MY STARS ARE BLUE

[jcm71]

I just finished a Woodcraft American Flag pen for a Sierra. When I stopped the lathe I saw that several of the stars were either blue or partially blue (this was before I applied any finish). Before turning I did drizzle thin CA on the stars and the stripes so they wouldn't fly off when I turned on the lathe. I'm thinking that somehow the CA caused some of the blue dye to bleed into the stars. Anyone else have this problem?

About a month ago I turned a cigar American Flag kit (from lazerlinez) using the same technique with no problems.

 

[Constant Laubscher]

Hi, It looks like the stars were not fully pressed in and then they turn away and what is left is glue. That is why I have been using Spackle for the stars as a substitute on the kits with the tiny little stars. I can't see or have the time too put them all in.
The bigger kits like the cigar are fine with wooden stars and people seldom have trouble making them.

 

[jcm71]

Hi, It looks like the stars were not fully pressed in and then they turn away and what is left is glue. That is why I have been using Spackle for the stars as a substitute on the kits with the tiny little stars. I can't see or have the time too put them all in.
The bigger kits like the cigar are fine with wooden stars and people seldom have trouble making them.

Nope. They were pressed in, Constant. They weren't flush with the blue field-maybe a 64th of an inch exposed, just like the cigar of yours I did with no problems.

 

[InvisibleMan]

Maybe the CA drizzle leached color onto the stars. I CA the inside of the blank when I make them.

 

[plantman]

:wink::wink: Burlman: I have had this problem when I sanded the blanks whike the lathe was turning. The blue or red sawdust works into the white stars or stripes. I solve this in two different ways. Stop the lathe and hand sand your blank lengthwise with the stripes, or take a very fine metal file and go over the white stars or stripes to remove the overrun of color. Having a micro mini metal lathe, I can take off another 1-.002" and have a new clean smooth surface that can be touched up if need be by the metal file. I very seldom use turning chisels to do my pens, only metal or diamond files. If you think about it, using a file is like using a thousand little hand planes on the surface. Nothing beats a good old fashoned hand planed finish. Jim S

 

[jcm71]

:wink::wink: Burlman: I have had this problem when I sanded the blanks whike the lathe was turning. The blue or red sawdust works into the white stars or stripes. I solve this in two different ways. Stop the lathe and hand sand your blank lengthwise with the stripes, or take a very fine metal file and go over the white stars or stripes to remove the overrun of color. Having a micro mini metal lathe, I can take off another 1-.002" and have a new clean smooth surface that can be touched up if need be by the metal file. I very seldom use turning chisels to do my pens, only metal or diamond files. If you think about it, using a file is like using a thousand little hand planes on the surface. Nothing beats a good old fashoned hand planed finish. Jim S

Interesting. Thanks, Plantman. I'll have to look into those.