Easy finish???

[neon007]

Im trying to get some advice on finishing wood. I mainly do poly. Im not a fan of a CA finish. To much work IMO. So I wanted to know whats a good durable and easy to apply finish for wood??? As of now im sanding to 1000 gt. and applying sanding sealer. So far so good. Here is where I have problems. I have been trying all kinds of waxes but nothing that tickles my fancy. Anyone with any ideas please chime in. Thanks.

 

[mrcook4570]

I know of only one finish that is durable AND quick & easy (once mastered, that is). All of the other durable finishes are not quick. All of the other quick finishes are not durable.

 

[wdcav1952]

Keith,

My personal credo is that however long I spend turning, I spend longer sanding. However long I take to sand, I take longer to finish. At least in my hands, quick and good are not synonyms.

The CA finish is about the fastest finish to apply that I know of. Like you, I am not a fan of CA as a finish, but it is because I have trouble getting a consistent result with it. My preferences for finishes are Enduro, Unaxol, and Deft spray, depending on the wood, my mood or whatever.

In reference to your question about using just sanding sealer as a finish, I cannot find any literature to support that idea. I think if you only wish to use one product, then use the poly or lacquer alone rather than trying to make sanding sealer fulfil a purpose for which it is not designed.

 

[GaryMGg]

Keith,

Pls. take a look at this post:

http://www.thepenshop.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6303&PN=1

I'm not a finishing expert by any stretch of the imagination but I've been getting very good consistent results with CA lately.

I bought Enduro and haven't had time to try it yet and I've thought about using Unaxol -- it can be gotten from mobydick<something or other>.com -- but truth be told I'm beginning to really nail the CA finish and it not only looks good, it feels good too.

You wrote the CA finish is "Too much work" and the link I'm including shows a pen made in 40 minutes of which maybe 12-20 was finishing time, including buffing out the final layer with polishing plastic.
Perhaps, just perhaps, the DVD can provide you with the same benefit it provided me.

I'm not saying don't try other finishes. I'm suggesting not to write of a CA finish unless you have a health reason to avoid it. Having as many tools as you can put in your toolbox is a good thing -- the CA finish is just another tool.

Gary

 

[stevers]

Keith,
I used to use poly also. It only took me a half dozen tries to master the CA finish. It only takes me 10 or 15 minutes to complete it. It really is simpler than it seems at first. I use the CA only method, 3 or 4 coats and sand thru MM 12,000, polish and done. It is glassy smooth and quick.
I fought it at first. Then I finally broke down and tried it and I am soooooo glad I did. Maybe give it another thought.

 

[RussFairfield]

Sorry, you are looking for the impossible. Easy, fast, and durable cannot be found in the same finish. Woodturners have been searching for years, and nobody has found it yet.

 

[leehljp]

With some woodworking background going back to the '50s, and finishes of lacquer, enamel, urethane, varnish, tung oil and others, - a finish is not something that is tacked on at the end. Each works best in specific situations and each takes time. CA application is not time consuming itself; but learning it might be (it was for me), but so was applying a great finish with the others products.

The problem with pens is that it takes 30 minutes to set up, drill and produce an unfinished pen - and then too often the perception is that finish should take 5 to 10 minutes at the most. With CA, that is all that it takes, but LEARNING the technique can take a longer time. A good woodworker will allow as long and longer for the finishing as for the actual building. Don't skip this or tack it on the end. Finishing deserves every bit as much attention, time and planning as the set up, turning and sanding!

 

[PatrickTaylor]

Originally posted by RussFairfield
<br />Sorry, you are looking for the impossible. Easy, fast, and durable cannot be found in the same finish. Woodturners have been searching for years, and nobody has found it yet.

Russ, Having practiced a bit (a dozen or fewer pens) with the method you show in the video on your website, I would argue that you CA/BLO method (or my slightly modified version) IS easy, fast, and durable! A couple minutes per pen, no hassles, and it's a rock-solid finish. (thanks for the video, by the way)

 

[TBone]

Easy, quick and durable are like
Cheap, fast, good
You can only pick two....If it's easy and quick it won't be durable
If it's durable and easy it won't be quick YMMV []

 

[ahoiberg]

someone asked about sanding sealer as a finish... i saw something on ed davidson's website (i may have read it out of context, so sorry if i'm incorrect in quoting this) but i always had in the back of my mind that he used sanding sealer and then a beall buffing system. so, recently, while making my first bottle stopper, it was a little big and oddly shaped for a consistent CA application. so I just used the typical sanding routine, finishing with MM and then applied sanding sealer, a few coats, let it dry and buffed it with fabulusture (it's a really fine compound used for polising metal). it actually came out looking pretty nice other than my inability to sand curves on turned pieces. []

i agree with both points about CA, on one hand, it comes out easy and quick and other times it's difficult to get consistent results with it. i've been having problems with small blotchy areas lately but more often than not the CA finish comes out desirable.