My Version Of BLO/CA Pen Finish (utube)

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W.Y.

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I have been asked many times how I apply my BLO/CA finish on my pens. It is sometimes difficult to understand printed information about it so I tried making my first ever utube video for a little show and tell that will hopefully be easier to understand . .
It is a 5.42 minute video which can be viewed at this address.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orcgOf4siqc
 
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george

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Thanks for sharing with the rest, I have just look it over and will try today your way. I have nice Sierra blank which I wanted to work only with CA, but will now try your way.
 

timberview4

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Nice video William. Thanks for sharing. I've recently started experimenting with the CA/BLO finish. Started with Russ Fairfield's technique in the library and have tried a few variations. Will have to give this a shot on the next one.
 

Rangertrek

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Nice Video

Thanks for doing the video. I have tried many of the CA methods found here on the forum. I will also give yours a try. I do use the paste wax on the blank (and the bushings), never had one to stick.
Thanks again.
 

george

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I have just tried this mthod and it gave very nice finish. So far I have worked only with CA, so I am not sure about durability of CA+BLO ? Is that of the same quality as CA finish ? Thanks in advance for answer.
 

W.Y.

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I have just tried this mthod and it gave very nice finish. So far I have worked only with CA, so I am not sure about durability of CA+BLO ? Is that of the same quality as CA finish ? Thanks in advance for answer.
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George

It is practically the same as a straight CA finish as far as durability goes. Probably even better because instead of putting straight CA on with ridges and then sanding a lot of it off to bring it back to smooth again , the tiny drop of BLO allows the CA to be applied smooth without ridges so sanding after applying is not at all required. I have also heard it said that BLO helps to cure the CA so multiple coats can be applied right after one another.
I think I get a better build of CA this way than by having to sand a bunch of it off to bring it back to smooth with the straight CA method.

I have total respect for ones that prefer the straight CA method but for me it was way too time consuming and was using more CA than I felt necessary when having to sand it back.

I would like to see a video of someone applying straight CA .

I have tried to explain the BLO/CA finish on my own site dozens of times but found it hard to put it into words properly . The video has cleard all that up.

This was my first ever video on anything and it was fun doing it. Whenever I do another one on anything I will try to have everything in place before starting and be better prepared to make the video and sound flow a little more smoothly than this one.
 

livertrans

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It is practically the same as a straight CA finish as far as durability goes. Probably even better because instead of putting straight it back to smooth with the straight CA method.

I have total respect for ones that prefer the straight CA method but for me it was way too time consuming and was using more CA than I felt necessary when having to sand it back.






I would like to see a video of someone applying straight CA .

I would also like to see a video of straight CA. I have tried more than a few times only to end up with a gunky mess. CA BLO works for me very well. I mostly use Russ Fairchilds method with a few changes. I also have the best luck with thin CA vs med CA.
 

W.Y.

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I would like to see a video of someone applying straight CA .

I would also like to see a video of straight CA. I have tried more than a few times only to end up with a gunky mess. CA BLO works for me very well. I mostly use Russ Fairchilds method with a few changes. I also have the best luck with thin CA vs med CA.
__________________

I have experimented with my particular method for a couple years until I got it to where I have it now. What works best for one doesn't necessarily work for others.

You mentioned you prefer thin CA better. It is possible there is a difference in the formulation of CA in certain brands because if I use thin CA it saoks into the paper towel like a sponge and heats and even smokes. It also burns my fingers on the opposite side of the applicator that it soaked through . Neither the medium or the thick does that for me.
I also like the extra build of each layer that the medium provides .

I think the reason we don't see videos on the CA only method is because it takes so long and utube has a 10 minute limit on their videos.
The one that I made in approx 5 3/4 minutes was in real time non stop as it happened .

I suppose the longer version of straight CA could be done by stopping and starting the camera between operations and sanding time and curing time etc. I hope somebody tries that because any time I tried CA only it was too time consuming and too wastefull of CA and sandpaper. . It is possible I was doing it wrong and therefore never mastered it . A video would be wonderful to see where I went wrong after so many tries.
I could actually do it but gave up for the above reasons.
 

Tn-Steve

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Very good, and if "1 picture is worth a 1000 words" then a moving picture is worth 1000^1000 words. Very nicely done, and you're right, it's not the easiest thing to make a video. I've helped produce a few training videos in my day, and when it's you by yourself, 1 fixed camera, and 1 take to get it right it's tough. You did a good job of it.

Steve
 

W.Y.

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Hey Steve.
I really like your signature line .
I hope you don't mind that I "borrowed" it to put below my avatar picture in my own site.
 

jkeithrussell

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Very good, and if "1 picture is worth a 1000 words" then a moving picture is worth 1000^1000 words. Very nicely done, and you're right, it's not the easiest thing to make a video. I've helped produce a few training videos in my day, and when it's you by yourself, 1 fixed camera, and 1 take to get it right it's tough. You did a good job of it.

Steve

Not to mention that he was handling CA glue at the same time. If I had tried that, the camera would be glued to my hand immediately. I rarely take the lid of a bottle of CA that I don't end up with it all over my hands.

Good video and interesting technique. You use fewer steps and waste less material than me. When I'm done, my floor is covered in paper towels. I probably use about 1/4 of a roll per pen.
 

W.Y.

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Good video and interesting technique. You use fewer steps and waste less material than me. When I'm done, my floor is covered in paper towels. I probably use about 1/4 of a roll per pen.
user_online.gif
report.gif

That's hillarious :biggrin:

What you see me using there was half a sheet of Bounty blue paper shop towel rolled up and flattened a little to form the applicator . CA was done from one end and the plastic polish from the other. . Then cut those pieces off and start over again with what's left in the middle. Should be enough for about three pens from the same half sheet but sometimes when doing more pens I will roll up a whole sheet to be able to work to the center more times on the longer length.

Bountyshoptowels.jpg
 
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jttheclockman

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Well I am one of those guys who only uses CA and I learned in about 3 tries. It is not hard and I think alot has to do with people trying to be too fussy and not get it on the bushings and not getting ridges and all and this is factors to be concerned with yes. But it really is not hard. There is a utube video of a guy with a heavy accent and I thionk he was from Australia or something and he is hard to understand but if you watch him he applys 20 coats of thin CA on in less than 3 min. He applies and then hits with accelorator and rips the towel and applies the next coat and continues this and he is done in no time. I looked for the link and I thought i had it bookmarked but can't find it. I think it was even shown here if my memory serves me well.

I do not do videos but the way I apply my thin Ca and I use about 4 or 5 coats, is I do not use the bushings. I use a dead center I made from tool rod and use my Bealle chuck and a live center on the other side. I do not even use gloves but you can if you feel the need. I use the blue shop towels. I cut them in about 1/2" strips. I fold the end over 3 times. I get about 3 applications out of a strip. I apply about 2 or 3 drops of CA on the edge of the towel that is folded. I place the towel under the blank and as I apply pressure with the towel I will drop about 2 or 3 drops of CA on top of the blank. I then wipe back and forth at first slowly then rapidly which now the CA starts to heat and remove the towel before it starts to stick. Keep the lathe running and it dries faster this way. All of about 1 to 2 minutes. No runs or ridges at all. Continue on to the next coat and it all depends on the depth or mood I am in.But always at least 3 coats. I think it gets obsessive when go beyond 5 coats. Micromesh and polish and the shine to me is as good as I can get using CA. I have tried med CA but keep coming back to the thin stuff. Dries quicker.

I do not know if this helps any at all but it is the way I do it and will continue if I am going to use CA. Do not see a need to change if it works and it works for me. Good luck.
 

Hillbilly

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William,
Good video I would liked to have seen the finish with the lathe off. I do the same method except I use alot more ca 6-8 drops and about the same amount of blo or more. I havent been stingy with it thats for sure. I turn the lathe off and inspect the smoothness before I go on to the next coat.

But I WILL try this it would definately reduce my cost of supplies especially if I can get the same results.
 

tool-man

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I would like to add my complements regarding the quality of your finishing technique and video. My technique is similar to yours, but I see some small differences which I am anxious to incorporate into my method. My goal is to achieve a CA finish that needs no or very little sanding. Just a final polish as shown on your video.

What is the temperature of your shop area? I am convinced, as has been stated by others, that CA behaves differently at lower temperatures. And different brands of CA may well work differently at lower temperatures.
 

Tn-Steve

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Hey Steve.
I really like your signature line .
I hope you don't mind that I "borrowed" it to put below my avatar picture in my own site.
Help yourself. It's more than likely that I "borrowed" it from somebody on some other forum, and only think it was my idea. (Funny how the mind plays tricks on you)

You've put some good info out in this thread, I'll have to study it more when I get a chance.

Steve
 

W.Y.

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Tool man.
I keep my shop around 45 degrees when I am not in it and put it up to about 60 to 65 this time of year when I am in there..



Hillbilly;
You wanted to see the blank with the lathe stopped.
I have not been in my shop all day so have not turned it into a pen yet with the hardware but when you mentioned that you wanted to see it with the lathe stopped I went out and took a picture of the blank.
To be perfectly honest , I took the picture exactly as I took it off the lathe after the three coats as shown in the video. I took it off the lathe to where I had better lighting for a photo. I would normally have gone to 4 to 6 coats but didn't want to keep repeating it in the video
I applied no wax for the photo and to be totally honest the picture is untouched and directly off my camera without putting it through any photo editing software whatsoever. .

3coatCaWalnut.jpg
 

BruceA

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Your live center

William,
Thanks for your efforts on the CA/BLO method!

Is the live center (in the tailstock) in your video your normal unit, or do you have a 60 degree unit you use for turning? The unit in the video is for wood, and doesn't have a point that is 60 degrees to mate 100% with the end of your adjustable mandrel.

Bruce in TN.
 

W.Y.

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Yes Bruce , I am well aware of that and I do have a cheap 60 degree live center that got real noisy soon after I got it. I still use it for pens but didn't want to put that noise on a video.
The standard one I used is noisy enough because it has a tremendous amount of hours on it.
I will be replacing both of them in the not too distant future but as long as they are both still workibng I might as well get a little more use out of them.
 

PenAffair

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Oops, hit post too soon.

My problem with DJ's method is, I don't want to use accelerator, and waiting between coats for it to dry naturally takes too long. This method looks good. I'll give it a try.

Russell.
 

Hillbilly

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Good job! I admit....I was..... courious to see that finish because it looked like you used so little of each ca and blo. Thanks, for the video. I guess more is not always better.
 

PenAffair

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Well, all I can say is

I LOVE YOU WILLIAM O YOUNG!!!!

Was that a bit much??

Anyway, after months of struggling to get an easy CA finishing without using accelerator, I give this a try after watching it yesterday. I did a very rushed job, and had a couple of issues, but all I can say is, if it's this easy and just as durable, then plain CA goes out the window for me. Was as easy as a friction finish - and seems to have given a great result. No more sanding off more than I put on, no bits of towel stuck to the blank, much less consumable wastage, and no waiting for drying time!

My only issue, as indicated in the attached image of the first one I tried on some white peach, was I developed a flat (i.e. non-glossy) spot half way through in the middle of the blank. It was slightly sticky too, although that went away in subsequent coats, but the spot is still there. Would this be because I didn't get one coating set properly before putting another on?

Maybe using accelerator with normal CA is just as good, but I don't like the stuff, and it's not cheap, compared to BLO. Are there any drawbacks anyone knows of using this method? It sure seems a winner to me.

Russell.
 

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bitshird

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William, Thank you for a great video tutorial, I gave up trying to do a BLO/CA finish, just wound up using plain CA.
I tried your method this afternoon and what a difference Used less CA, got more definition of the grain it was just a handle for one of my tools out of some Hickory but what a difference Now I think I'm going to try it on a pen tonight.
 

Kaspar

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Ahead of the curve. Waaay ahead.
Thanks very much for showing us that.

I've had trouble making the CA/BLO work, and have since gone to a CA method using the accelerator and Berea's triple distilled thin CA. I like my method, but it takes about 20 mins. And it does involve sanding with the Micro Mesh pads. I too have learned that fast hand passes keeps the CA coat smooth, so I don't have to do much to bring it flat. About 30 seconds with the 1500 MM pad will do it. Then I run the grits and use Novus II, Ultragloss and Ren Wax.

But your method is the quickest I've ever seen, and if the shine is as deep as it looks, it blows mine away. The high lathe speed (1800 rpm) would seem to be part of the secret. Heating the CA/BLO might be part as well. I would also guess that since you are using the medium CA you are getting thicker coats with each pass. I would love to see good pictures from two or three angles to see just how glass-like and "deep" the finish is.

In any event, I will have to try your CA / BLO method.
 

W.Y.

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I would also guess that since you are using the medium CA you are getting thicker coats with each pass
Yes, that can be compared to using thin wipe on poly or full strength undiluted poly . Less coats with the thicker product to achieve same depth of finish.

I would love to see good pictures from two or three angles to see just how glass-like and "deep" the finish is.

I am heading to the airport 120 km away first thing in the morning to pick up one of my sons who will be visiting with us for a week . Therefore my picture posting and computer time might be somewhat limited.
In the meantime you might want to try the finish yourself and you will know first hand if you like it or not and would probably be better than seeing more pictures with my limited photography efforts . .
It certainly isn't the only way to apply a CA finish by a long way and won't be the last. It just happenes to be the one that works best for me and I just shared it in case some others would also like it in preference to what they are now using or even as a change from what they are used to.
 
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PaulDoug

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WOW! glad some Statprof referred to this thread in another thread, because I had missed it. I have great success with just CA, but I will try this for sure. Not only will it cut down on the amount of CA used but I always wet sanded my CA with MM. If I can work this method out, good-bye lots of messy sanding!

Thanks for the great video, William.
 

Rudy Vey

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William
have you tried other towels than the blue shop towels?? I am just curious.
I never used the blue towels, and for my application (Ca - The New Way), I just use the paper towels I get at Sams, Costco or BJ's.
 

PenAffair

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William
have you tried other towels than the blue shop towels?? I am just curious.
I never used the blue towels, and for my application (Ca - The New Way), I just use the paper towels I get at Sams, Costco or BJ's.

Well I just used the cheapest paper towels our supermarkets over here have. I've never seen those blue shop towels in Australia.

Russell.
 

jttheclockman

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I use the blue shop towels you get in Walmarts and just use thin CA.

Just a side note for those using this method. If you are using white woods such as holly and aspen and want to keep them white then stay away from the blo. It will yellow it.

Has anyone ever compared a blo/ca finish next to a all ca finish, following the same steps when all coats have been applied.???? I may have to do that some day and see if the shine is dulled any with the blo added.
 

W.Y.

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Has anyone ever compared a blo/ca finish next to a all ca finish, following the same steps when all coats have been applied.???? I may have to do that some day and see if the shine is dulled any with the blo added.
__________________
John T.

A few turners on my Woodworking Friends site have and said the shine and appearance was identical but they liked the ease of the BLO/CA process much better.
One even posted a couple pens with identical wood in the same message showing the finish of each process as a comparison. If he had not stated which was which , it would be impossible to tell.


William
have you tried other towels than the blue shop towels?? I am just curious.
I never used the blue towels, and for my application (Ca - The New Way), I just use the paper towels I get at Sams, Costco or BJ's.

I have been using the blue shop towels ever since they were introduced so I have not tried the white ones for this application. Give it a try with the white ones. I have a feeling they will work just as good.
 
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Kaspar

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Ahead of the curve. Waaay ahead.
... In the meantime you might want to try the finish yourself and you will know first hand if you like it or not and would probably be better than seeing more pictures with my limited photography efforts ...

Tried it. It is very effective, very fast and it's as deep a shine as I can get my way. However, a close inspection does show just a bit of "orange peel" pocking that a little sanding with 2400 MM on up cleans up nicely and quickly. I used both Novus II and Ultragloss at the plastic polish stage. I may try my own method with the higher speed.

The slower speed may be what leaves me with a little sanding to do.

Thanks again for showing us this!
 
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