I recently started using BLO with CA. Here's what I do:
Sand the blank to 800 grit. Wipe it off with denatured alcohol. Let that dry. Before applying the first coat of BLO, warm the blank by using friction. Do this by turning the lathe up as fast as it can go and the holding a woven, non sticking pad which has been folded in thirds against the blank from underneath. One hand goes over the lathe and the other goes under it and you pull the folded pad against the blank, moving it back and forth. This will generate heat from friction and flash off any remaining alcohol and warm the blank.
Then, turn off the lathe and apply a few drops of BLO to another gauze pad. Wipe on the BLO. Ensure you cover the entire blank. Then, with a dry part of the same pad, wipe off any excess. There should not be any "wetness" to the blank.
Again, with a dry guaze pad, folded in thirds, turn the lath on to warp speed and "heat cure" the BLO using the friction method from above.
Now, move on to CA. Turn the lathe speed down to 1000 or so. Fold a new guaze pad in 1/2 one way, the turn 90 degrees and fold it in 1/2 the other way, basically it should look like a much thicker, smaller version of itself. Apply 1 drop of CA to one of the sharp corners of the pad. I use Mercury Flex Medium. Pick a direction, either starting at the head stock or starting at the tail stock. Apply the corner with the ca drop to the blank and move it to the opposite end. Do exactly 1 pass, do not go backwards over the applied CA. Your touch needs to be light and I don't suggest putting your finger directly under the part with CA. Because the woven pad is thick and stiff, you should be able to apply the ca to the blank just by pressing it against the spinning blank and moving it. The point here is, you don't need a lot of pressure. The other key is one pass, one direction only, from bushing to bushing. Then, on a new guaze pad folded the same way as the CA one, spray your Mercury accelerator on one corner. Soak the corner with accelerator. Using the same technique when applying the ca, wipe the blank from one end to the other. Again, 1 pass, 1 direction. Now rinse and repeat the ca and accelerator application about 8-10 total times.
I would toss the ca gauze pad after you've used a couple of the stiff corners. Do not apply CA to the same spot on the pad and reuse it. There is a reason I buy a case of these pads. There are 200 per pack and I use 10-20 per pen. They are strictly a consumable.
Once all your coats of CA have been applied, finish the blank by using the 6 step magic juice product. Turn the lathe off, apply a pea sized amount to your bare finger, coat the entire blank with that pea sized amount, then turn your lathe on to about 1k and with the same finger you applied the magic juice, rub the blank until the magic juice disappears. I usually do a final wipe off with a guaze pad and the toss it. Progress from step one of magic juice to step 6. Buff with a Beall buffing system, carnauba only, if you want.
