Elk and white tail deer antlers

[pinscar]

I have been working with antlers to turn pens and have been unable to get the finish I want. I've been working with the various CA glues (slow to fast) to fill in the voids and am not getting it to work. I sand, coat in glue and then sand again and the voids are still there. I've repeated numerous times and still no luck. I even leave in the dust after sanding for fill and I still have voids.
Does anyone have any ideas that can help me achieve a smooth durable finish?
Thanks, pinscar

 

[Gary Max]

Sounds like you are looking for ---Perfect.
Antler has personality----the best way to over come that is by using a better grade of antler---ie----Axis or Sambar come to mind.
Hope this helps

 

[jskeen]

Try actually applying the glue with the sandpaper and wetsanding until the glue sets up. This allows the slurry of glue and dust to fill the pores and set up, then be sanded smooth. I use med ca and 180 grit paper , then sand to 320, clean, then apply the finish coats of ca, and mm and buff to finish.

 

[fiferb]

On heavily porous blanks, including antler, I take the blank off the lathe and set it on a piece of wax paper. Take medium or thick CA and put it directly on the porous area. Just do the top of the blank. If there is more than one area you can rotate the blank around and repeat after the CA dries. This will take several days to get a blank completely covered. After the glue has dried completely you can put it back on the lathe and carefully trim back to final shape, sand and finish. If this isn't clear feel free to send a Pm/email.

 

[PaulDoug]

I put it on while on the lathe. Real porous I use thick CA with the lathe turning slow and just keep adding. I've put on up to 20 coats. Some sand between each coat but I put it on and than sand.

 

[rherrell]

I use thin CA to seal up the marrow, sand with 600 grit and then MM. I use a paper towel to wipe off the excess thin CA. Paper acts like an accelerator so it goes pretty fast, a couple of minutes and you're ready to sand. I use med. CA for a finish IF there's no bark showing. If I have bark I just buff and wax.

 

[toolcrazy]

I think the marrow give the pen character. I never worry about filling it in too much. I make sure it is well sealed with CA and don't worry about bringing it up flush with the rest. Anyone that is familiar enough with antler will appreciate the character.

 

[nwcatman]

I think the marrow give the pen character. I never worry about filling it in too much. I make sure it is well sealed with CA and don't worry about bringing it up flush with the rest. Anyone that is familiar enough with antler will appreciate the character.

i agree. i've had people handle the pen and feel the marrow and say wow it really is deer antler. i do drip some thin CA on it and let is soak in awhile but thats mainly to preserve the marrow, not fill it in.

 

[the_benz]

Elk and White tail

I turn quite of few of these. If I have a section that has a large pourous section in it, I drill the blank off center. I try to run the drill bit right down along the edge of the solid material. This gives me at most about a third to a quarter of the pen needing serious filling. The remainder is solid antler. Once, I have the blanks turned down to just abou finished size I apply thin CA first to fill the voids, then put coats fo thick CA on and finish thru MM, then buffing.

good luck, Gregg

 

[avbill]

I only finished one antler pen. I gave it to the person who gave me the antler. The antler was so smooth -- I asked BB from Arizona Silhouette what to finish it with and he said nothing. Now more than half of you are saying CA .

Why? just to seal the material.

 

[thewishman]

My deer antler pens just get a wax finish. My only moose antler pen was very white and porous - it got a plexi finish to keep the white part clean.

 

[JohnU]

I use thin CA to seal the open marrow while sanding before micro mesh. I like to give it a couple light coats of spray lacquer after micro mesh to keep it clean and with a shine but not too much to coat the antler and take the natural look and feel away from it.