Mallee & Redwood Burls

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eskimo

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I've got some really nice Mallee & Redwood Burl blanks, but I am having difficulty finishing them to a high gloss. I'm using a CA/BLO finish (4 coats), MM to 12,000, but just can't get a good gloss. No problem with Amboyna, but these two burls are giving me fits. The pens turn out great & the wood looks good, but it has a matte appearance.

I'd like to continue to use a CA finish for durability, so......

Does anyone have any ideas or tricks that I might try to gloss up the finish on the next pens?

Thanks, Bob
 
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What thickness of CA are you using? I use thick. I put on 3 coats allowing it to dry between coats, then MM to 6000. Then I put on 3 more coats and MM to 12000.

Craig Chatterton
Puyallup, WA
 
You only really need a couple coats of thin and a couple coats of medium or thick. How many coats you need is very dependent on how smoothly you put it on. I can get a good glossy finish with just 3 coats of thin, but it's isn't easy. My guess is that you're sanding back to the wood and that's why it has a satin finish. Try reducing the thin coats to 2 and adding two coats of either medium or thick.
 
I mostly use thick. There was another thread regarding hazy finishes that suggested using thin. I had the same result. I bought brand new CA to eliminate the aging issue, but continue to have the same problem with those two woods. I've MM to 12,000 after 2 coats, then added 2 more, but it seems that I'm merely locking in the matte finish. AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH
 
Are you cleaning your blank with a liquid before applying the CA?

I used to have that problem using DNA. It all went away when I started using CA accelerator.

I only use thick CA on my finishing now since I am having problems when I use thin.
 
Dario,

I haven't been cleaning the blank other than burnishing with shavings. I was concerened that applying anything to the wood might impact the CA's adherance. Are you cleaning the blank with accelerator? How long do you wait before applying the 1st coat of CA?

Bob
 
if you use accelerator or acetone to clean with, you can start applying CA withing a minute. the compressed air is a good option also. i've always had best results with thin CA, but that's just me.
 
on the red mellee I've done I sand to 400, blow off with compressed air and finish with just CA (no BLO). I've never seen a difference in finishing with thin or thick CA other than drying times, and I can get away with less sanding using thin (thinner even coats make less sanding later)
 
I have had trouble with whitish, hazy splotches on red mallee (and many other woods to boot).

I have changed my finish method to sealing with the CA/BLO method, two to five coats (two coats for closed-grain woods, five heavily sanded coats to fill the grain on open-grain woods like ash burls).


After sealing with the CA/BLO, I spray them with a lacquer-type product called conversion varnish (not available in a lot of places since the fumes are harsher than lacquer). You can do the same with lacquer though. I spray the pens, let them cure (a week for lacquer, a day for conversion varnish) and then micromesh them to a high gloss.
 
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