I am constantly learning/experimenting with buffing wheels,compounds,techniques, paint rollers, cheap buffs from H.F. and Big lots.
I ran across a compound at H.F. and saw it was available also at Lowes.
It is made by Dico and it is a plastic buffing compound.
Polishing might be a better word.We'll get back to this later)
I use a lot of CA on antler pens.It seals the pores nicely,I won't go into technique because I do it many different ways depending on the antler.
I use CA of all viscosities including the gel.
I apply it with insulating(packaging foam,used up cloth sandpaper,brand new sandpaper(cloth)
I fill using "antler dust" and thin CA as a filler or spread CA gel on turn the lathe on and level it out with fresh cloth sandpaper with the lathe turning.
O.K. now we have determined that I have a lot of CA on the antler-and apply it many different ways.
I usually skew off the excess and start sanding.
Sanding is boring but I start normally at 320 because the skew does a better job at leveling the surface than I can with sand paper.
I will continue to sand all the way through MM#9.
Since I normally have CA on my fingers I can't test for smoothness of finish with my fingers so I light rub the pen to my lips to detect rough spots.
I like it when I can get the antler to feel like glass and have the polished appearance of ivory.
Here's where the recent discovery comes in.
I had one piece of antler that was "done" but picked up some "grunge" from one of my wheels.
Using buffing wheels for brass will do that.(transfer "grunge")
I had a buff that was relatively clean and I installed it on an underpowered bench grinder.(I like the paint roller one on the lathe the best)
It was then I figured that I couldn't do the antler any harm by experimenting with it.
Since it had been sealed and finished with CA I figured it was a good choice for a "plastic" compound.
What I found was amazing!The blue Dico plastic compound far exceeded white diamond as far as shine,luster and gloss and most importantly the "lip test"
Being a light blue color it enhances the white of antler but leaves very little residue.
I tried it on a piece of raw unturned antler and it polished it with very little effort at all.
Here's the question for the acrylics turners.
Have you all been using a plastic buffing compound all this time and keeping it as your own little secret?
I have yet to try it on wood but can see know reason why it wood not be a good final step in a CA finish.
As far as final shine, the appearance is like Micro mesh multiplied times 9&1/2.(10 would be exaggerating)
Here's a link to Dico with a lot of good information.
http://www.newmantools.com/dico/
I'll try to get some good before/ after pictures of a raw piece of antler to show the difference
This is a"before section of a piece of antler that had been drilled and roughed for a "long antler pen" I pushed the tube in too far and the CA set before I could reposition it.
I soaked it in acetones and managed to get the tube out and salvaged the blank and tube.
It had a very dull finish and had not been turned or sanded. In this condition it doesn't look too bad.
The back side of the same antler
This is the same piece 2 minutes later after buffing with the Dico plastic buffing compound.
(note, it still has not been turned or sanded)
Other side of the same antler,the dark line is where the antler passes through the skull.(This one did a post mortem "shed", surgically removed with my bandsaw.)
I would like to reiterate, there is no CA or any other type of "finish medium" on this antler other than possibly a small bit of CA from the jar of acetone it had been soaking in.
I let the antler air outside for a day to dry it out.
I ran across a compound at H.F. and saw it was available also at Lowes.
It is made by Dico and it is a plastic buffing compound.
Polishing might be a better word.We'll get back to this later)
I use a lot of CA on antler pens.It seals the pores nicely,I won't go into technique because I do it many different ways depending on the antler.
I use CA of all viscosities including the gel.
I apply it with insulating(packaging foam,used up cloth sandpaper,brand new sandpaper(cloth)
I fill using "antler dust" and thin CA as a filler or spread CA gel on turn the lathe on and level it out with fresh cloth sandpaper with the lathe turning.
O.K. now we have determined that I have a lot of CA on the antler-and apply it many different ways.
I usually skew off the excess and start sanding.
Sanding is boring but I start normally at 320 because the skew does a better job at leveling the surface than I can with sand paper.
I will continue to sand all the way through MM#9.
Since I normally have CA on my fingers I can't test for smoothness of finish with my fingers so I light rub the pen to my lips to detect rough spots.
I like it when I can get the antler to feel like glass and have the polished appearance of ivory.
Here's where the recent discovery comes in.
I had one piece of antler that was "done" but picked up some "grunge" from one of my wheels.
Using buffing wheels for brass will do that.(transfer "grunge")
I had a buff that was relatively clean and I installed it on an underpowered bench grinder.(I like the paint roller one on the lathe the best)
It was then I figured that I couldn't do the antler any harm by experimenting with it.
Since it had been sealed and finished with CA I figured it was a good choice for a "plastic" compound.
What I found was amazing!The blue Dico plastic compound far exceeded white diamond as far as shine,luster and gloss and most importantly the "lip test"
Being a light blue color it enhances the white of antler but leaves very little residue.
I tried it on a piece of raw unturned antler and it polished it with very little effort at all.
Here's the question for the acrylics turners.
Have you all been using a plastic buffing compound all this time and keeping it as your own little secret?
I have yet to try it on wood but can see know reason why it wood not be a good final step in a CA finish.
As far as final shine, the appearance is like Micro mesh multiplied times 9&1/2.(10 would be exaggerating)
Here's a link to Dico with a lot of good information.
http://www.newmantools.com/dico/
I'll try to get some good before/ after pictures of a raw piece of antler to show the difference
This is a"before section of a piece of antler that had been drilled and roughed for a "long antler pen" I pushed the tube in too far and the CA set before I could reposition it.
I soaked it in acetones and managed to get the tube out and salvaged the blank and tube.
It had a very dull finish and had not been turned or sanded. In this condition it doesn't look too bad.
The back side of the same antler
This is the same piece 2 minutes later after buffing with the Dico plastic buffing compound.
(note, it still has not been turned or sanded)
Other side of the same antler,the dark line is where the antler passes through the skull.(This one did a post mortem "shed", surgically removed with my bandsaw.)
I would like to reiterate, there is no CA or any other type of "finish medium" on this antler other than possibly a small bit of CA from the jar of acetone it had been soaking in.
I let the antler air outside for a day to dry it out.
