steamshovel
Member
when my blanks are ready I want a final finish that will dry very fast and I want it to be shiny-shiny. Anything someone has used they would recommend
?
Preston
?
Preston
fast drying
- Thread starter steamshovel
- Start date
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jttheclockman
Member
Ca nothing faster and shinier.
leehljp
Member Liaison
CA finish is not the perfect finish for all situations, but when "fast" and "shiny" are mentioned together, CA is the one that stands out by a huge margin.
Two caveats:
1. For many people - a fair sized learning curve to be consistent. After consistency is achieved, fairly simple.
2. For some people - severe respiratory allergies down the road unless face mask or dust collector system used.
Two caveats:
1. For many people - a fair sized learning curve to be consistent. After consistency is achieved, fairly simple.
2. For some people - severe respiratory allergies down the road unless face mask or dust collector system used.
mark james
IAP Collection, Curator
I'll pitch the lowly Wipe On Polyurethane (several finishes). Either Les Elms' dipping method or under a heat lamp and slow speed turning motor.
My suggestion is no where close in time to a CA finish... 30-60 minutes per coat vs 3-5 minutes for ALL coats. So I acknowledge the deficiencies for time, but there may be a thought to the feel and appearance.
Many finishes, many preferences. Have fun.
My suggestion is no where close in time to a CA finish... 30-60 minutes per coat vs 3-5 minutes for ALL coats. So I acknowledge the deficiencies for time, but there may be a thought to the feel and appearance.
Many finishes, many preferences. Have fun.
I actually love a wipe on poly finish also Mark. The only problem right now is winter is coming and the poly won't cure overnight. And I can't heat my shop 24/7 as it's not finacially feasible. I'm at CA and WTF right now. Come summer, poly will be back in the group also. Lol
gtriever
Member
How about a small heated cabinet in your shop? I picked up a 2-door overhead kitchen cabinet (unfinished) from Lowe's at a "cheap" price, and wired it with a Lux Win100 switched-outlet thermostat for a light bulb "heater". In the winter, it keeps my glues and finishes at a balmy 75 degrees and it has enough room for my drying rack as well.
I have found thin CA to dry the fastest. However, unless you are one or two of the members who can produce a finish with one coat of the "thin:, one may prefer to use a half dozen coats or so. I found that gluboost to cure pretty quickly. I do not know if it is the gluboost accelerator or the gluboost CA glue (or both), but it dries pretty fast. I have found the Mercury Flex medium to take a little longer to cure - but nothing that stops me from using it. The search will continue and it is likely to be discovered here 
.
.Maybe one day if I start doing more pens. I have a 215,000 btu propane space heater in the shop now that heats it up fast and I can keep it warm while I'm working. It has a thermostat but I don't trust something shooting a giant flame out the front to stay on all night. Lol
rd_ab_penman
Member
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Take the blanks you have finished that day into the house, which I am assuming is heated.
Well thats an ok idea. I would have to make a transport box to take them to the house. Here in west texas, 30 mph winds are a nice day. Lol I have an acre to cross providing the horse leaves me alone, I might make it without it being covered in dust. Lol
Loucurr
Member
Has anyone ever tried a UV finish on pens?
MRDucks2
Member
Actually there are a couple of very good articles/threads here on IAP about UV finishes.
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raar25
Member
For anyone who needs to keep blanks warm curing on a cool shop, take a ride to your local junk/recycling yard and get a small scrap refrigerator. Drill a bunch of holes in it to allow air flow and throw a shop light in there. Depending on the size I have found that a standard 25 watt bulb keeps mine at about 75-80 deg F. I was using it to dry some bowl blanks but they crack too often so I abandoned that.
thewishman
Member
Dissolved plexigas in acetone. Fast, easy, cheap and very shiny. 40 coats in 3 minutes.
jttheclockman
Member
Large cooler work too. Everyone throws those out. I think I would stay clear of the styrofoam ones though
thewishman
Member
Hey Chris! I still have enough of to finish the Titanic!
A square foot of .25" plexi would be enough to finish about 6500 pens.
Hutch9022
Member
Has anyone used a hairdryer or heat gun to cure CA?
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CA is baically super glue. I don't see any reason for a heat gun. By the time you get it out it would probably be dry. Now there is an aerosol accelerator that you can spray on right after application of CA.
leehljp
Member Liaison
Sure. I have a heat gun and a hair dryer in my shop by the lathe. Been doing this for about 12 - 13 years. A hair dryer is better overall because it does not get as hot. With a heat gun, there is less tolerance for incorrect distance. In unheated shops where temperatures go below 60°F, medium CA and even thin will begin to progressively take more time to cure. AND what most people do not realize is that with temp swings there are often humidity swings which affect other finishes. It is not only the temp, but humidity that affects the curing time of CA and different finishes.
if the moisture content of a blank is high after sitting in 75% humidity for a few days, the heat on the outside from curing CA can cause cloudiness inside the CA layer as the humidity is drawn outward. I heat my blanks when I haven't turned the heat on in the shop. The hair dryer will help in speeding up the curing and will help get the moisture out of the wood before applying.
IF one uses Paper Towel as an applicator, it is less of a problem because the PT puts on thinner layers and the PT friction action heats the blank and CA. But it takes many more layers to build up a finish.
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Hutch9022
Member
Ok thank you. My shop is not heated and I thought a hair dryer would help. Thanks a lot!!!
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Solarez (Youtube it) cures via UV light in a few seconds. I have experimented with it with limited success. Before going that route, read all you can about oxygen inhibition.
I am finding the gluboost combo to work really well. Fewer coats.
I am finding the gluboost combo to work really well. Fewer coats.
ramaroodle
Member
+1 for gluboost