Closed end W/Eucalyptus Burl. Happy and not...

[alxe24]

I just finished this pen with a piece of Tasmanian Eucalyptus burl (sound pretty fancy) I like the overall pen and the wood I like it a lot.
Now it has been 4 yrs since the last time I finish a pen with CA and that is the part I'm not so happy about. I doubt it's the CA being old and more gooey than normal. I wound up with a couple of cloudy/milky spots on the barrel. I cant tell why.
I used the CA with a bit of BLO, applied 3 layers and polished. By the time I got to 4000 MM I could tell about those bastards. They are not so obvious but they are there.
Any ideas? The oils from my skin are not more oily than the Blo so I doubt that could be the case.
Regards
Alex

 

[Dalecamino]

That's a nice pen. Try wiping the blank with Denatured alcohol or Acetone (although acetone may darken the wood) Let it dry before you apply CA. This removes any oils in the wood. Just something to try. No promises :biggrin:

 

[mikespenturningz]

Nice pen and lumber. Not sure why you got that effect but I stopped using CA several months ago because I was allergic. Anytime I had a pen that didn't come out I took the finish right back off and redid it. Too much work in making a really nice pen to not have the finish compliment the word done!

 

[alamocdc]

Sharp looking pen, Alex. You had a beautiful burl canvas from which to work. Sorry about the finish woes. Both moisture and oils can cause the kind of bloom you mention.

 

[yaroslaw]

As I found out, my flaws on CA were mainly caused by SANDING THROUGH CA. I use CA/BLO a lot now, and for me 5-6 coats work very good, and very, very accurate sanding, as CA/BLO coat seams to be really thin and can be sanded through very easy, especially on curves.

 

[MartinPens]

Now that would be a nice pen to write with daily! Sharp. Nice finish. And nice job on the photos too. Thanks for showing it.

 

[RSidetrack]

I myself have stopped using the CA/BLO method and now I just use CA.

I used to have the issues you described. Ghosting/Clouding seemed to occur for me when the blank wasn't cleaned all the way, when I got something on a layer of CA that was already done, or when the air was too humid. Finger oils can be a culprit, but I think it is more of something within the wood if not fully cleaned.

What I have started to do is put a layer of Thin CA on the blank after I cleaned it with denatured alcohol. When I say layer, I soak the heck out of the blank. Then I walk away for half an hour, let it soak in and dry. After that, every layer doesn't cause a problem for me anymore.

Also - the reason why I got rid of the BLO in the application process was because it can cause ghosting itself. BLO is oil, super glue doesn't stick to oil. The BLO is acting as an accelerant, that is all it is used for. So if you put a layer on and there is left over BLO on the blank, it is possible that the glue isn't fully sticking to it. I had this problem a lot with BLO which is why I stopped using it. Too much BLO and the clouding occurs. Too little BLO and your paper towel ends up being the finish on the pen.

A note about glue getting old. I have found that it "cures" a lot quicker at its older age. And yes, it gels up too.

All above statements are of personal opinion. There is no proven fact, research or any other means to back up my theories/opinions (as far as I know or have even looked into). Everything said above is from personal experience.


Oh, and... AWESOME PEN!

 

[alxe24]

Thank you all for the nice words and finishing advise.
I did not use alcohol that could have been part of the issue. I went from tooling to 320 grit, then sanding sealer and 400 grit more sanding sealer and 600 grit sanding sealer again then 800 and 1000 grit and that is when I go to BLO and CA 3 coats and after the coats go from 800 grit to 12000MM.

 

[Traguh]

Great looking pen! I would skip the sanding sealer also, do all of your sanding and when your satisfied with the surface use the denatured alcohol, let the blank dry then apply CA. I also let the CA sit for an hour or two or until the next day before final sanding and polishing. At least that's how I do it. I also use nitrile gloves while handling the blanks after sanding and using the alcohol and sometimes when applying the CA. I use the method of using the small parts bags to apply my CA while the lathe is turning slowly. Many have had the same problem. I know how you feel though, even if no one else can see it you still know its there. I would still be proud of it. It's great looking pen.

 

[Tom T]

Great looking pen. You day planner is a very nice way to display it.

 

[Dale Allen]

Excellent pen Alex. The hardware and wood complement one another.
As for BLO/CA, as has been stated here, I quit the BLO. I remember one of the first pens I did with it where it came out great. Then I couldn't duplicate it. Been using just CA and accelerator ever since. From what I can remember, 3 coats of glue is not near enough. Any little bit of sanding will go right through that, especially the thinner layers using BLO. I use a minimum of 6 before the first sanding.
Also, I think I use less CA now that I don't use the BLO.

 

[NotURMailman]

That is stunning! I have no input on the CA because I still don't quite have it down myself.

 

[Jim Burr]

Sorry I missed this one Alex! Almost looks like Buckey burl. Taper on the cap end is just right. My only suggestion would be a matching finial. CA should be more like 10 coats then start sanding. Beautiful blank and pen!

 

[KenV]

Thank you all for the nice words and finishing advise.
I did not use alcohol that could have been part of the issue. I went from tooling to 320 grit, then sanding sealer and 400 grit more sanding sealer and 600 grit sanding sealer again then 800 and 1000 grit and that is when I go to BLO and CA 3 coats and after the coats go from 800 grit to 12000MM.

Sanding sealer is a term used to1) describe a product with stearates that is soft, and 2) the initial application of a finish as "I use thin CA as a sanding sealer". If you are using 1) that very well may be the source of bad spots - especially with several coats.