CA Finish

[JRowan]

How do you folks put on the CA finish? I have been doing like the article on the home page, using paper towel with BLO, then applying CA with the same towel.

Keep seeing posts here where it sounds like some are putting the CA on first. Is this correct?

 

[Gary Max]

On IAP's home page
Article titled---Ca-BLO finish
It should help you.
I have read it a couple of times.

 

[wpenm]

I have never used BLO on my pens because of the flammablity factor in the shop. When I use CA for a finish I put three coats of thin and two coats of medium. I use micro mesh to polish, then a coat of wax. I apply the CA with a piece of t-shirt material without the lathe turning. I apply with the grain direction.

 

[Guest]

There are different methods to apply ca.
The one one the home page is the one I started with.
I have found for me a better method is to Put an Sload on skew then sand and polish with MM.
I belive there is a great diiservice being done to new turners( like me) when they are advised to rough with a gouge then use the 80 "rasp"
Learning to sharpen or hone a skew and useing it will save many hours of sanding in the long run.
That being said.
Weh I finis with the skew I apply a coat of thing cA and start sanding.Somehow this seals teh wood and makes a ca finish easier for me.
I occaision will do a CA BLO finish but I prefer the put it on skew/polish method.

 

[NCTurner]

I am personally not a fan at all of the CA / Blo method. However, I also have an article on the home page, using just CA. Like Eagle, I do (sometimes) use a single coat of thin CA before sanding. I think you'll find that helps especially on lighter woods, to help prevent darkening the lighter woods (i.e. holly, curly maple, etc.) Anyway, feel free to ask any questions you have.

 

[Scott]

I am a big proponant of the CA/BLO method, but just like anything else, it's not the perfect finish 100% of the time. Even if we all did CA/BLO finishes, we'd probably all be doing it different! I taught my Wife to do a CA/BLO finish, and she even does it different now. What can I say? Maybe I'm wrong and everybody else is right! ;-)

Greg (NCTurner) mentions above that he has an article on his CA finish here at Penturners.org. I asked him to write that article almost a year ago because I consider him to be the CA Finish guru! Read his article, then read the other article we have here on CA/BLO. Try them both, then start trying variations, and use what works for you!

Good Luck!

Scott.

 

[Guest]

Because there seems to be a lot of new members posting lately I will add one thing about the thin coat prior to sanding.
A light coat on the bushings helps prevent staining the wood while sanding.
This works for me but your mileage may vary.

 

[RPM]

I have a couple of questions as I plan to make my first try at a CA finish this weekend.
- I have not seen any discussion of dangers of gluing everything together (mandrel, bushings, barrel). Is this because it is not a problem or there is a secret that I missed somewhere?
- There is discussion of using sanding sealer prior to applying a CA finish. Is a laquer or varnish based sanding sealer used or does it matter?

Thanks to all of you for the knowledge that you share so openly.
Richard

 

[ryannmphs]

There can be a problem with the bushings getting attached to your blank. I usually make a score line with a skew just prior to the final buffing.

I do not use a sanding sealer before the CA, I acutally use the CA as the sanding sealer.

Ryan

 

[Guest]

If you are going to make a pen with a modified center ring and not use the middle bushing,I use a tube to punch a hole in 2 pieces of wax paper aboout 1" square.
I put these on either side of the center ring blank.
I also "skew" the bushing prior to buffing or if I think I have yoo much of a build up.
If you have milled your parts adequately you shouldn't have any problems gluing them to the mandrel.
If you are worried about it,put a coat of wax on the mandrel.
I purposely put a thin coat opn the bushings.
It helps stop staining of light woods.
Acetone is about$10.00 a gallon at Lowes.