I always liked the idea of mixing colors and also mixing materials. Who says a pen has to match with the grain lines match and the patterns matching. This looks good. I am guessing you have mentioned how you finish your woods but would appreciate it if you could mention it again. Looks like you have a nice deep shine on this one. Thanks for showing and keep them coming.
John,
I finish the wood to 600 grit with regular bushings. From that point on, I place the turned blanks on a mandrel using John Goodin's (johnnycnc) delrineliminator/finishing bushings. I start by cleaning the wood with a rubbing alcohol pad and let dry. I start with one coat of thin CA to penetrate the wood. I follow with 6 to 8 coats of medium CA. Between coats 1, 3 and 5, I spray accelerator from the aerosol can from 12 inches away while the lathe is at high speed and the dust collection is on high moving the aerosol away from the lathe. I use accelerator again after the final coat of CA. After letting it dry for 5 to 10 minutes, I begin sanding again with a wet piece of 600 grit sandpaper and wipe the residue off the surface fairly often with a wet cloth. Each time I wipe, I look at the surface of the finish with light reflecting off the surface to make sure there are no irregularities or ripples from the CA application. I then finish with wet MM from 1200 to 12000 wiping the residue off with a wet towel after each grit. I finish off with HUT Plastic Polish and then lightly buff with a microfiber cloth. That's probably more information than you wanted to know
. This method works for me. I hope it helps. I still feel like a newbie and know that there are a lot more talented individuals on the site that certainly could teach me more about CA finishing. Regards, Doc