keeping CA off fingers

[iamrohn]

I'm staring at the inevitable circumstance of gluing in the brass tube, or applying a CA finish, etc without nitrile gloves... I've been utilizing some of my dear departed grandfather's techniques such as carefully peeling the glove off to reuse several times despite inevitably getting fingertip holes (he had two hearing aid batteries that he'd swap use of, getting every last bit of charge out of them, until eventually declaring he didn't want to hear anything my grandmother said anyway).

I support stock going to hospitals and other sources that have a life-or-death or health need for them so I'm not complaining about not finding overstock at THD, HF, or others. I'm wondering if others have an inventive alternative (I've tried sticking my hand in a sandwich ziploc for example, but I don't have much dexterity doing that).

I'm stuck on pen making with or without them of course
Rohn

ps/ we ran out of acetone at home too.................

 

[egnald]

Greetings from Nebraska. I typically use finger cots as I only need to cover one or two fingers. In a pinch though I have wrapped my fingers with blue painter's tape. Not so handy with gluing tubes, but it works pretty good for applying finish. You have to be careful to use a very light pressure, especially if you are wrapping it - it's easy to get it on too tight. - Regards, Dave.

 

[iamrohn]

Thanks David!
I haven't thought of blue tape, that sounds like a great idea -- and has the added benefit of making me feel like an athlete wrapping before the big game

I think I'm going to try that today to see how it goes, instead of reusing a glove for the fourth time

 

[Dr_N]

The small bags that the pen kit parts come in also work well for applying the finish. They would probably work well enough for tube gluing in a pinch.

 

[wolf creek knives]

Finger nail polish remover will work in a pinch if you're out of Acetone. I also use Epoxy for the tubes and WOP for my finish which is another alternative to CA. Just a thought.

 

[iamrohn]

Finger nail polish remover will work in a pinch if you're out of Acetone.

You'll laugh when you see what we bought by mistake.... https://www.target.com/p/nail-polish-remover-solution-6-fl-oz-up-38-up-8482/-/A-51333136

 

[Displaced Canadian]

Having glue on your fingers is one thing, just wait until you go to pull the lid off the CA bottle with your teeth and realize the lid was already off.

 

[Jehster1]

Having glue on your fingers is one thing, just wait until you go to pull the lid off the CA bottle with your teeth and realize the lid was already off.

I once unscrewed the cap off my CA, didn't realize that the cap was actually stuck to the whole top/nozzle portion so that came off as well and I dumped about half of the bottle of CA onto the spinning blank and my lathe. Good times.

 

[wolf creek knives]

You'll laugh when you see what we bought by mistake.... https://www.target.com/p/nail-polish-remover-solution-6-fl-oz-up-38-up-8482/-/A-51333136

Yeah, that probably won't work.

 

[iamrohn]

I once unscrewed the cap off my CA, didn't realize that the cap was actually stuck to the whole top/nozzle portion so that came off as well and I dumped about half of the bottle of CA onto the spinning blank and my lathe. Good times.

I had on gloves while using CA to glue together a segmented experiment (blanks = wondrous pens, experiments = no photos available) when I got an itch below my nose/above my lip. So much glue there. So much. Scratched/rubbed in good.

My mustache has grown back.

 

[leehljp]

You started off wrong! You started off peeling the gloves off and now you don't like it. If you had started off with your fingers as the applicators and getting blisters, and learning new dances from the smoking CA on finger flesh, you would LOVE the gloves!
DAMHIKT!

 

[Mr Vic]

How many fingers do yo you use? There are five on a glove. Fore years I would cut the fingers off to use only one on my index finger for applying CA. Thumb and a fore finger for gluing in tubes?

 

[RunnerVince]

Another option that a lot of people I've talked to seem surprised about is the polyethylene "lunch lady" gloves. They aren't skin-tight and don't really stretch, so a lot of people don't like them. BUT CA doesn't stick to them. They're cheap and I've had great luck with them. I got a pack of 50 from Walmart for like $3, and I've seen them on Amazon as well in larger quantities at a better price per glove.

 

[Richard92]

Thought I might be the only penny pincher cutting the fingers off to use them all applying ca for the finish. Glad to see someone else does it as well.

 

[jttheclockman]

I do that all the time but i still use a paper towel to apply but use the finger to hold the towel. I use blue shop towels cut in strips when applying. Again my methods work for me and have been doing them since I learned to do a CA finish. Never had a problem picking it up. Just read what others were doing and went at it. Very first pen you can see what people talk about ridges so you avoid that by not spreading the CA back and forth more than twice. Lots of other tricks you learn right away if you pay attention to what you are doing. Today there are so many videos out and back then not so much. It was the written word I learned from.

 

[iamrohn]

Well, I gave the "wrap my fingertips in blue painters tape" a try. First, middle, and thumb digits on both hands... that should be plenty as I glue together a segmented blank I was working on. Unexpected to me, my ring finger jumped in and helped hold/position the segments. Didn't notice that at all initially... until I scratched an itch. I've decided to not shave my mustache again. I'll wear it as a badge until I can trim it away.

I've also placed an Amazon order for a pack of 500 "lunch lady" gloves