CA - convince me!

[jttheclockman]

Go for it Mike. If you do make something show us what you did. Those drying motors are a must if doing thread wrapping for fishing poles.

 

[karday]

I have searched for issues with CA finish "Crazing" type cracks. Temperature, humidity, etc. I still gt cracking ans not right away, usually a day or so afterwards. I also build guitars and know how to finish, but they take several days to complets. Using CA glue as a finish in my view is done to finish the pen quickly. SO I have some thought and want to see if they jive with any who have solved this crazing/cracking issue:
1)Too many coats
2)using accelerator
3)not sanding ends after removing fro lathe
4) too much force when pressing in parts
5) method of applying
6)not waiting between coats (accelerated or not accelerated)
6) maybe some woods don't like CA (aka oily?)
I have tried applying only with CA on a paper towel, I have tried 2 coats using the drizzle method and smoothing with a cloth. I have not used accelerator. I have wet sanded between coats. In the early days the friction polish seemed dominant but it probably didn't hold up as well as the hard CA finish. I have used CA on guitar parts and it holds up great. (never on large areas)
I tried to add as much info here and detail in hopes of reaching someone that has solved this cracking issue.
Thanks in advance

 

[robertkulp]

Karday,

You don't mention the brand of CA you're using, but you've described the classic problems associated with Stick Fast. For my finishes, I don't have any issues with the points you've listed. My guess is you would see a huge difference by changing CA brands.
--Robert

 

[jttheclockman]

Yes you mentioned most problems that can be found with cracking and crazing of CA. But in the same breathe all can be overcome once you know what you did wrong. CA is not a fast finish as some have chosen to call it. It is a finish that has stood the test of time and being durable for an item that gets handled as much as a pen does. That is the objective and if you found something that works just as well then do share your findings. We as pen turners are always searching for that perfect finish.

 

[robertkulp]

Over the last year or two, I've heard several people question the overall durability of CA as a finish, so I though I would do a little test. While fairly simplistic, it still shows how well CA can hold up.

I turned the end of a piece of walnut and then finished it with thin & medium CA. This was just a quick finish and not the quality for pens, but enough for this test. The walnut was in my garage and was about 45 degrees. In order to simulate weather/temp extremes, after finishing I put it in the freezer for a few hours and then placed it in a coffee cup where I let the Keurig dump 192 degree water into it. After letting it soak for 15 minutes, I took it out for inspection. Even without sealing the end grain, it looked the same as when I took it off the lathe.

Not quite satisfied, I wanted to see how well it would stand up to an impact, so I hit it with a sledge hammer. Of course it dented, but the surrounding CA is still intact.

While not an "instant" finish, it is one of the faster to apply and makes a very durable finish.
--Robert

 

[JimB]

Jtthclockman,
Quite a few years ago, if memory serves me, someone was using a home made "grilling spit" motor for drying.....If I recall, he used a HF pry bar as an input into the motor, but I forget the rest....
I tried to search but could not find anything....I really don't do a lot of wood, but I would like to use it in some segmenting so WOP interests me....
Anybody recall this at all?

This may be the thread you were looking for.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f56/different-kind-etching-104204/?highlight=Rotisserie

 

[Maverick KB]

Over the last year or two, I've heard several people question the overall durability of CA as a finish, so I though I would do a little test. While fairly simplistic, it still shows how well CA can hold up.

I turned the end of a piece of walnut and then finished it with thin & medium CA. This was just a quick finish and not the quality for pens, but enough for this test. The walnut was in my garage and was about 45 degrees. In order to simulate weather/temp extremes, after finishing I put it in the freezer for a few hours and then placed it in a coffee cup where I let the Keurig dump 192 degree water into it. After letting it soak for 15 minutes, I took it out for inspection. Even without sealing the end grain, it looked the same as when I took it off the lathe.

Not quite satisfied, I wanted to see how well it would stand up to an impact, so I hit it with a sledge hammer. Of course it dented, but the surrounding CA is still intact.

While not an "instant" finish, it is one of the faster to apply and makes a very durable finish.
--Robert

Now THAT is a "convince me!" post!!!

You, Sir, have made heck of a point there and I'm quite happy that no coffee was harmed in the making of this post.