CA finish.

[Burtoncreations]

Hello All

I've been playing around with CA finish and I'm liking my results thus far, but...

I generally apply 10-15 coats lightly sanding in between coats. I finish with Micromesh 12000. Then I burnish with burnishing cream.all using paper towel. The results are ok but I'm hoping for a even deeper shine. Would using 20000, 60000, 100000, lapping paper deepen the shine or is there a limited to what CA will shine too? Do more coats effect the depth of shine?

Thanks Daz

 

[Dalecamino]

2 coats of THIN CA to seal the wood. Then 5 coats of MEDIUM CA. I assume you are wet sanding with water? 400 to knock down any ridges, 600 to remove any remaining shiny spots, then move to all grits of MM pads. (all wet sanding with water) at 12000 you should have the depth you are looking for. There are polishes such as Plastic polish you can use with a SOFT cloth. This may take some practice. But it works.

 

[leehljp]

Burnishing, finer SP, plastic polish, buffing - will all get a better finish. The difference comes in more with experience than anything else. The experience is needed, but you won't exactly know until you can visually tell.

Get a "very good" quality magnifying lens/loupe, and get a good quality bright 5000K light (or take it outside into sunshine) and look for scratches. Find a solution that wipes out those microscopic scratches that are not visible in normal house/shop lighting.

There are those that swear by buffing, but buffing requires its own techniques, or it will destroy the finish. Buffing WILL get you what you want but your technique and experience is what gets you there.

Plastic polish and waxes will too, but again your technique and experience is what gets you there.

20,000, / 100,000 SP will too, but it is your experience that makes it or breaks it.

So, fundamentally, how will you know unless you can regularly inspect it. A good loupe/magnifying glass and great "daylight" light.


I haven't counted "layers/coats in 12 or 13 years. For Mea, it is not a matter of how many coats, it is a matter of how MUCH CA is there. Some people will put a thick drop of CA on their paper towel (PT) and get a single thicker build up as the blank gets a good dose of CA directly; others wet the PT good but all of the CA comes from within the CA for a fraction of a second. This means that "Coats" thickness is an inexact science because of individual technique / application differences. However, measurement by calipers is an exact science.

I, and some others, apply CA directly with a non-absorbent applicator. Coat thickness varies, but we are not concerned about how much each time but how "much" measurable is on it. With specific applicators, we may not put but two or three coats, and as a result have a thicker build up than others do with 10 - 15 coats with PT.

That said, it is choice of individual technique. But when it gets down to the final finish, a loupe/magnifying glass and good light is what determines the outcome. My tag line is: Good is the enemy of Best.

 

[jttheclockman]

I will add my 2 cents and take it for what it is worth. But the problem I see with your method is the sanding between coats and the number of coats being used.

If you are using all thin CA then I can see the need for so many coats but the sanding is just taking off what you put on and adding scratches to the finish and you are now dulling that finish. Each and every time you did that you are basically starting over and the depth and shine will not build. Now if you are using med CA then you are truely using too many coats no matter how thick you are putting on because you can not put that thin of med CA on. But again the sanding thing applies and not necessary. You are adding work that is not helping your outcome.

2 to 3 coats of thin to seal the wood and then 5 to 6 coats of med and make sure you get thin CA on the ends of a wood blank or you will have cracking and fogging problems. Especially if you are wet sanding the MM which I hope you are. Not sure what you mean by burnishing because to me that is a heat activated treatment and heat is your enemy in the pen making industry in all phases of it. Now if you mean polishing then there are plastic polishes as well as automotive waxes that will do that. If using automotive waxes make sure they do not have sanding grit in them you want pure wax. Just some thoughts.