penicillin
Member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2019
- Messages
- 1,036
I made a lot of pens for holiday gifts. Most of them had CA finishes:
4 coats of thin.
4 coats of medium.
Light sanding with strips 150, 240, 320, 400, 650.
Micro-mesh all 9 pads, wet.
Hut Ultra Gloss Plastic Polish.
Done.
I admit, not all the sanding steps are necessary, but they don't hurt, either. (... as long as you don't take off the finish.) All those pens turned out beautifully. The CA finish was clear, shiny, and smooth.
After that, we got a "cold snap." In California, that means 40s-50s. My CA finishes did not turn out so well. They are "lumpy." I attributed it to the cold.
Now that it is warm again, my CA finishes are still lumpy. Somehow, I lost my touch, and I can't blame it on the cold.
My glues are all less than one year old and were never exposed to extreme heat or cold. I use Stick-Fast brand. I have tried different applicators - multiple types of paper towels, craft foam, plastic baggies, and more. I have tried different glues - all thin, thin + medium, flexible, the Stick-Fast finishing kit. There is no real difference - they turn out lumpy.
Whatever I did worked well a few months ago, but I lost my touch. Now my CA finishes are clear, but "lumpy." My goal is a smooth, hard, shiny finish. Not too thick.
Am I missing something obvious? What would you suggest?
4 coats of thin.
4 coats of medium.
Light sanding with strips 150, 240, 320, 400, 650.
Micro-mesh all 9 pads, wet.
Hut Ultra Gloss Plastic Polish.
Done.
I admit, not all the sanding steps are necessary, but they don't hurt, either. (... as long as you don't take off the finish.) All those pens turned out beautifully. The CA finish was clear, shiny, and smooth.
After that, we got a "cold snap." In California, that means 40s-50s. My CA finishes did not turn out so well. They are "lumpy." I attributed it to the cold.
Now that it is warm again, my CA finishes are still lumpy. Somehow, I lost my touch, and I can't blame it on the cold.
My glues are all less than one year old and were never exposed to extreme heat or cold. I use Stick-Fast brand. I have tried different applicators - multiple types of paper towels, craft foam, plastic baggies, and more. I have tried different glues - all thin, thin + medium, flexible, the Stick-Fast finishing kit. There is no real difference - they turn out lumpy.
Whatever I did worked well a few months ago, but I lost my touch. Now my CA finishes are clear, but "lumpy." My goal is a smooth, hard, shiny finish. Not too thick.
Am I missing something obvious? What would you suggest?