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montmill

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Jan 26, 2008
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13528 Old Hwy. G Montfort, Wisconsin
This blank is walnut root stock. I sanded it to 400, then Zona through all the grits. Two coats of Gluboost thick, rubbed horizontally with steel wool, two coats of Gluboost thin, rubbed horizontally with steel wool then finished with Zona again. At this point things looked fine. The photo shows the blank after using Novis 3. The temp in the shop is cool at 52 F if that makes any difference. In the past I've this kind of trouble on walnut bowls and platters with white diamond so much so I've switched to vonax which works much better and doesn't leave white specks. Should I have built up more layers of Gluboost before Novis 3, or just skip it?
white.jpg
 
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egnald

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Jun 9, 2017
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Columbus, Nebraska, USA
I used to use the Satin and Gloss polishes from Stick-Fast and would occasionally suffer from white dots which I ultimately figured out were small pinholes or pinhole like dents in the finish that would fill in with the white polish. And, no matter what I tried I couldn't seem to get the polish residue out of the spots.

My first approach at mitigation was to apply thicker coats of CA and then dry sand it back down before wet sanding with the MicroMesh system. This fixed the white dot problem but it fostered a different one, namely the dreaded "sand through" by being too aggressive with the dry sanding.

I finally wound up buying a Rikon slow speed buffer. I go from thin coats of CA directly to wet sanding with MicroMesh. When the shine is not good enough to please me I finish up by polishing using the buffer, first on a sewn cotton wheel and the "blue" rouge from PSI followed by a final buff on a loosely sewn flannel wheel. Lately however, I find that if I take extra care and time wet sanding with the last 3 or 4 MicroMesh grits the finish is glossy enough even without polishing/buffing.

I hope you find a solution that works for you. I know how frustrating it can be to spend all of that time on a blank and then have something like the dreaded white specks.

Regards,
Dave
 

Larryreitz

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Feb 8, 2015
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Salem, CT USA
I have recently had a few issues with GluBoost that look somewhat similar. If I started to sand and or buff soon after the second coat of the thin, I was getting some white spots like you show. If I took it to the Beal buffer it got considerably worse. Since it looked OK right after application I guessed it was not cured completely. My basement shop temperature is in the low 60's. I have started to take the piece with the CA applied upstairs and let it dry overnight on the mantle near the wood stove (not sure that much heat is necessary). It was then sanded and buffed with no issues. If my aging memory serve me correctly, (and that is far from a given) I also had to implement this procedure when the humidity was high last summer, albeit w/o the wood stove, just overnight at room temperature. Also I think I read where Ed at EB gives his blanks some more dry time than is recommended by GluBoost. Hope this help should you give it a try.

Larry
 

ed4copies

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Mar 25, 2005
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Racine, WI, USA.
" Also I think I read where Ed at EB gives his blanks some more dry time than is recommended by GluBoost. Hope this help should you give it a try."

Yes, I do suggest letting any finish or any adhesive "cure" rather than "dry". 24 hours is a good place to start!

Looking at your picture, it appears that the gluboost finish is uneven. Guessing that there is not a uniform coverage, "plugging" the holes in the grain. So, yes I would try putting a couple more coats on before using Novus. And, yes, I would let it sit overnight, then come back and sand with 600 grit to even out the gluboost "build up" before polishing.
 

plano_harry

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Jan 12, 2012
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Plano, TX 75093
I think the main problem you have is that you still had small pinholes and grain voids on the surface of your GluBoost. I put on at least 5 coats of medium (I haven't found the thin to provide any advantage). Then let it dry as Ed says for 24hrs if I have the patience! Then I wet sand with 600 abranet running, then stop and sand longitudinally to level any ripples. Then I carefully examine the surface. If there are any shiny spots left, or voids in the surface, I carefully clean with DNA and lay on at least 2 more coats of medium, sometimes more if the flaw was significant. Then wait for it to cure (or not) Then I lightly wet sand with 600 abranet again. If you are pretty good with the GluBoost application, it shouldn't take much and you shouldn't have a problem sanding thru. With 600, it takes a good bit to get through 5 layers. I just want to dull the surface and look for holes again, ripples, voids, any imperfection. If it is all clear, then I run through the micromesh and buff. If you have closed all the holes, there won't be any places for the Novus or compound to hide. Hope that helps. A toothbrush and DNA might get the white out. I don't use Novus, but it should cut loose.
 
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Wolf Creek Montana
Hi David, I'm actually working on a pen right now that has a bottom barrel made out of Walnut. This is day 5 of the finish process so I'm not sure when it's done. I'll be posting my findings after I actually finish the pen. The grain "pits" in Walnut I've always found disturbing. I don't use "Glueboost" or CA, I prefer WOP (wipe on poly). Right now I've applied the initial finish and then each consecutive day I've sanded down the blanks with 1500 grit sandpaper and then applied another coat of WOP using my lathe in forward and reverse and then sanding the blank from top to bottom. So far so good. I'm hoping a couple more days will do the trick but I'll be posting the result here. More to come...
 

Fred Bruche

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Feb 11, 2018
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Philadelphia 19146
I'm curious about your method of sanding the turned blank with Zona prior to applying Gluboost. When I plan to apply a CA finish I typically go to 320, sometimes a quick 400 but that's probably overkilling for most blanks. I'm assuming you are using the Zona as dry sanding on the blank, it likely generates very fine dust that could stick in small pores in the wood. In my assessment, by the shape and how they seem aligned, that's what those white spots are.
 

montmill

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Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
635
Location
13528 Old Hwy. G Montfort, Wisconsin
Yes, I probably overdid the sanding and don't see the need for zona before GluBoost however I did clean the blank with DNA and when dry cleaned with a shop towel. Once the GluBoost was complete and after rubbing with steel wool there were no white spots. I'm pretty sure it came from the Novus as has been suggested. Today when I re-sanded I wasn't happy with the fit anymore so I threw out that blank and have glued up another for tomorrow. We'll see how that goes. This is for only the second Junior Gent II I've done and hope to make it into a fountain pen for my wife for Valentines Day. Time will tell.
 

Bope

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Oct 24, 2018
Messages
183
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Western NY
I do a lot of walnut pens. It has a lot of pores. I have used grain filler which helps but is another step and takes overnight to dry. The main thing is you need to level the CA no mater what material you are putting it on. I initially sand with 600. I sand a bit and stop and look at the pen. any sparkly spots, sand more. Once there is even dull finish you can start your polishing process.

If the spots are in the finish not just on top try some fresh accelerator. I have had old accelerator that I assume took up some water and it will make white spots. I think acetone based accelerators are more prone to this problem.
 

montmill

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Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
635
Location
13528 Old Hwy. G Montfort, Wisconsin
Well, I'm going to miss Valentines Day. I redid the blanks and took them in the house and finished with 6 coats of poly letting each one dry overnight in the house and rubbing each down with steel wood, then a tack cloth before the next coat. When I used zona I got white spots again so clearly the pours were still open and the sanding dust was the culprit as was mentioned. I could probably just have rubbed each down with steel wool and coated with Ren Wax for finger prints. Since this is my first fountain pen I didn't realize I had to order the nib kit from Ed anyway. I do have a Desire rollerball made from wood from our old apple tree to give her and since she's a pen hoarder she'll love it. I wonder about wet sanding the blanks? Would that help seal the pores? Bope, what grain filler do you use? Thanks for all your help on this. I guess I'm a slow learner.
 

Bope

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Oct 24, 2018
Messages
183
Location
Western NY
The grain filler I use is CrystaLac Wood Grain Filler. It is waterbased clear filler. This filler was recommended to me when I was doing another woodworking project. It has worked well for me but I have also never tried any other grain filler.
 
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