Finishing ends of pen blanks after application of CA

[gomlin]

I have managed to get a great CA finish on pen blanks but end up with a rough mess on the ends. I tried using my pen mill to smooth it out, but it cracks the CA on the ends. What are others doing here? Thanks,
Jim

 

[Great Googly Moogly]

i hand sand on a flat surface.

are you turning between centers? or on bushings? if you are using bushings, how are you removing the blank from the bushings?

 

[gomlin]

Turning on a mandrel between bushings. When I begin to sand and finish, I put the blank between two of the 7mm tubes. This leaves quite a bit of CA beyond the end of the wood blank. I need a way to make it flush and smooth on the ends. Otherwise the finish looks amazing on the rest of the blank.

Jim

 

[Lenny]

Try using the Eliminator bushings from Penturners Products .

 

[Great Googly Moogly]

I turn on bushings and cut the blank loose with a utility knife after I'm finished with the CA coats. Then I hand sand the ends on sand paper on a flat surface until all of the excess CA is flush with the tube/blank.

HTH.

 

[Ray McLeod]

I use a use a thin seperation tool to seperate the bushing from the pen stock. If I have ca that extends beyond the end of the wood, I use a exacto knife to trim the ends and then sand on a flat surface like has been previously mentioned in this thread.

 

[Lenny]

I only use the bushings to get close to finish size.
If you are sanding and finishing your pens with the bushings in place you run the risk of sanding your bushings which will 1. Make them undersized and 2. Introduce metal dust onto your pen blank. You already know what happens when you try to do a CA finish with them on!
If the delrin bushings aren't something you want to try, consider getting a 60 degree dead center (which can also be used to TBC) and do your finishing between centers.

 

[Lenny]

A tool like rherrell sells for sanding the ends of the blank after doing a CA finish works well to clean up the access ca and insure a good fit.
You can get similar results by reversing your barrel trimmer and applying some sticky backed sandpaper to the back side. An ordinary paper punch will make a suitable hole to slide over the shaft.

 

[toddlajoie]

I cut small squares of adhesive sandpaper. Punch them with a hole punch. Turn your pen mill cutter over so the flat end faces down and use that to want the ends down.

 

[switch62]

After applying the CA finish, I take the barrels off the mandrel/bushings and dry sand the barrel ends with 400 or 800 wet & dry. Sand them by hand, placing the sandpaper on the lathe way so it is nice and flat. Then remount the barrels on the mandrel and wet sand.

I also found that sanding off the excess on the ends also prevents the CA chipping or delaminating when the hardware is pressed on.

I use HDPE cones (like eliminators) that I made, for my finishing. The CA will coat the HDPE but won't stick like it does to metal bushings. On 7mm barrels you need to score the CA so it will snap off the HDPE neatly. Larger barrels the CA will snap where the cone meets the brass tube without scoring.

TonyO

 

[commercialbuilder]

I have a scrap of 3/4 plywood about 6" long and 4" wide that I put 80 grit adhesive back sandpaper on one side and 320 grit on the other. I rough up the tubes on the 80 and sand the ends of the finished blank with the 320.

 

[mdburn_em]

How long are you waiting to use your pen mill?

I have found that if I mill the ends immediately after I've applied the finish, it doesn't crack or lift on me. If I wait until the next day, the CA has cured and I will likely have issues like cracking or lifting.

CA does have a cure time which is why it's (relatively) easy to trim it when it's fresh and also why it's easier to sand through the finish when it's fresh.

Trim when it's fresh, sand when it's cured.

 

[gomlin]

Thanks for the input guys. Turning the mill over is such an elegant solution. I'm gonna try it ASAP. I'm also going to I order the delrin bushings. The finish i'm getting is really excellent except for the ends. If I get that figured out my wood pens will look as good as the plastic ones.

 

[gomlin]

Turning the pen mill over and facing with sandpaper worked perfectly. I have been squaring the ends before sanding and polishing the CA. Thanks for the advice.

Jim

 

[raar25]

One more thought. I always trim and or sand the extra CA away immediately after applying the CA but before sanding. Once the ends are cleaned up, I put it back on the lathe and sand/polish as necessary. This way if the top layer of CA chips I can polish through.

 

[Janster]

I made ..........

...two matching "stepped" aluminum bushings so when CA finishing, when I go over the edge it does not matter. Looks goofy but it works for me. You would need specific sizes according to your tubes. Be well..........Jan