Need CA Help

[G1Pens]

I am only on my fifth pen, but I am having real problems finishing with CA. I have watched numerous videos and understand that everyone does it a little different.

My problem is that the CA takes FOREVER to dry. Whether is the first coat or the fifth coat. I have had to wait as much as 30 min between applications. Mys shop is in the basement. Temp when I am down there is probably 55-60. I know I can use an accelerator, but was trying to avoid it. I am using a medium CA.

Any suggestions?

 

[Monty]

You may have to use a very light spritz of accelerator to start it setting.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Cooler temps will and higher humidity will take longer for CA to cure. The higher the viscosity of the CA and the longer to cure as well. We have been using accelerator for years. Here is how we use it with no problems. First we like the aerasol over the pump. While the blank is still spinning on the lathe we will hold the can about 24 to 30 inches away and spray so that the mist floats down on the blank. You can not do this with dust collection going. So if you need the DC on to help vent the fumes it will not work. As an after thought if you are not using a DC to vent the fumes and don't wish to use accelerator, then the flow of air caused by the DC might speed up the CA curing. Bounty paper towels will help too. Seems there is something in the towel that makes it cure faster.

There are a couple of ideas to get you started.

 

[snyiper]

What type of CA? How old is it ?

 

[Moosewatcher]

Try the NCF aerosol accelerator. It takes so little cause it's a fine controlled mist.

Ken

 

[hilltopper46]

I put a fairly heavy coat of CA on and then move to a 'dry' part of the paper towel and hold it lightly (no pressure - I'm holding the folded paper towel about an inch away from the pen blank) against the wet CA and move it back and forth several times. The idea is to keep the towel in contact with the CA which acts as an accelerant. I think it reduces the time between coats of CA about 50%.

 

[turner.curtis]

I am in basically the same conditions as you, except maybe a tad bit colder with our fresh dusting of snow. I am in my garage portion of my basement in western pa. I too was having many issues with CA finishes until I purchased a can of aerosol accelerator, Stickfast, from Hartvilletool. I am reluctant to call it the needed magic potion for my process, until I get a few more successes racked up but thus far I am batting .1000 since adding it to my workflow. Prior to this I was having slow CA cure times that I am not 100% sure but assert exacerbated my issues with blotchy or cloudy finishes as well as the dreaded little white specs. Now with that said in speaking of the latter little white specs, I have also changed a few other things in my workflow to try to aid in the reduction of those too, which includes not using as much DNA or giving more evaporation / drying time before applying the CA, which currently I have been using the little tubes of "Original Superglue" for "thin" and the 20g light blue capped Gorilla Superglue for "medium" which the Stickfast has been great with.

 

[bradh]

Some good suggestions above. Thinner CA will dry faster, using spray accelerator will help, paper towels will speed the set.
This time of year is difficult for CA finishes because the humidity is dropping as the heat systems come on. The humidity has a big impact on the speed the CA hardens.
Other suggestions are using BLO, which is an accelerator. You can also turn off the dust collector and blow lightly on the blank. The high humidity of your breath will speed the CA set.
Be patient, CA finishes are tricky. It took me about 18 months to get my CA finish right and it still goes wrong occasionally.

 

[snyiper]

We also know the "age" of the CA will also dramaticly effect the finish. We have no idea how the CA was stored and for how long.