Finishes

[tomy2]

What do most of you guys and gals use to finish a pen. Right now I sand to 600 and then use that EEE stuff and then apply the brown and then the white polish from hut. Ant suggestions? They do get shinny but seem to lose it quick.......thanks!

Tom (the newbie)[?]

 

[Doghouse]

My current favorite takes time, but I like the finish.

Get the lathe to the slowest speed, 400 or less if possible.

Apply 8-10 very light coats of spray laquer wait 5-10 min between coats.

After the last coat let it harden over night. I take it off and stand it on a nail punch.

buff and polish any orangepeal and you have a hard beautiful finish.

I don't like the fumes from ca.

 

[tipusnr]

I use one of several of the friction finishes commercially available depending on my mood. Have gotten up the nerve to pour "super glue" (CA) on a spinning lathe yet. But will give it a try someday to add to the arsenal.

I am trying to stay away from having a personal favorite finish as that limits what my pens will look like. I like to keep my options open.

I'm going to try the spray laquer soon as well.

 

[tomy2]

I guess I can get the spray laquer at a home center? Lowes or Homedepot?

 

[jeff]

I get Deft spray lacquer at Home Depot.

 

[C_Ludwigsen]

I use the CA finish. There are excellent "howto's" here on this website. For me, the friction polish just wore off too quick. I haven't tried laquer.

Chuck

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

The friction polish does wear off quick but I can't use the CA glue. The fumes from gluing up nearly kill me and I have gone to using the poly glue for that. I nearly passed out using the ca one day, even though I had lots of ventilation. Won't try that again. Even gave me a raw throat for the rest of the day!

 

[paleydp]

Sand to 600, then MM, then CA/BLO, sometimes Crystal Coat, sometimes Ren Wax last - depends on the wood. Check archives here and at yahoo (great search provided on this site) - several detailed discussions with many methods. It all boils down to whatever works for you!

 

[Guest]

Pretty much all CA/BLO.
It is a slippery sloope with a tough learning curve but I'm still going downhill and turning.
Corian no finish necessary

 

[tipusnr]

I agree that finish is not needed on Corian but I use a plastic polish. It adds a little luster, covers minor stress fractures, and lets me see areas that need more sanding.

And as paleydp says the proof is if YOU LIKE IT!!

 

[YoYoSpin]

Mostly, I sand to 400-600 grit, apply one or two coats of sanding sealer (dries very fast) and then use the three-step Beall buffing system...works for me.

 

[Guest]

Boy! do I feel dumb!
I have been sanding all the way through MM.
You mean it isn't necessary?
I was wondering when the MM stopped sanding and started polishing!

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

I still sand all the way to 12,000 Ed. It just gives that silk feel that I like. Then I put on Mylands sanding sealer (only on wood, not corian or acrylic), hit it again with the 12000 and put some Mylands High Friction polish and wala. Instant shine!

 

[Scott]

Hi Tom,

On wood pens I mostly use the CA/BLO finish. By the way, we just had a new article posted to the site on doing a CA/BLO finish, written by our own Fred Munday! http://www.penturners.org/content/ca-blo.pdf

I am toying with the idea of trying a lacquer finish. Then for plastics I just sand, then Micro Mesh, then HUT Ultra Gloss, then Rennaisance Wax.

Good Luck!

Scott.

 

[wayneis]

I quit using the plastic polish and have been using Meguires Mirror Glaze. I believe that I get a better and deeper shine, its cheaper and I can get it at most auto supply stores.

Wayne Swindlehurst

 

[Efletche]

Being new to this area also, what is everyone's opinion of tung oil as a finish? Just curious.

 

[YoYoSpin]

Tung Oil takes forever to dry...

 

[txbob]

Walnut oil dries in less than a day. It's also safer, as it won't start a fire by auto-combustion of oily rags. Walnut oil and Tried & True are the only oils I use on wood.
Happy turning,
Bob S.
http://members.ispwest.com/txbob

 

[RussFairfield]

Tung Oil is much like other drying-oils in that it will give you a soft-gloss natural looking surface. It is not harmed by alcohols or skin acids, and wears reasonable well; but the degree of gloss and hardness go together, and dried Tung Oil is fairly soft. If a natural finish is what you are looking for, then Tung or any of the other oil finishes will give you that. If you are looking for a high gloss, use something else.

By itself, Tung Oil will take at least 24 hours to dry and the first coat may take several days to weeks depending on the age of the oil and how deeply it penetrated into the wood. Friction heat will speed up the drying, but you will still have to wait a couple days before assembling a pen to avoid damaging the surface finish.

 

[Efletche]

Thanks for the comments. I am thinking of taking this sassafras and making several pens; each with a different finish so I can see how they compare. Just like a midical professional...MORE TESTS!!!

 

[RussFairfield]

Sassafras is an open grained wood, and you might want to use a grain-filler to get a smoother surface. One way to do that is to wet-sand with the thick (slow cure) CA glue. Wrap the sandpaper over the wood and then start drizzling the CA glue into the nip between the wood and the paper. Quit adding glue when the entire surface is wet. The CA and sanding dust creates a slurry that fills the wood. Run the lathe slow and keep your fingers out of the way. Keep sanding until the CA is cured. Then sand down the excess CA to a smooth surface with as coarse a grit as required.

Put some wax on the bushings to keep them from getting stuck together.