Finish opinions......help me beat a dead horse

[woodscavenger]

I started with the typical friction polish which looks great for a few days. Then I tried wipe on poly but forgot to use a sanding sealer so got pathetic results. I switched to the CA-BLO finish and I have a love-relationship with it.

Some pen shapes it loves. With tight grains and not big grooves I don't have a problem. But on some of the above mentioned types I have a problem with build up of some white residue in the grain (might be from my micromesh) and at times the CA seems to get the dreaded orange peel so I have to resand and start over....this is when I seem to get more of the white residue. I also tend to have problems at the ends of the tubes with some buildup where the press fit parts connect. BUT I love the speed of the finish.

I have been looking around and wonder about spray Deft or going to an oil finish followed by tripoli, white diamong, then carnuba.

Does anyone want to rehash this idea?

 

[Gary]

Shane...if you will just do a search on the items you have as topics in your message, you will find just about every opinion there is. It will keep you occupied for awhile just reading.

 

[timdaleiden]

This is one of the things that made me crazy with CA, and other finishes. With some shapes, it works great. With some things, it is nearly impossible to get an even finish.

For tiny beads, coves, etc. I don't even bother with MM anymore. Sand to 600, buff with paper towel, spray with Deft, four or five coats, sanding in between. Some people prefer dipping.

It isn't as tough as CA, and from what I have read, it won't reach it's full hardness for about 20 days, but it can be handled and assembled within hours.

If the wood has open grain, I slurry with sanding sealer first.

 

[KKingery]

I gotta tell you - I just started using the spray Deft Laquer, and I love it. It's easy, pretty quick, and so far (knock on wood), no drips or runs.

 

[tomwojeck]

I've tinkered with CA and had mixed results with it. My shop isn't heated, and from what I just read here the temperature does have an effect on the quality of the CA finish.

I've taken to using a method that Dougle posted here a little while back, sanding to 12000 MM and then applying Behlen's woodturners finish with a coat of TSW over that. I've had nice results with it and so far the pens that I've done that way have held up pretty well.

I'm interested in trying the Deft spray to see how that works too.

 

[dougle40]

applying Behlen's woodturners finish with a coat of TSW over

That's all I ever use and the finishes on my pens seem to last forever . My every day pen is over 3 years old now and still looks good and I've never had to re-polish it with any wax at all .

 

[jwoodwright]

Tis is working for me as well...

Friction polish and TSW...[]

 

[write-n-style]

Are you wiping with Alcahol and letting it evaporate completely prior to applying the CA?
From my experience,those "flecks" of white are particles of CA that have found a "niche" to hide in.
The ca surronding it it clear because it is polished the "flecks" are not.
It sounds like the grain was not sealed prior to apllying the ca.
You might try a thin coat of CA prior to sanding with anything.
You will sand most of the CA off but the grain will be filled prior to the final application of CA.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Shane,
Why don't you come over to Oak Ridge one Saturday and let me show you something?
Mac

 

[woodscavenger]

this sonds like an invite to a back alley so you can steal all my cool pens. Where is oak ridge and what have you got in mind?

 

[Fred in NC]

Hehe! NC and close to each other!

I wonder how many of us in NC. Maybe we could get together in a central location one of these days.

 

[tonyhamm]

*Raising Hand*

I am in NC - Raleigh to be exact

Tony

 

[ilikewood]

Hard to go wrong with lacquer.

 

[Gary]

I'm one of those in the lacquer camp; it's all that I use. Although, I have bought some of the Enduro Poly to try.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />this sonds like an invite to a back alley so you can steal all my cool pens. Where is oak ridge and what have you got in mind?

I was under the impression that you lived in Kernersville. If you know where the airport is you just go a few miles North on Highway 68 and you are in Oak Ridge. I live across the Highway from the Old Mill of Guilford. Not hard to find at all.

No back alley's here. Put a Bic stick in your pocket if you wish. Just thought I could show you how I finish pens, if you had any interests in other methods.