CA Alternative?

[mdwilliams999]

I have finished about 100 pens with CA using a few different techniques I have read here. CA Medium with spray accelerator; CA thin, then CA medium with accelerator; CA and BLO. All seen to have there challenges and I'm getting tired of the inconsistent results. When I use the BLO, I find that I have to rub to long and wipe as much off as I put on. Without the BLO, I find that the CA gets sticky immediately. To add to the aggravation I still have to get the bushings off with out chipping the CA finish. Lastly, I have to usually sand quite a bit to get the CA finish smoothed out and then polished. In the end I'm just left frustrated.

Either I am still doing something really wrong, or it's the nature of the beast.

Is there any other finishes out there that are really durable and give that nice shine?

Mike

 

[IPD_Mr]

There are some that do a spray lacquer finish. It takes a couple of days to do as it needs to dry completely.

Coat your bushings with a paste wax such as Johnsons paste floor wax or clear Bri-wax. You should be able to get a pretty smooth finish with CA if you are putting it on with a little bit of preasure. Yes you will need to sand to get a good finish but you should mot need to go nuts with it.

 

[jbswearingen]

Instead of applying the CA with the bushings, get a dead and live center. Put the dead center in the drive, and the live in the tail. Place your finish-turned pen body between. Apply the CA and polish it this way. No more "stuck" bushings AND the ends get sealed.

Is this the method you use?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8wdHFrVadY

I do it almost identically to his method, except I only use thin CA. Works perfectly (so far).

 

[Whaler]

Get a set of Eliminator bushings from John at Penturners Products they are the answer to the sticking problem.