CA Finish In 35 Degrees!

[JBCustomPens]

Hey Guys,

I wanted some feedback on my CA finish. Keep in mind it is in the 30's where I live this time of year. I finished this one yesterday.

 

[leehljp]

CA finish in 35°. It can be done but it is a pain. CA works best as a finish above 60°. Above 70 is better.

It is hard for my eyes to tell the degree or depth of finish. Was that scanned on a scanner?

 

[hunter-27]

my experience is ca and 35 degrees do not play well together.

 

[el_d]

I did a CA finish yesterday outside on my porch (about 40deg. and very humid)for a friends order. It was a pain but it can come out nice.
I really cant see the shine on your picture, looks smooth........

 

[JBCustomPens]

It's hard to see on the pic. The shine is there though. I wish it was warm again.:biggrin: I think the depth doesn't show up well because it is a darker wood. It is Mexican Ipe. Thanks for the comments! More are welcome.

 

[NewLondon88]

I tried it this morning. Instead of the CA setting up in 5 or 10 seconds like
it did yesterday, today it took about 15 minutes. (they don't turn the heat on
on Sundays) It wasn't fun..

 

[wb7whi]

I keep the CA in the house until I am ready to use it. I have a large flexible light on top of my lathe and after the application I lower the light down so it keeps the blank warm.

It be cold up here!

 

[RussFairfield]

Wayne, you can cheat the temperature by using a warm finish on warm wood, even though the room is cold.

You have discovered a way to get better penetration and eliminate bubbles, if they are a problem. As the warm wood cools, the air inside the wood contracts and sucks the finish deeper into the wood for better penetration

 

[maxwell_smart007]

35 degrees - child's play! Try doing it when it's below zero in your shop - now that's skill!

 

[dustmaker]

I did one this weekend at about 40* F. Not really a big deal, it just took a little longer to cure between coats.
Russ, I appreciate that tip. I will give it a try.

 

[snowman56]

Has anyone considered warming the ca? I use hand warmer's taped around the bottle.

 

[HSTurning]

A small cup of warm water can help also.

 

[nate peel]

This may seem obvious but I have a small space heater that blows directly on my lathe setup and where I store my bottles of CA and BLO. I have had no problems with the latest cold spell here in TX.

 

[Pen_Turner]

This may seem obvious but I have a small space heater that blows directly on my lathe setup and where I store my bottles of CA and BLO. I have had no problems with the latest cold spell here in TX.

Yeah I bought a pretty good sized (not the little rinky one) space heater and have it elevated on something safe. It warms a 10 foot area pretty nicely so the wood or the CA don't suffer from the freezing temps

 

[jkeithrussell]

If you put accelerator on the wood and then put the CA on top of the accelerator, it cures instantly without regard to the temperature. The rosewood pen that I posted yesterday was finished with CA in an unfinished garage in about 45-degree damp weather in Houston.

 

[dustmaker]

If you put accelerator on the wood and then put the CA on top of the accelerator, it cures instantly without regard to the temperature. The rosewood pen that I posted yesterday was finished with CA in an unfinished garage in about 45-degree damp weather in Houston.

That is a good point and you beat me to the punch. I did a pen last weekend at 40*F and had no problems...used accelerant every other coat with thin CA. My wife asked me to make a BOW pen for her dads care giver and I thought, what the hay? I was out of accelerant and it took forever to cure. I guess I was spoiled and didn't know it. I need to get some more...I use the NCF spray can from Woodcraft. Or maybe I'll try the space heater, now where in this mess did I put it?...

 

[intillzah]

I'm glad that my shop is heated, but I'm not looking forward to seeing the gas usage on the next bill. Thank god for level pay from the gas company..