Sanding down a bad CA finish...

[JoeyPerot]

When I first started turning I grabbed the StickFast CA glue products and started working on my CA finish. After several attempts I got it down and was producing a pretty nice CA finish on my pens. I started to run into issues though with cracking and white spots...both seem to be common complaints with StickFast. I switched over to BSI glue and accelerator and have had zero issues since making the switch.

Well...I ran out of accelerator and thought I'd give the StickFast another go. Big mistake. Finished 4 pens and the next morning (after 24 hour curing) two of the four blanks had spider web cracks already. Could be old glue, bad accelerator...user error...who knows.

All that to say...

Sanding these down to the wood is never fun...

What's your best trick/tip to getting these sanded down as quickly as possible?

I always like to ask since so many guys have such good advice on things like this.

Joey

 

[Talltim]

No answer to the sanding but have a question about your glue experience. Do you use his regular series or his gold oderless?

 

[Paul in OKC]

If you trust your skew skills, you can 'fuzz' it off that way

 

[SteveG]

I have removed problem CA finish by turning it off using a standard carbide insert scraper. A key to success was that the final steps of the initial turning process was turned on centers, with those centers mounted directly to the tube (not employing bushings), so I knew that the work piece was concentric to the tubes. By taking light, careful cuts, nearly all of the CA finish was removed without taking away any of the wood. Just a little sanding and the barrel was ready for the next attempt at a CA finish.

 

[Rink]

Steve is right. Turn the finish off rather than sanding. Personally, I don't use accelerator very often because I've seen too many stories like this one. When using, use sparingly, I think. Lots of experts here though, so someone else may have better insight on using accelerator. Good luck.

 

[TonyL]

I use 240 or 320 sp to remove, the continue with higher numbered grits to get to a surface that I am comfortable with. I have also used a skew and carbide.

 

[DJBPenmaker]

I also mount between centres and turn the CA down if I have to. I do use accelerator but only one tiny puff and from a distance of about 12 inches at least. Never had any issues so far. No crazing.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[crokett]

When I've had to get bad CA off, I've turned it off with a carbide scraper. I also don't use accelerator after I got a bad finish. When I can I will stage glueups or some other work and put CA on a blank on the lathe, then go drill other blanks or glue tubes into blanks or somesuch while I wait for the finish to cure.

 

[JoeyPerot]

I have been using the Gold Series. I find it to be far superior to anything else I have tried. It's the first CA Glue I've used that almost seems "fool proof". I like that is does flex some and the depth I get with it is phenomenal.

 

[geoffholden]

I've seen an article somewhere (couldn't find it again) that talked about all the accelerators not being equal. Some of them contain acetone, which is a debonder for CA, but some others don't. The crux of the article was that for CA finishing, if you're going to use accelerator, it needs to be one without acetone in it.
I don't know if it's true or not, but I remember that BSI didn't have acetone, and it just happens that that's the only one available locally to me, so it's what I've been using.

 

[Robert Taylor]

while all the above methods work, I merely wash it off with acetone, sand with 400 grit and refinish. For what it is worth I only use Stickfast products.

 

[campzeke]

I had similar problems with Stickfast and switched to BSI. Primarily because I can buy it at a local hobby shop I drive past frequently. I use the standard product line without any accelerator. Works for me ....

 

[Talltim]

Sand paper mixed with tears of frustration. I am not sure if that is a form of wetsanding or not.

 

[Providentialpens]

The cracks in your CA is most likely because of the accelerator. Try not using the accelerator with the Stick Fast. You might be surprised...