CA finish

[Smulax]

I have been getting inconsistent results with my CA finishes. It seems the finish is shiny in spots and dull in others with no rhyme or reason for why. I have searched and read many articles and post both here and on other sites but I still have this problem. I have attached a picture. Can anyone help. I know its not a pen but it just happened to be the most recent thing I have been working on. Wood is black palm

P.S. sorry for the crappy pics I used my cell phone.

 

[longbeard]

If your getting dull spots, you might be sanding thru the ca back down to the wood.
Hard to tell really from the pic

 

[ljpilcher@suddenlink]

ljpilcher@suddenlink

Yes, I think that is the problem. I have usually been able to put more CA on and solve the problem. It has not always worked. You could have to remove all the finish and start over.

 

[MichaelD]

I've had a few problems recently I tracked down to where I was making my own cone type finishing bushings and waxing them resulting in slight contamination to the blank at random times. Not at all saying you're problem is the same but a good wipe down of the blank before finishing never hurts. I could look at the finished blank at a low angle and see a good polish across the dull spot but straight on it was a little cloudy. That told me the problem was under the top coat.

 

[Vince_Hoffmann]

Longbeard is correct, you are sanding through the finish. Give the piece 5 or 6 or even 7 or 8 thin coats of CA, one every half hour or so, then let the whole mess cure for a day. You shouldn't have any trouble.

 

[Montana Joe]

I had this problem too. I've taken to wiping the blank and bushings with acetone on a clean cloth before finishing. Seems to have solved my problem. I attributed the cloudy conditions due to oil in the wood leaching out during the finishing process.

 

[StuartCovey]

If your getting dull spots, you might be sanding thru the ca back down to the wood.
Hard to tell really from the pic

This is very likely the cause. Also if you use are using accelerator you might be using too much wich will sometimes cause it to be dull in places too.

 

[butchf18a]

Turn and sand blank. Clean with denatured alcohol. 1000-1200 rpm. Three coats thin ca, accelerator lightly misted between coats. Lightly sand with 320 grit, i like the red pad but sandpaper works fine. This just to smooth out any little ripples. Clean with denatured alcohol. Three more coats thin. Return to high speed, polish with micro mesh wet. Final coat Renaissance wax. High gloss, durable. Takes ten min. Don't over think this.

 

[JP61]

I imagine that it could also be from low spots within the CA finish?