will be much easier. Regards,Bob
New subscriber here, loved the video and others of yours that Ive watched. I came here looking for help on applying CA finish to pens and this is by far the best Ive run across. I especially liked the sanding part and applying the plastic polish, its really helped my pens shine. I didnt have the One Step, so Ive been using Mequiars Plast-X since its what I use on acrylic and what I had on hand, it seems to be working great. Thank you for taking the time to do the informative videos.
Plastic-x is great and way cheaper. In my more recent videos you’ll see that I switched to it.
Thanks for replying, Im still making my way through the older videos, but good to know about the switch.
Great video Bob - I've used a very similar technique and it works really well. I'd love to get me a set of those nylon guide bushes but not found a supplier yet, I might have to make my own. I bumped into Steve French's channel a while ago and agree with you that he does some amazing work. I made one of his puzzles the other day.
Wishing you well
Cheers Bob.
Bob,
I'll bet if you could find a chunk of Nylon that you could turn your own bushings, Nylon turns very easily on a lathe. If not, let me know and next time I go to Louisville, I can pick you up a set and mail them to you.
I saw your puzzle on Facebook last night, it looks great! Steve is a fun guy and I love his projects.
Regards,
Bob
RJBWoodTurner Hey Bob, just to let you know, I got myself a length of nylon and had a go at making my own. They turned out ok, looking forward to trying them out. Thanks for the suggestion and the offer to post me a set. That's what makes the woodworking community one of the best. Thank you.
thanks rjb always informative
Thank you Alan,
I appreciate your comment and am glad you liked the video.
Regards,
Bob
thank you... great teaching ....
+glen emery Thank you Glen,
Here's a more recent version with a few changes.
ua-cam.com/video/9rVI3EDlHXo/v-deo.html
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob.I've become quite a fan over the last few months while I've been starting my turning journey! I tried my first CA finish last night and lets just say it didn't go great, I ended up with paper towel stuck to my blank and to my hands! I sanded that all back through the grits and tried again, and ended up with paper towel stuck to my hands (no need for sanding)!Today I am going on the hunt for some thinner CA glue but it can be a bit of a lottery here in the U.K. as very few advertise their viscosity on the packet.Wish me luck and I'll report back with the outcome, (I'm also going to watch your videos a few more times!)!Many Thanks Andy C
+Andy Cohen I did the same think the first couple of times I tried C/A. Thin viscosity works like a sanding sealer. Then I use a bead of medium to build the thickness. You have to move fast and make sure the previous coat is dry.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob,
Tonight's efforts went a lot better many thanks for the encouragement and advice. The right choice of paper towel makes a big difference too it seems. I had a trip to Toolpost today and picked up some thick and thin CA and followed your guide as closely as i could with a little more practice i'll be catching you up!
+Andy Cohen that’s great! I know you’ll get it figured out.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for the tips! Now I know why the finishes on my last two pens sucked. I was doing C/A and kept the paper towel on too long... I've since fixed that. You're my go-to turner for learning how to do something. Keep making these awesome vids, they're extremely helpful!
Thank you,
I'm glad my video was helpful. I hope to be making videos again very soon. I just moved into a new shop and set up has been more of a challenge that I had expected.
Regards,
Bob
+RJBWoodTurner hey, I had another question. Have you ever turned Bloodwood? I'm going to make a Bloodwood pen for my grandma and am wondering if there is any technique to use (such as the Purple Heart, where you torch it and use a special polishing compound) that makes the finish look better. Thanks
Not really,
Bloodwood is beautiful and finishes nicely. I don't believe it's photo sensitive so heat and sunlight shouldn't effect it.
That was very informative thank you
Thank you.
Regards,
Bob
I use coffee filters instead of paper towels. Cheap and STRONG. I use them with CA and friction polish. Try it. I apply pressure for friction polish and can tightly twist it to get in tiny areas. You will be surprised how well they work.
Thank you Bill,
I never thought about using coffee filters.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks Bob..
Steve
Steve,
Thank you for watching and commenting, I really appreciate your support.
Regards,
Bob
La ringrazio di cuore OTTIMO metodo per le penne ho avuto buoni risultati (tank you, veri good video, sorry for my english)
Thank you.
CA provides a very durable, long lasting finish. My method is far different, but everyone does it in a manner they are comfortable with.
I'd be interested in hearing about your method, I am always looking for better ways to do things. Thank you for watching and especially for commenting.
Regards,
Bob
Great video!
Thank you very much Ron,
I look for you to purchase a lathe some day soon. It seems like pen turning might be right up your alley. What do you say? is a lathe on the horizon?
Regards,
Bob
Someday, it may. I used to have a McGraw Edison lathe but it was just a souped up electric drill, variable speed, and noisy. I got rid of it in a garage sale. I've been thinking about a Harbor Freight model, similar to yours.
I think you will notice a "glassy" finish with the wet pads you have. I have them and you almost don't need the polish but I use One Step too. I saw someone apply glue with the plastic pen part bags and that lays down a really smooth layer of CA. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for the info on the sanding pads, I have been reluctant to try them because I have been getting such beautiful results with the Micro-Mesh. However, as you may have noticed in the video, my M-M polishing cloths are getting pretty worn so the pads are getting put into service really soon.
Applying C/A with the plastic pen bags, I never would have thought to try that. Now you have me curious and I think I will test that on a pen. Did they use the large bag that all the parts came in or the tiny individual bags that the parts come in? I'd like to find a use for those small parts bags because I hate throwing all of them in the trash. It would be great to get a use out of them before pitching them.
Thank you very much for watching and commenting on my videos, I always appreciate your comments and really enjoy talking with you.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for the video, I just turned my fourth pen today, it also was walnut, but I bet yours turned out better than mine. I finished it with CA but just put 3 coats then sanded it to 600, that's all I had. Didn't know to coat it again after sanding, it looks ok but I'm sure it could be better. I was wondering where to get the non stick bushings but reading all the comments, I saw where to get them and the part number. I enjoy your videos and learn a lot from them, thanks again and keep making the videos.
Thank you Silton,
You want to avoid putting a coat of C/A on after sanding unless you can guarantee it will go on smooth with no ripples.
Here's my process:
Sand to 600 grit.
Four to six coats of C/A. More if there is open grain or areas to be filled.
Wet sand with Micro Mesh. This is a quick light sanding. Don't use to mush pressure as you don't want to remove Ann the C/A, just the rough surface.
Polish with a plastic polish of your choice then buff it with a towel to a brilliant shine.
This will give a beautiful long lasting surface to your pen.
Instead of buying the non stick bushings, you can buy HDPE or UHMW 3/4" rods on EBay really cheap. Then make your own bushings. I have a video on my channel that shows how.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Bob
Hey Bob, you'll like the pads for sanding. They are a better size for your blanks. Like your style on the finish, almost like the way I do it. But whatever works best for whoever is doing the finish. Thanks for sharing. Take care, David
Thank you David,
I do love those pads, it's amazing how much faster they are and just how beautiful a finish I get every time.
Regards,
Bob
Glad to see you using the plastic bushing, I've got them just haven't had a chance to use them yet. Thanks for your videos. Take care, David
David,
They are a dream. I won't use C/A glue without them. I haven't lost a blank since I started using them.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks, I will give it a go!! August, keep up the great work (fun)
+August Calderaro Thank you.
Regards,
Bob
This was really helpful. I tried applying a medium viscosity ca finish to a pen and screwed it up. You gave some very good tips here such as not reusing the paper towels for multiple coats of glue. I put on too many heavy coats of medium and it ended up adding way too much thickness to the pen as well as not being smooth. I also need to buy the nylon bushings. I made the mistake of trying to use the pen bushings. Rookie mistake but mostly due to laziness and impatience. I'm going to switch over to thin. I have been using Drs Woodshop pens plus but have heard that it's not as durable as ca finish. Is this true?
+Joshua Luther Hello Joshua,
Thank you for your comment and I'm glad my video was helpful. I'm constantly looking to improve my method and recently made a second C/A video. Here's the link if your interested: ua-cam.com/video/9rVI3EDlHXo/v-deo.html
If you have any questions along the way, please do t hesitate to ask. My email address is in the comments of every video.
Regards,
Bob
I have really enjoyed your videos and learned a lot. One that i watched the other day used a small pipe cutter to customize the brass tube length. You then used A smaller punch and hammer to get rid of the lip, and the resize the hole. Great idea, but I took it a little different by using the max size punch in the tube while cutting, this prevented the deformation of the brass and gave a smooth cut and no hammering needed. Your thoughts? Thanks again for helping all use beginners!
That is a good idea as long as you’re not scarring the punch. If you see scratches on your punch you’re probably dulling the cutting wheel on you’re tube cutter. Otherwise you’re good to go.
Regards,
Bob
Great video. This is almost exactly how I did my very first pen (just last week), and the finish turned out great. That said, I only "levelled out"the finish after 3 or 4 coats with the 1500 grit pad, I think, rather than polishing all the way to 12000mm. I wonder why you polish it out completely before applying more CA, when the successive coats of CA will fill in any scratches from levelling/sanding. Taking it all the way to 12000 before the final coat seems like a waste of time to me, but I respect that your method gets a fabulous result.
Thank you Andrew,
You have given me some food for thought on my sanding regiment. I have always done it that way because that's what the instructions said to do.
What you said avoid the C/A leveling and filling scratches makes sense as I use C/A to fill voids in my blanks all the time.
I'm going to put some serious thought into this then do a little testing. If my results are just as good, I may be modifying my process.
This is the great thing about UA-cam, I get to learn from everyone else.
Thank you.
Regards,
Bob
Great video! I'm new to pen turning(only on my second pen). I didn't think about micro sanding after several coats. I think I will add this to my finishing process. Have you tried wet sanding between the coats versus dry? Any thoughts? Thanks for the video!
Hello David,
At the time I made that video, I wasn't wet sanding between coats. I have since started wet sanding with the Micro Mesh between every three coats. My finishing process is always evolving. It sounds like yours is to, :^).
Regards,
Bob
Thank for all the very helpful videos, I just can't thank you enough. I have a problem with the CA glue. I used your method which I think is great but I'm having a problem getting a smooth finish. I followed your instructions to the letter but after applying the thin CA it always has lumps or uneven lines. It just isn't smooth. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I tried slow and faster speeds, I tried wiping faster. I tried paper towels, rags, and a sponge like material and it's still lumpy. Could it be the brand of CA, I notice you used PSI Ca. Would that make a difference? You make it look so easy but mine is awful. What would you suggest. Thanks
+Charles Swift The viscosity of the C/A does have a lot to do with how it lays down on the surface. You want to run the lathe at the lowest possible speed. Quickly wipe a thin viscosity C/A over the surface. Working it to long will cause it to have a rougher surface. Ever after applying the medium C/A the surface will be wavy. The Micro Mesh is what smooths it out and makes it shine.
Regards,
Bob
I use the same Ca glue bushings yet often mine are glued to the pen blank. How do you keep them from sticking ? maybe I put on to much glue at the time, sometimes it's a problem, sometimes it's not. Micro mesh makes those same wet sanding pads, 1500 thru 12000 grit as the psi ones, get mine from craft supply most often. We do the process very much the same, thanks for a great video.
Mine stick as well, I can usually pop them off which leaves a fingernail of C/A on the blank. I take that back to the disk sander and using my squaring jig, I clean it off. It’s ok if they stick you want to run the C/A right off the end of the blank and onto the non-stick bushings to keep it level at the ends.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks very much for this video. I've been hesitant to try using CA glue, but you've made it look rather easy. For the last step, when you use the polish, I'm wondering if you've ever used the two-step Hut PPP polish over the CA glue? I've been using it over another product with success, but still wondering. Thanks in advance for your response!
Hello Michael,
I have used the HUT two step but only over friction polish. I haven't tried it over C/A. I don't see why it wouldn't produce excellent results, it works great with the FP.
Regards,
Bob
Great video. One question for you, what are the dark rings from on the end of the blank? Is that where the CA absorbed into the end grain? How does that affect your finished product? Oops, that was two questions...
Hello Eric,
The dark rings were probably cause from sanding next to the bushings. Some of the Aluminum dust stains the blank.
Regards,
Bob
Great video, how many coats would you recommend for Mahogany? Thanks
Thank you David,
Mahogany is pretty grainy. I would probably apply 5 or 6 coats of thin then Micro Mesh it almost off. Then I'd repeat with another 5 of 6. Check the pen closely for depressions where the grain is. If they appear filled then MM lightly and polish. Otherwise I'd MM it almost off and go again.
Regards,
Bob
I use a similar product and it works great. But sometimes I get spots of polish that get into small minute holes. Does anyone know of any way to get the polish out of minute holes in the finish? Thanks in advance. Thanks for posting.
Sand it down again and refinish, that will help remove reduce the grain depth.
Regards,
Bob
Would this work on polymer clay? Awesome video! I always dreamt my Dad and I would have a woodshop and we'd make things. He's getting some tools but now we are too far away.
Hello,
I've not tried it on polymer clay, only because I haven't turned clay yet. I purchased some Sculpy and plan to try it soon. If the finish is dull, I will attempt a C/A finish.
You should give it a try, just not on one of your best blanks, use a trash blank for testing. If it works let me know.
Otherwise, I'll test soon and probably make a video.
Regards,
Bob
Hi, beautiful work. what is the name of these white pieces that do not stick with the glue and where can i buy them? Thank you very much.
Here’s a link to a video I made about making those non stick bushings. These are made from black UHMW I got off eBay. All you have to do is drill a 1/4” hole down the center of the UHMW and turn it on your mandrel.
Bushings
ua-cam.com/video/XzCfpQn9fkg/v-deo.html
Regards,
Bob
@@RJBWoodTurner Thank you very much! Best regards!
is there a way to polish a cup that will have a ca glue finish that would be considered food safe?
I’m not sure a C/A finish would be considered food safe. I’d call a Woodcraft store and see what they recommend.
Regards,
Bob
I have a question about lathe speed. You say to turn it down to the lowest setting, and then up to half of what the max speed of the lathe is for the buffing part. Can you give me more specifics on the lathe speed? My lathe can be set anywhere from 100 to 5000. I am sort of new to doing pens. I've mostly done bowls. Thanks!
and 4 years later .... I have same question !!. I am on time for the answer you never got !!
Daniel I apply CA at 250, micro mesh at 500, and buff with polish at 2250. 100 seemed excessively slow to apply the CA. But then I have not been turning pens for long, maybe 25 pens. So I could be way off base!
Thank you Roger,
This new YT tool is showing me all the comments I missed over the years. Apologies for not responding sooner.
I hope you're still watching and enjoying my videos.
If you haven't checked out the channel for a while, please stop by and see some of the newer videos.
I've made a bunch of the over the years.
Regards,
Bob
Sorry I missed your question, YT can be difficult.
2,500 - 3,000 for turning.
500 - 800 for sanding.
1,200 - 1,200 for buffing.
Regards,
Bob
What viscosity of CA glue are you using? It looks like thin, judging by the way it spreads on the paper towel.
+Cody Goss Hello Cody,
This is an older video and I have modified my method a bit.
I use thin C/A from Penn State from their Finishing line and apply anywhere from 5 to 10 coats depending on how the wood takes it. Tighter grained woods need fewer coats.
I then apply a minimum of 2 coats of Stick Fast C/A, from Packard Supply or Woodcraft, as a top coat. If the wood is not tight grained, I apply coats of medium until the surface is leveled.
I avoid Activator if at all possible because it will sometimes cloud the finish and using it to often can cause a brittle finish that will crack. My Activator of choice is the Stick Fast aerosol.
Once the C/A is dry, I wet sand with Micro Mesh then polish with an acrylic polish.
I hope this information helps.
Regards,
Bob
hi i would like to ask something if you can please enlighten me.
i dont live in usa andunfortunately and im very new to pen turning and i would like to not spend big buck before i am certain that i like pen turning and im good at it. This being said where i live i cant get my hands on 12,000 grit micro mesh the highest grit sandpaper i can find is 3,000 grit. Is there any possible way to polish these pen blanks w/out 12,000 grit? Polishing it with plastic polisher after 3k would be efficient? Love your videos they are very educational. Please keep up the good work.
+d. kongul Hello,
I would use what you have, and polish to 3,000.
If you are turning acrylics or finishing wood with C/A then there are excellent polishes at auto parts stores for removing scratches from plastic headlights. You will get a nice finish at a reasonable cost.
Is you are turning wood and finishing with Friction Polish then 600 grit is probably sufficient for a beautiful finish.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for the quick reply Bob. I really appreciate that.
+d. kongul Your welcome,
I hope it helps.
Regards,
Bob
Hi, I am a fairly new pen turner and I'm having trouble with CA finish. Usually, I get a realy good glass finish but if I look at the pen up close, you can actually see very tiny scratches on it and that drives me crazy. I usually go (after turning) 180,220,320,400,600 then I do 3 coats thin CA sand (400 or 600, 800, 1000) apply another 3 to 4 coats of thick CA and then go through my micromesh all the way up to 12000. Any ideas where I'm messing up? They are very tiny scratches that you can only see if you bring it up close to your face but can't see if you hold the pen at an arm's length.... I'm about ready to give up on CA finish. I never had this problem when finishing rings
+chupagoat69 Are the scratches on the surface or below it? Surface scratches can be reduced tremendously with a good polish. Beyond that, I'd wet the MM pads and start maybe with the middle grit and run through them again.
Regards,
Bob
The scratches seem to me are on the surface. I will definitely give it a try to starting on a higher grit, maybe 800/1000 right after the first few coats of CA. Also, I will try wetting the MM. when you wipe the slurry off do you just use a paper towel? I've some other guys use the same denatured alcohol to wipe in between sanding pads but I would think that could be detrimental to the CA finish, I will try both and see what happens. I was ruining a bunch of ebony and rosewood blanks but finally thought better of it and have about 10 poplar blanks to play around with so I can get my finish down before moving on to the more exotic woods. Thanks for your help, I will keep you posted on my results.
+chupagoat69 I use a a dry paper towel to wipe the slurry. Ive never heard of using DNA. Good luck, let me know how it goes.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks Bob, I turned a cigar pen yesterday using Poplar and the finish looks like glass. I think you were right, I started at 1500 after the CA application and no scratches as far as I can tell. I will try a darker wood today since I'm guessing the lighter wood is more forgiving when it comes to scratches. Thanks again for all your help.
+chupagoat69 I'm glad this worked out for you. Always happy to help
Regarda,
Bob
when you are sanding to 400 grit, do you end up with sanding marks since you leave the lathe running? Or do you come back and sand with the grain?
+Jeremiah Yoder Hello Jeremiah,
I sand with the grain between every grit. That helps with the sanding marks.
Regards,
Bob
+RJBWoodTurner Thank you for the rapid response. I appreciate it. I don't struggle so much with the shaping as I do the finishing.
+Jeremiah Yoder Your welcome,
Finishing is touch and go until you perfect your technique
Regards,
Bob
Sometimes you finish wood with CA glue. Sometimes you finish with EEE polish. What is your decision making process in choosing what you will use?
+Gary Walter Great question Gary,
If it's going to be handled often I use C/A to protect it from oils and dirt. If it's not, I use EEE & Shella Wax.
Regards,
Bob
do you ever use buffing wheels on your pens
+tdavis2267 I don't currently but I've been toying with the idea of getting one of the three wheel mandrel based buffing wheel systems from Penn State.
Regards,
Bob
What tool do you use to turn down your blanks?
Either my skew or if it's really sharp, I'll use my roughing gouge. I like the control I get from the RG. You plant it at your hip and you can turn right down to the bushings with no catches.
Regards,
Bob
do you ever have any problems with the CA cracking of appearing to shatter? im wondering if it might be a climate issue
+AwesomeSoundGuy Yes I have,
There are many things that can cause that,
Old C/A,
Activator
Moisture in the blank
I have recently stopped using activator while finishing except on the very last coat and only if it stays tacky.
While cleaning blanks with Denatured Alcohol or wet sanding between finishes I allow the blank to spin for a little extra time and thoroughly inspect it for moisture before applying C/A.
Watch out for oily woods as the oil will cause the C/A to delaminate. Be sure to thoroughly clean that type of wood to remove the surface oil.
Nothing stinks more then the finish cracking and ruining all your hard work.
Regards,
Bob
Is there a particular kind of paper towel that is better to use for this?
Everyone has an opinion. I standard kitchen towels.
@@RJBWoodTurner Yeah, some of the most popular choices I found were Bounty, Shop Towels and Rag in a Box. Even found on a pen turner forum that several people use craft foam sheet. I'll just have to try a few and see what I like. Thanks!
Don’t use rags,
If they get caught in the lathe they can pull ha d or finger in.
Regards,
Bob
@@RJBWoodTurner Very true. I should have been more specific, I was referring to Scott Rags in a Box. They are more like a heavy-duty paper towel, which tear pretty easily and are great for applying finish. I use them to apply the finish and wax on my homemade bamboo walking sticks.
I have seen that warning in many videos and seen a few videos of people getting sleeves and gloves caught narrowly avoiding injury. The biggest example for me, however, was back in high school, the shop teacher was missing three fingers from getting careless on a lathe. First day he told the story and his hand was a good safety incentive for the class.
Test the towels, if they smoke, don’t use them. I tried some brown towels from a Burger King when I was out of bounty. They smoked like crazy.
Regards,
Bob
On my blanks I am having issues on the ends turning dark, any suggestions?
+Mark Inmon The darkness comes from the metal dust of the bushings. I sometimes switch to HDPE bushings to avoid it.
Regards,
Bob
At what step in the process do you remove the medal bushings? Are the HDPE bushings used only for finishing and only finishing wood blanks?
+Mark Inmon Hello Mark,
With lighter woods, especially soft woods like spalted maple, I will sometimes remove the bushings while sanding to avoid staining the blank. If your going to do this you, will need to turn the blank as close to the bushings as you can so only a light sanding is needed. Normally, I only remove the bushings for finishing then I put them back on to micro Mesh and polish the C/A finish.
Regards,
Bob
I went to HF to get punches to disassemble pens and HDPE bushings at woodcraft. I told them you sent me and they said the check is in the mail.
Thanks
+Mark Inmon LOL,
I'm sure the watch all my videos. That's funny.
Regards,
Bob
Anyone here ever use standard car polish instead of the “pen” polish? Thanks and very informative video.
Yes,
PLAST-X works great!
Regards,
Bob
@@RJBWoodTurner do you seal the wood or acrylic first or just sand fine and then apply the compound and polish?
On a Hybrid blank, I like to use thin C/A to seal the wood before sanding, otherwise the dust can stain lighter woods.
Have you tired the turners select wood finishing 12 piece set. I use it and was wondering what difference there is from the ca finish set vs the turners select. If the ca turns out to be a better finish I may switch to that.
Hello Dennis,
I haven't tried that kit so I can't speak to it. I do apologize, you may try posting this question in some of the pen turning groups on Facebook.
Regards,
Bob
Try craft foam to apply the ca.
Thank you.
Regards,
Bob
How do you discard of your paper towels? Aren't they combustible?
+Terry Wolfe I'm sure C/A is combustible but it's nothing like Boiled Lindsey's Oil. I have a bucket on the floor that I drop the towels into immediately. I've never had a combustibility issue and I think that's because the C/A dries so quickly.
Regards,
Bob
Spray lacqure pen finish
+Louis Tacchino Hello Louis,
I like lacquer as a finish. C/A has become my go to finish of choice. I talk with lots of other turners who use one or the other with relatively equal results. I guess it just comes down to preference and what's most convenient in each shop.
Regards,
Bob
Regards,
Bob