How would you answer?

[ed4copies]

I get several questions in email each day. Today, I got one that asks about how to finish ebony.

Here is the question: The customer says he has scratches he can see, then he mentions a 4x magnifier. His question is what should he have done.

He sanded with the grain from 240 to 320, 400, 600 and 800. Then applied 8 coats of CA without sanding in between and sanded with 400 grit. "Used micromesh with water" and ended with hut polish and renwax.

What would YOU tell him he did "wrong"?

Thanks for your input!! It's been a long time (over a decade) since I made an ebony pen!!

 

[terry q]

SIASOFT PAPER AND FILM BACKED ABRASIVE « www.VincesWoodNWonders.com

Sand up to 1500.

 

[brownsfn2]

If he wants to get really fine scratches then I have found a buffer to work best. I sand then micromesh and then buff.

 

[TonyL]

I do not know what anyone did wrong. Maybe inspecting the blank after each grit and observing the scratches becoming finer would at least prove that the sanding was doing its job. I don't know...he may does the above.

 

[jttheclockman]

Hello Ed

You probably know my answer already and people are probably tired of reading what I have to say. But once again I would point my efforts to learning the use of the skew. You can so easily go from turning to finishing and avoiding the use of any sandpaper before finishing.

With that said and the use of sandpaper being used it is important to get rid of scratch patterns before applying CA or else they will be transparent through the finish and you will never get them out. I am sure I do not have to tell you this but sometimes we forget. May have to use that loop on the blank before finishing. Then same rules apply after the finish. My bet was that the scratches were in the blank before finishing. Needs to be more careful. Starting with that coarse of paper adds deep scratches that need to be worked out progressively. No need to rely on sandpaper to shape a blank so why the use of such coarse sandpaper is beyond my comprehensive skills. That is all I have. Have good day.

 

[Edgar]

I use carbide tools, but my final few passes are with the R2 blade canted slightly and moved very slowly along the blank. It may not be "skew smooth" but I am generally able to start sanding at 400. For most woods, I just sand with 400 & 600. For some woods, I go up to 2400. Gabon Ebony is one that can scratch easily, so the higher starting grit, the better. Whatever tool he's using, he should improve his technique to be able to start with a higher grit for that wood, then sand a little past 600 to get rid of all visible scratches before finishing.

Just my thoughts for what they're worth.

 

[nativewooder]

Jewelers use Micromesh all the way through 12000 grit that leaves scratches that are not visible to the human eye. People seem to think that the more times they sand with more types of products and more layers of products that they will have a better finish. They are known as "dreamers". No offense intended.

 

[duncsuss]

Here is the question: The customer says he has scratches he can see, then he mentions a 4x magnifier. His question is what should he have done.

Not enough information.

(1) Are the scratches he can see (a) radial, (b) longitudinal, or (c) both?

(2) Are they surface scratches or under the CA?

 

[maxwell_smart007]

If you have to look at it with a 4x loupe, then they're not visible scratches...

I'd respond by telling him to not worry so much!

 

[Arbetlam]

The mistake is using the magnifier.

 

[CREID]

He used a 4X magnifier. You should never use anything more than a 1X magnifier.

 

[ed4copies]

Thank you all for the input!!

I will say that this question was far more precise than most of the questions I get and, unless I want to be answering email all day (instead of packing your orders and getting them out!!), I have to interpolate whatever information is missing.

I too wondered if he is seeing scratches on the ebony, or on the CA. Since he specified that he is sanding "with the grain", I would have to speculate the scratches are also "with the grain".

Of course, the added "wet sanded" (which implies to me micromesh), on the CA??? Should be nice shiny CA!!

As I said, I have not done ebony in a very long time--thanks for the reminders!!

Still open to suggestions, but I will reply to him based on what has been said so far.

 

[thewishman]

Did he buy the ebony from you? Maybe he should ask his supplier?:tongue::clown::highfive:

 

[duncsuss]

This is speculation, since it's not certain if the scratches he sees are in the ebony or the CA.

That said: one thing I learned is that the harder the wood, the easier it is to screw up the sanding by (for example) failing to completely clean the workpiece between grits, or using old sandpaper that is contaminated with coarser particles, or using the same rag/towel to wipe down the workpiece between successive grits.