CA finish for pens?????

[David Wilhelm]

Any of you just use CA for the finish of your pens? If so what sanding steps do you need between coats? Also I have a buddy that I have turned on to turning and he has came up with something and it looks great but the layers of glue he's used to build up on his pen is much higher than the bushing. I'm thinking under turn the blank at the bushing to make up for the needed build-up of glue. What he's done looks great other than fit and a few cloudy spot in his glue. Thanks ahead for any advice. "Will"

[Bernie Weishapl]

David he is probably putting it on to thick. I use about 3 to 4 coats of CA and haven't had that problem. You don't want to under cut the bushing as the wood is already extremely thin as it is. The first coat I use thin so it will soak into the wood and then the other two coats are medium CA. I very lightly sand at 800 grit or 1000 grit then micromesh the rest of the way.

[Rick Gifford]

David, I have tried CA finish on my pens and think its the best. For me anyway. I made a bubblegum wood pen for my wife over a year ago with CA finish and it is used as her check writing pen. Needless to say it get ALOT of use, and still looks good.

I use Fangar's method. He has this posted over at The Pen Shop. A great place for pen turners. This method works fine for me. I have now modified my own method a little, but if you follow this it will get you on the right path. I will repost his instructions:

Thought I would post my CA finishing method for all those interested.

My method I use in a nut shell is as follows:

-1800 RPM-

Sand with 240, 320, 400 Grit papers.

Wipe down with denatured alcohol (DNA)

Apply a thin sealer coat of Thin CA with 400 grit paper.

New sheet of 400 grit smooth out.

Wipe down with DNA.

MM through 12000 (DNA as needed between coats to remove sanding debris. Usually between each three of the MM.)

Two coats of Myland's cellulose sanding sealer.

MM last four grits through 12000 again.

DNA

-Slow lathe to 500 Rpm. ( or Slowest setting).-

Apply two coats thin CA with Costco Paper Shop towel.
Air dry only betweencoats (NO ACCELERATOR).

Apply Two Coats of Thick CA, as smoothly as possible.
Air dry betweencoats. (If you do need to use a light application of
ACC, I wait at least 1 minute after each CA application, and only
use the Aerosol from a distance. I don't have any issues with cloudiness
or bubbles this way. The pump ACC does not work for me)

-Speed lathe back up to 1800 RPM.-

Sand with 320 Grit(Sometimes 240 grit if I went crazy) to remove any ridges, swirls etc.

Sand with 400 grit.

DNA

MM through 12000.

DNA

Buffing wheel with White Diamond only.

Hut Plastic Polish applied with paper shop towel.

TSW.

It seems like a ton of work, but really takes about 20 minutes from start to finish. Each grit of paper and MM is a very quick, light sand letting the papers do the work. There is not a ton of time on each grit, though I do make sure I have removed the sanding lines etc. I have worked on this method for quite a while, and it really works the best as far as results for me.

Some people will say: There are overlapping grits, overkill, overdone, why, what for, stepping back down in grit at times, unecessary, etc. but it works for me. Maybe more of a ritual like a baseball player that goes through his nervous supersticious dance prior to each pitch!


Cheers,

Fangar

[Rich Souchek]

David,
Best advice I can give you is to go to the website penturners.org and read up on their finishing column. This subject is cover etensively, they even have some videos of CA finishing.
Rich s.

[David Wilhelm]

I watched a video from that site, what is the taped pad he's useing to put the glue on with? I don't glue my pens like that I put my glue on the pen itself and turn it slue and rub it in with my finger in a plastic bag. When filling I use layer of thin and sand down 220/320 depending on the wood then a coat of medium and sand that in lightly stepping up to 400. I've never used DNA or ACC but I may give these other ways a try to see how I like them. Wayne's pen is turned out of bass wood and he burned feathers all over it. He used several layers of thin to finish because he couldn't sand after burning. I dont know what it looking or felt like before he started glueing but I think he could have done with less glue as well. He is a carver and makes some of the best looking birds I've ever seen and this pen looks like it can fly lol. For him to have only had his lathe for a week it kind of made me sick. Merry Christmas to all. I'll see if i can get a pic of this pen to post

[Paul Heely]

If it was the Russ Fairfield video that you watched then I think what he uses is polyester batting like you would get from a fabric store.

[Jon Lanier]

I think many different ways work. Just finding what works best for you is key.
Here is what I discovered:

My experiment on CA (Cyanoacrylate Glue) finish

1.Sand through 220-grit, wiping off the sanding dust for each grit except 220


2.Use an applicator with a few drops of thin CA glue on it to wipe off the dust
from the 220


3.Put some mineral oil on a piece of 320 w/d paper and sand off the CA glue, filling the pores and sealing the pen blank


4.Use a paper towel to wipe off all the mineral oil


5.Use 400, 600 and 800 w/d paper, wiping off the residue between grits


6.Fold a paper towel so it's thick enough that several drops of medium CA glue won't immediately soak through


7.Wipe down the pen blank


8.Put a few drops of BLO on a clean spot of the paper towel and wipe the blank again


9.Repeat the medium CA glue and BLO as one feels is necessary.


10.Let the pen sit for a while so it cures completely.

11.Go through the micro-mesh grades, 2,400-12,000, wiping off the residue for each grade

I don’t have a buffing system yet, when I do, I’ll throw that into the mix.

[David Wilhelm]

Well I took a look at the steps you guys used and thunk em over real hard and turned out my Mothers family osage orange pen for Christmas. The tree grows on the farm. Each year I make one of the family something from the tree. This pen gave up a deep deep yellow with a hint of brown grain detail and I said hmm lets try a CA finish. I have my own oil mixture that I use to bring out grains so I just used that rather than the BLO didnt' bother with the DNA. I did use a lil glaze on her after the MM and that made her shine up even more all I could do was sit back and smile. ( yes I know, WHERE ARE THE DANG PICS WILL!!!) Anyhow, I set her up in a titanium black frame and laid her in a walnut case very nice. Oh and on Waynes feather pen. I scratched my head til my hair came out. Guess what none of us never thought of. the bushings that came with his $20.00 mandrel were NOT 7mm. It said they were but they were not so remember always check.

[Rick Gibson]

With wood I generally dry sand from 120 through 400 then wet sand using BLO as a lubricant from 600 to 1500. If it's an open pored wood I will add CA when wet sanding at 600 grit and let the slurry fill the pores.

With the lath turning at 1800.
Put a little BLO on a folded paper towel (I use bounty) Wet the blank then add a strip of thick CA. Rub back and forth till it cures. then do the last step again.

Wet sand from 600 to 1500 again.

Burnish with a strip of paper bag.

Put a little BLO on the folded paper towel and wet the blank with it. Add a few drops of thin CA to the paper towel and rub into the blank until it cures. Generally do this step 3 to 4 times. Washing down with DNA between steps.

I then take a couple drops of silvo on a folded paper towel (silver polish, some use brasso) and polish the blank. Found it works as good or better than MM and a whole lot cheaper. Here is an example of a couple done that way.

[michael gallagher]

Those are nice pens, Rick...what kind of wood?

[Ron McKinley]

CA makes your pens look like plastic and you can get plastic pens for free at any bank or credit union. I like wood with an oil finish that looks and feels like WOOD! I'm probably in the minority here but turning wood is what we are all about. Skin oils from using the pen gives it a patina that is not only easy on the eyes but the touch as well.......Ron

[Rick Gibson]

what kind of wood?

The one is ebony and the other is amboyna burl