bubbamorse
Member
After much trial and even more error, I've decided that CA Finishes are a Unicorn. You know, that mythical creature that only a rare few have ever seen and an even rarer few have achieved!
How do you go about your finish process?After much trial and even more error, I've decided that CA Finishes are a Unicorn. You know, that mythical creature that only a rare few have ever seen and an even rarer few have achieved!
How do you go about your finish process?After much trial and even more error, I've decided that CA Finishes are a Unicorn. You know, that mythical creature that only a rare few have ever seen and an even rarer few have achieved!
I still can't figure out jsut where the idea that a CA finish is applied with no rough surface and no need to sand it smooth. I do know that for years people have been frustrated with trying to achieve a CA finish. This is after years of everyone doing them with little to no problem. SOmewhere along the line the whole CA BLO thing got started and I think people started getting told you can apply CA as a smooth shining finish. I was never told that when I started. It is a mess, a big mess and you then sand and polish it.
Apply the CA then sand it down. sand it down with Micro Mesh and it should shine like a sheet of glass. It just seems to me somebody tried to reinvent the wheel and broke it badly.
I use the spray activator not the pump & very little spray of it. My first coat is thin CA then switch to Med. Small amount on folded paper towel (till it's about 1" wide) swipe back & forth a couple times & that's it. You can see that it is covered. Then switch to med Ca. & apply 7 coats of med.
Then start wet sanding starting with 600 then move to wet sanding mm till 12000. I start sanding with the lathe running (1240 on my jet) then turn off & sand lenghtwise turning the lathe by hand for each grit. After I see no more circular marks I wipe off & go to next higher grit.
I do not sand between ca coats. After I start with mm it takes about 10 min or less to go thru the pads to 12000. Very quick. Turn up speed (2630) & hit it quickly with a two wheel buffing system & assemble.
Acrylic Pen Buffing System at Penn State Industries
I still can't figure out jsut where the idea that a CA finish is applied with no rough surface and no need to sand it smooth. I do know that for years people have been frustrated with trying to achieve a CA finish. This is after years of everyone doing them with little to no problem. SOmewhere along the line the whole CA BLO thing got started and I think people started getting told you can apply CA as a smooth shining finish. I was never told that when I started. It is a mess, a big mess and you then sand and polish it.
Apply the CA then sand it down. sand it down with Micro Mesh and it should shine like a sheet of glass. It just seems to me somebody tried to reinvent the wheel and broke it badly.
OK, I'm being a little impatient and required this attitude adjustment. Thanks! I seriously thought I was losing it for a while.....mucho gracias mis amigo!
I am not saying that I am super CA applier man but it takes me 5 minutes from start to polished.
After much trial and even more error, I've decided that CA Finishes are a Unicorn. You know, that mythical creature that only a rare few have ever seen and an even rarer few have achieved!
Really? Applied, sanded, and polished? Only five minutes, tops?I am not saying that I am super CA applier man but it takes me 5 minutes from start to polished.
Sorry, but I'd have to see it to believe it. Video that process with a timer in the background, and I'll believe it.
Now, I'm no expert, and I've had my share of problems with CA finish, so I'm not saying you can't, but I know how long it takes me, (about an hour now) and five minutes sounds like an exaggeration... just sayin... I might believe 10 minutes...
Otherwise it just seems like you're rubbing it in... :frown:
Hell, if I could do it in five minutes, I'd turn 20 pens a day....
Really? Applied, sanded, and polished? Only five minutes, tops?I am not saying that I am super CA applier man but it takes me 5 minutes from start to polished.
Sorry, but I'd have to see it to believe it. Video that process with a timer in the background, and I'll believe it.
Now, I'm no expert, and I've had my share of problems with CA finish, so I'm not saying you can't, but I know how long it takes me, (about an hour now) and five minutes sounds like an exaggeration... just sayin... I might believe 10 minutes...
Otherwise it just seems like you're rubbing it in... :frown:
Hell, if I could do it in five minutes, I'd turn 20 pens a day....
haha ... its true. I don't know how I would do the timer but I guess I can set up my tripod and use the video on my camera or use my I phone some how. Next pen I do I will try and capture it on film. :biggrin:
By the way. On the 5 minutes start to finish, I am talking single barrel not a capped pen.
After much trial and even more error, I've decided that CA Finishes are a Unicorn. You know, that mythical creature that only a rare few have ever seen and an even rarer few have achieved!
Hell man, it takes me 10 minutes to get ready.
I have sped up the process with 5 coats and 3000 RPM application though. Questions?
So next time you see a CA finish that you like, instead of asking how many coats of CA were applied on, ask where this person is located and what temps he/she experience when doing a CA finish...!
Good luck...!
Cheers
George
I believe you're dead right on the thickness of the CA...
When I first tried this finish, I thought I was done after a couple of coats, and since I didn't have any 600 grit, used 325... and whoop! sanded right through. Gave up and used lacquer instead.... Now I think you need a minimum of 5 coats of medium.
In addition, if you put a thick coat of CA on, then blast it with accelerator, then you'll get spots of white "bloom".... It's best to just let it cure by itself, but sometimes it's just takin' too long, y'know? So you spray it. And then you wind up taking it all back off anyway to get rid of the white spots... Just can't win.
Hell man, it takes me 10 minutes to get ready.I have sped up the process with 5 coats and 3000 RPM application though. Questions?
Yeah... howd'ya get the CA off yer face after that RPM? :biggrin:
And yeah, I figure it takes me that long (5 min) just to get a couple coats to cure...
I'll keep working at it. One of these days I'll have figured out all the mistakes and their solutions...
(The latest was gluing a plastic baggie to the blank... sigh.)
I learned what I do from youtube. I haven't tried applying the CA while the lathe is running -- but I admit I do get some spots that need to be filled on occasion, especially with large-pored woods (oak, laminated pieces, etc).
Here's the guy that taught me, and yes, it takes less than five minutes:
Pen Turning: Super Glue Finish - YouTube