CA turns white

[Donny Lawson]

I don't know if my CA problem is the same or not but when I finish my pens and use the BLO and CA method it takes a few min. and then turns white also.So 2 cedar pens have done this.
Donny

[David E Keller]

If you can avoid accelerator, then do so. If you need it, use it sparingly.

[Mac Carlton]

Try some DNA before you apply the CA.
Thin CA is the worst for me turning white with or without accl.
So I use med. CA on most, sometimes thick.
DNA will remove some oils ,water and dust, and dries at the snap of a finger on small thin stuff, like pens.
I do CA finishes on most all of my pens, and a lot of my small turnings.
Don't have many white out problems maybe 1 out of 100. and is usually caused by(friction heat) getting the blank to hot when applying PP after MM when finishing.

[Nathan Hawkes]

Leo, you're spot on! I have about the same luck as you, Peter. I will say that open grained wood is much more prone, probably for the reasons that Leo outlined; if there's space to bubble, it will. Also, I find that even dry spalted wood will occasionally bubble and turn white even if you don't use the accelerator; there's something to it more than just moisture content; perhaps someone else knows the secret. I use accelerator whenever I use CA because I don't like to pick tiny pieces of CA glue out of my hair. In other words, I like to keep turning instead of waiting!

PS; I keep meaning to take pics of the live oak bowl from the block you gave me last spring; it turned out great. The bowl is "somewhere" in the shop. WOW is that stuff hard! Also, I'm loving the books. Cheers!

[Peter Lamb]

Thanks all for the thoughtful responses
Peter

[Chris Stolicky]

I just recently heard that using an aerosol can rather than a pump sprayer works much better - i.e. cause less whitening.

Kind of goes along with what Leo is saying above.....

I have only used the pumps.

[James Combs]

I have only used the aerosol and have had no problems. You can really get a fine spray with the aerosol.

I just recently heard that using an aerosol can rather than a pump sprayer works much better - i.e. cause less whitening.

Kind of goes along with what Leo is saying above.....

I have only used the pumps.

[Chris Rae]

I use CA finish on my pens, but I use the aerosol can and sparingly. I don't have any problems, but I don't like the pump spray.

[michael gallagher]

I don't know if my CA problem is the same or not but when I finish my pens and use the BLO and CA method it takes a few min. and then turns white also.So 2 cedar pens have done this.
Donny

Donny-

Cedar can make a really fine looking pen, but there are a lot of oils competing with the CA glue.

I threw away a lot of cedar pen blanks after turning as I would have a heck of a lot of streaks or white smudges in the CA finish until someone suggested soaking the pen blank in DNA for 24 hours to leech out a lot of the cedars oils. Worked like a charm ever since, and hopefully it can work for you.

[Jerry Clark]

I was having a lot of problems with the CA on pens, so I tried the blue towel application. I am happy with the results-- also it is faster. I don't use a accelerator, just let the lathe runs a minute and it is set.