Antler finish

[bhenr99]

How do you finish your antler to get a real nice finish? I find it to be very porous. Thanks for any help.

Bob

 

[CaptG]

Hi Bob, When I get a piece of porous antler, I give it a CA finish. I use a thin ca and give it several coats until it is covered completly, then lightly sand to 600 grit then EEE polish and then wax. Hope this helps.

 

[thewishman]

Sometimes I use a plexiglas finish and sometimes just wax and sometimes no finish at all. I seal the antler when sanding, with a dust-and-CA slurry at 320 grit (same as on wood pens.) That gives me a smooth surface for any finish.

 

[Chasper]

I turn a lot of porous antler and I load it up with thin CA. I start pouring on the CA long before it is turned down to final size. When the porous stuff starts showing I turn off the lathe and load it with CA, then accelerator. Make sure it is dry and turn some more. Stop and put on more CA. After 3-4 times of pouring the CA on the porous sections they become totally saturated all the way down to the tube. Then you can finish it like acrylic, which it pretty much is.

 

[reddwil]

Like everyone has said, CA. I sand to 1000, CA, and polish with EEE. On good hard antler that has no pores, I sand and wax.

 

[bad]

I know what CA is, would anyone mind telling me what EEE is?

 

[Skye]

I know what CA is, would anyone mind telling me what EEE is?

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=17449

 

[TellicoTurning]

On good solid antler.. no marrow or pores, I don't use any finish.. wet sand to highest grit I can and put it together...sometimes I will use a plastic polish.... if I have the marrow pores, I use CA to fill pores, wet sand and polish with a plastic polish.

I haven't tried the EEE yet... may have to look into that.

 

[angelofdeath]

glad i ran across this topic...i just picked up some antler and was going to make the shell, antler pen... thanks for the help and tips

 

[Boomer]

I have turned a couple of pens out of it and sanded to 600 then I used the friction polish on the pens I did. I had no idea how to finish when I did the antler so I just used the polish I had on hand. They turned out ok. They could have probably been better but I was happy.