Gordon
Member
In what circumstances (other than speed) - is it best to let the CA dry naturally without the accelerator ??
Thanks
Thanks
CA - drying ?
- Thread starter Gordon
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Skye
Member
I'd guess dry air, around 70 degrees, slight wind from the south west....
It's going to take a long time with anything thicker than Medium, especially if you really lay down a thick coat.
It's going to take a long time with anything thicker than Medium, especially if you really lay down a thick coat.
rick_lindsey
Member
Sounds like southern arizona!
-Rick (who doesn't use accelerator, but has only done a few CA finishes and they were using only thin)
Rudy Vey
Member
Full moon helps as well....
Greg O'Sherwood
Member
Gordon,
I know I'm gonna get flayed on this one, but here goes...
I was told by several folks that using accelerator tends to 'fog' or make a CA finish look bad. Then, I had an old timer tell me that was pure bunk. Soooo, I tried it myself. After using accelerator on several woods, I have yet to see any difference at all. That does NOT mean that there isn't any wood or technique that'll fog, just that it hasn't happened to me. If someone here with much more experience than I has more detail as to how/when/why that occurs, I'd like to hear it. In the meantime, I am accelerating almost every CA finish I do.
Gregory of YMMV Forest
I know I'm gonna get flayed on this one, but here goes...
I was told by several folks that using accelerator tends to 'fog' or make a CA finish look bad. Then, I had an old timer tell me that was pure bunk. Soooo, I tried it myself. After using accelerator on several woods, I have yet to see any difference at all. That does NOT mean that there isn't any wood or technique that'll fog, just that it hasn't happened to me. If someone here with much more experience than I has more detail as to how/when/why that occurs, I'd like to hear it. In the meantime, I am accelerating almost every CA finish I do.
Gregory of YMMV Forest
Rudy Vey
Member
Like you, I had never accelerator fog my CA finish, I use the aerosol can accelerator (Stick Fast from Wood-n-Whimsies). I think if the CA fogs, they may have used something to clean the blanks with and this contained water (rubbing and denatured alcohol always contain some water).
Gordon
Member
Greg
Rudy
That's been my limited experience also - wanted to confirm before I finish a special pen I'm working on.
Thanks
Gordon
Rudy
That's been my limited experience also - wanted to confirm before I finish a special pen I'm working on.
Thanks
Gordon
NewLondon88
Local Chapter Leader
Well .. I can tell you for certain that it isn't "pure bunk" .. there are times
when the accelerator will fog a CA finish. And there are people who have
never had a problem with fogging at all.
What I've never seen mentioned is a definitive cause for the fogging. There's
lots of theories (foreign substance, humidity, temp, brand, aerosol vs pump)
but it would be nice to methodically record our procedures and then compare
results and notes. Perhaps we could finally nail it down and then avoid the
variable that is giving us trouble.
Calling a known problem "pure bunk" strikes me as odd. Why would so many
people experience the same thing that doesn't exist? We're talking about a
finishing technique, not alien abductions..
when the accelerator will fog a CA finish. And there are people who have
never had a problem with fogging at all.
What I've never seen mentioned is a definitive cause for the fogging. There's
lots of theories (foreign substance, humidity, temp, brand, aerosol vs pump)
but it would be nice to methodically record our procedures and then compare
results and notes. Perhaps we could finally nail it down and then avoid the
variable that is giving us trouble.
Calling a known problem "pure bunk" strikes me as odd. Why would so many
people experience the same thing that doesn't exist? We're talking about a
finishing technique, not alien abductions..
Monty
Group Buy Coordinator
The only time I get fogging is when I don't clean an oily blank, or used acetone or alcohol to clean one. Since I started using accelerator to clean the blank before applying CA, I have vertually eliminated fogging. YMMV.
Sylvanite
Member
I've never had fogging in a ca finish, nor in a CA buildup, and I use accelerator in a pump spray. Then again, like Monty, I clean my blanks with accelerator before applying the CA.
Just another data point.
Eric
Just another data point.
Eric
Dario
Member
I am with Monty. The fogging is probably due to moisture trapped inside.
One thing to note based on my own experience...using accelerator can (no always) cause the CA to cure so fast that you will eventually end up with CA finish that is crackled. You Won't see it right away but may show up in a few weeks. My advise, use it but sparingly and as little (or as late) as possible on your finish.
As always YMMV and take this for what it cost you. :wink:
One thing to note based on my own experience...using accelerator can (no always) cause the CA to cure so fast that you will eventually end up with CA finish that is crackled. You Won't see it right away but may show up in a few weeks. My advise, use it but sparingly and as little (or as late) as possible on your finish.
As always YMMV and take this for what it cost you. :wink:
Skye
Member
I used to get the fog, bigtime, when I was using aerosol accelerator. Since then I switched to a pump accelerator as well as medium glue from the same store, an RC hobby store.
You'll get fog from moisture as Dario said. If you blow on a blank, use MM that you've wetsanded with, sweat from your fingers.
I think some accelerators have moisture in them for one reason or another.
You'll get fog from moisture as Dario said. If you blow on a blank, use MM that you've wetsanded with, sweat from your fingers.
I think some accelerators have moisture in them for one reason or another.
Monty
Group Buy Coordinator
Let me relate a short story about one time I did get fogging. I had just finished a nice CA finish on a barrel.....completed wet sanding all the way through 12000MM (I always wipe the blank dry with a clean rag after 12000) and was polishing as I normally do with Maguire's antiswirl. For some reason I was applying too much pressure on the towel, and I could tell right away because it began to get hot from friction, and I watched a beautiful CA finish become foggy right before my eyes.
So....just make sure you don't try to polish a CA finish like a friction polish finish.
So....just make sure you don't try to polish a CA finish like a friction polish finish.
Roy_Quast
Member
To get back to the first posted question, In what circumstances (other than speed) - is it best to let the CA dry naturally without the accelerator ??...............I use a hair dryer. CA is cured by heat so why not blow hot air at it??? I use medium CA and put down a heavy coat then hold a hair dryer at about 2 feet away from the blank while it is turning slow. Sometimes it will take about 15-20 minutes before I can put another coat on. After 2-3 coats....MM all the way through 12K and it will look like glass.
leehljp
Member Liaison
This (pict below) is not fogging that occurs under the surface. But I occasionally (two or three times a year) get fogging under the surface when I get this kind of sufrace texture.
The below was put on thick and allowed to turn on the lathe on slow until it hardened. I needed a thick layer and got it.
No alcohol. No Wet sanding. Not raining. No Accelerator.
Came out well though:
I have had fogging in the CA and had to sand it out. I had some minor fogging once and let it sit / set for 24 hours and it went away.
I personally think it has to do with the combination of both humidity and temp. If there is a temp difference in the CA and blank, and if is around 70% humidity, It is my illogical conclusion that the CA reaction is involving the humidity and drawing it into the situation similar to what a cold drink glass does with humidity. This is also like the "dew point" the temperature point at which dew forms.
I am not a scientist and cannot explain it - but I do see occasional fogging on top and below (not often) but occasion.
- I can't find accelerator over here and until recently haven't ordered any from Monty. So it has not been that for my occasional problem.
- It was not wet sanding because I don't wet sand until the final sanding, and only on occasion then.
- It is not alcohol. I took Russ's advice nearly 2 years ago and don't use that.
But I can pinpoint two times when I might have fogging - moderate humidity in cool weather and HIGH (90%+) humidity in hot weather.
The below was put on thick and allowed to turn on the lathe on slow until it hardened. I needed a thick layer and got it.
No alcohol. No Wet sanding. Not raining. No Accelerator.
Came out well though:
I have had fogging in the CA and had to sand it out. I had some minor fogging once and let it sit / set for 24 hours and it went away.
I personally think it has to do with the combination of both humidity and temp. If there is a temp difference in the CA and blank, and if is around 70% humidity, It is my illogical conclusion that the CA reaction is involving the humidity and drawing it into the situation similar to what a cold drink glass does with humidity. This is also like the "dew point" the temperature point at which dew forms.
I am not a scientist and cannot explain it - but I do see occasional fogging on top and below (not often) but occasion.
- I can't find accelerator over here and until recently haven't ordered any from Monty. So it has not been that for my occasional problem.
- It was not wet sanding because I don't wet sand until the final sanding, and only on occasion then.
- It is not alcohol. I took Russ's advice nearly 2 years ago and don't use that.
But I can pinpoint two times when I might have fogging - moderate humidity in cool weather and HIGH (90%+) humidity in hot weather.
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leehljp
Member Liaison
Roy, I use a hair dryer in the winter. But the pict of the "white" duck call above - I get that more often with the hair dryer. However, since it is on the outside, it doesn't hurt except I have to sand it down a little more.
On pens, I try to do it naturally and use the hair dryer sparingly in spring summer and fall.
Roy_Quast
Member
Hank.....
I have had 2 pens fog up on me like the "white" duck call in your pic. That is why I said to hold the hair dryer about 2 feet away from the blank. You just want warm, dry air, gently flowing past the blank...not the hot air that comes right out of the end of the hair dryer. Your not trying to cook the blank, just speed up the drying time. When I figured out that I was too close on the 2 pens that fogged up and then backed off from being so close, I have not had a problem.