Options for wood?

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Woodchipper

Woodchipper

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
7,698
Location
Cleveland, TN
What different finishes do you pen makers use other than CA? I'll start as I have used several coats of Shellawax or a couple of coats of DIY friction polish. I'm of the old school; love the look and feel of real wood. Thanks in advance for your input.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Although I use a lot of GluBoost CA on pens, for other things I use Hut Crystal Coat liquid friction polish; Doctor's Woodshop Walnut Oil, Pens Plus, and Microcrystalline Wax; and O.B.'s Shine Juice. Of all of them, I've had the longest lasting shine with Doctor's Woodshop.

Hut Crystal Coat, like many friction polishes, is a mixture of shellac and Carnauba wax in some kind of solvent.

Doctor's Woodshop, at least by following the Doctor's Orders, is the more involved than single polishes like Crystal Coat and O.B.'s Shine Juice. Essentially it involves wet sanding using Doctor's Woodshop Walnut Finishing Oil as the "wet" ingredient. Sanding is followed by applying 3 coats of the Pens Plus friction polish and then applying a final coat of Microcrystal Wax (I use the liquid version and not the paste wax version). Here is a link to the Doctor's YouTube video showing the steps involved.

O.B.'s Shine Juice is a formula from O.B. (Orelin Burchman) Lacoste, a woodworker from Lafayette, Louisiana. He was a friend to Cap'n Eddie Castelin who often promoted it in his videos. It is essentially equal parts of Boiled Linseed Oil, De-Waxed Shellac (Like Zinsser Bulls-eye Sealcoat), and Denatured Alcohol.

Dave
 
I use pens plus as well, i think that the good dr sells also a finish called high build..something. maybe that's worth trying.
 
Wipe on Poly. I used this with good results for segmented blanks:

1. A slow speed spinner. 30-40 RPM.
2. Wipe on poly, thin coat.
3. Under a heat lamp for 45-60 minutes
4. Repeat 1-3 above. 4-6 times.
At times, I would let set for 24 hrs, then lightly sand, then repeat.
Sometimes I would repeat the Poly application every 1-2 hrs, for 5-6x. I went by feel vs instructions... ;)

This worked for me - your experience may be different.
 
Another one of these questions that gets asked alot and the usual answers come up. But there is an entire other world out there for wood finishes if you are interested in just keeping a wood finish. They are used in furniture making as well as box making and butcher blocks and things in that area. We all know finishes like polys, CA, lacquers are film finishes and are top coats. But you mention friction finishes. Well you can go down the wax finishes that are and have been around for ages. products like Old Masters Gel poly is very good protective finish., General Finishes has a whole line of finishes like their gel top coat finish, Odies oil finishes, Tried and True linseed and wax finish is also very good. Any of these will do what OB shine does or Capt Eddies or anyone else. They all are a mixture of the same products just called a different name. Friction polishes will have wax in them. But we all know they are the best for keeping that wood feel. You can get in different sheens depending what you are looking for. They will not hold up to a pen because unlike furniture and or boxes they do not get the same handling. Thus we go to top coat finishes which will hold up better. All finishes are easy to apply once you get the hang of them. Friction finishes take some learning. people think you just wipe on and poish but that is not true. There are techniques. Heat is your friend with friction finishes. There are tons of videos on utube on how to apply. I suggest open your mind and experiment. What one person does here does not mean it is the best. They happen to like the results. The world of finishes is so enormous you do not even touch the surface. Lacquers are not all the same. Polys are not all the same. And we know CA are not all the same. Additives from each company makes them unique to that company. Their secret ingrediants. Yes you can make your own concoction.. Add it to the list.

I am a CA top coat pen user.

PS while we are at it here is a product I bet not many heard of or tried. I read here many times people want to fill the large grain woods when doing a finish. here is a water based product used in the finishing world that can do what layers of CA does . Aqua Coat Water-Based Clear Wood Grain Filler Gel, Fast-Drying, Low Odor.
 
Another thing i am experimenting on is a diy danish oil, i.e. turpentine, oil ( either tung ot blo) and varnish ( oil polyurethane) in equal parts. I start with thin shellac a bit of sanding (about 600 grit) and then a few hands of the above mentioned mix. It is intented for wooden pens that dont see a lot of use and dont want to feel plastic in the touch. The only thing to bear in mind is that the type of wood used is really important as different woods have different texture, oil content etc.cheers
 
jttheclockman said:
PS while we are at it here is a product I bet not many heard of or tried. I read here many times people want to fill the large grain woods when doing a finish. here is a water based product used in the finishing world that can do what layers of CA does . Aqua Coat Water-Based Clear Wood Grain Filler Gel, Fast-Drying, Low Odor.
Click to expand...
This looks very interesting. How do you apply this stuff to pen blanks on the lathe? And then what steps do you take to finish after applying?
 
Danny Linguini said:
This looks very interesting. How do you apply this stuff to pen blanks on the lathe? And then what steps do you take to finish after applying?
Click to expand...
As I mentioned I do not use anything other than CA for wood pens. I usually do a few coats of thin to seal the wood and sand and then do a few coats of med. CA. I use Satellite City CA. As for this filler I use it on boxes and shelves and things like that. It basically a clear wood filler. Apply with a credit card or flat scraper. sand and reapply as needed. Then top coat with whatever you want. I like to use satin spray on lacquers.
 
Woodchipper said:
Mark, thanks for sharing your technique. What grit sandpaper? Have used WOP on a couple of small turnings.
Click to expand...
After applying several light coats, I would only want to eliminate any high spots. Usually 600 Abranet. After I got experienced with the slow speed spinner, I often did not need to do any final 'treatments' - polishing, buffing, etc. after the final coat. It was time consuming, but I usually liked the process as much as the end result; I was just having fun. This is also why many of my segmented pens were 'one offs'. OK, I figured that design out, onto something new.

This was where I got my spinner from: https://mudhole.com/collections/rod...6UP5nqyy1-rj_ULYAqBZnCvdzwT5HuGGVG2GJSe4pHHZR.

IMG_0622.jpeg
IMG_0620.jpeg
66922371477__8B93D71F-89B6-4D06-A862-4926EFF3EDC0.jpeg


IMG_0622.jpeg
IMG_0620.jpeg
 
Last edited:
jttheclockman said:
As I mentioned I do not use anything other than CA for wood pens. I usually do a few coats of thin to seal the wood and sand and then do a few coats of med. CA. I use Satellite City CA. As for this filler I use it on boxes and shelves and things like that. It basically a clear wood filler. Apply with a credit card or flat scraper. sand and reapply as needed. Then top coat with whatever you want. I like to use satin spray on lacquers.
Click to expand...
I'm trying this AquaCoat now on segmented wood pen blanks. Got the first coat drying, then I'll give it a very light sanding to scuff it up for the next coat with 400 grit paper. I'll see how that looks and decide if I want a third coat or not. I'll let that cure for 24 hours, then hit it with 1200-3000 grit sanding sponges (dry), and then see how EEE and shellawax look over that. Pics to come when it's all done. Thank you for this suggestion!
 
Reviewing this information before posting the same question. Thanks to all. I have used Shellawax with multiple applications. Yesterday, I did a cocobolo blank with Captain Eddie's friction polish- equal parts of BLO, shellac and DNA. I was impressed with the results.
Mark, I used to build custom fishing rods. A slow turner can be made from an old microwave oven motor.
 
Woodchipper said:
What different finishes do you pen makers use other than CA? I'll start as I have used several coats of Shellawax or a couple of coats of DIY friction polish. I'm of the old school; love the look and feel of real wood. Thanks in advance for your input.
Click to expand...
I like the feel of wood also. I use lacquer. I use spray as canned goes bad sooner. I spray on a blue paper shop towel and apply it on the lathe while it turns. Dries super fast so I give it several coats. Good protection and it still feels like wood. I like acrylics also but wood should feel like wood.
 
So far on lignum vitae - nothing just buffed up with shavings and it gave a lovely semi matt finish which felt great.

Generally melamine lacquer for gloss finish and great protection without masking the wood feel too much.

tried CA but no real success so far, I know I need to practice more.

Friction polish worked but does it last 🤷‍♂️ 10 years down the line and had no complaints but those were gifted pens. On my own it's worn to a great patina on some burr elm ones.

Danish oil can work but again long term not sure . It does give a semi matt finish and great fro accentuating grain structure.
 
Long term wear is an open debate as to how much a person uses a pen. My wife has the first pen I turned at a Woodcraft class. Uses it for about 30 minutes Sunday morning. Then there is the other end of the spectrum of several times a day.
 
Woodchipper said:
Bullwinkle, what speed do you use?
Click to expand...
Not critical really. But not super fast as you don't want to get splattered with lacquer.
I have done it at same speed I turn at as I'm lazy to adjust belt. Wish I'd have gotten variable speed. Thing is, since paper towel is wet but NOT soaked and dripping, I've not as of yet got sprayed with the lacquer.
 
I'd been out of the shop for a few months due to a persistent cold and general malaise, but I finally got back down there a few weeks ago. The first blanks I used the Aqua Coat on (water based grain filler) have gotten the full EEE and Shellawax treatment and have been sitting for several weeks now. I'm very pleased with the results so far, but I'm not quite done yet. The finish is definitely glassier than my earlier wood samples, which is what I was trying to accomplish. Now that they've been sitting and the wax has fully hardened, my next step is to do the Penn State 3-step buffing system. The goal here is to get a little bit more luster on the finish. I have four Princess pens in process, using blue and purple stabilized box elder blanks. They've been a bugger to turn, with lots of pits and a couple of tear-outs that needed repair; otherwise the finish so far (prior to buffing) is looking very nice. Pics to come once all four are waxed and the process is further along.
 
Well, it was a miserable day at the office. First, I reconfigured the lathe for the 8" buffer wheel setup from Penn State, and set to buffing a set of blanks that's been sitting for about a month so the shellawax could fully harden. After going through all three steps on one piece, I could see exactly zero difference between it and the one that wasn't buffed. Nothing. Very disappointing for the $80 I spent on the kit. Next I set to assembling the click pen those blanks were turned for, and I screwed up the steps, mainly because the instructions need to be read through a microscope. Because of how the pieces are pressed in, there's no way to punch them out without destroying something. So hours of work on the blanks and a whole click pen kit went into the trash. I am jerked, because I HATE wasting stuff. No need to respond or offer suggestions, I just needed to vent. All in all, confidence took a major hit.
 
jttheclockman said:
PS while we are at it here is a product I bet not many heard of or tried. I read here many times people want to fill the large grain woods when doing a finish. here is a water based product used in the finishing world that can do what layers of CA does . Aqua Coat Water-Based Clear Wood Grain Filler Gel, Fast-Drying, Low Odor.
Click to expand...
It's taken me way too long to respond to this, but I have in fact tried this Aqua Coat, and I love it. Might be the best suggestion I've received here so far. The process I've found works very well:
- Turn blanks to their final shape.
- Sand 150, 240, and 320 grit paper.
- Quick wipe with odorless mineral spirits to clean off dust, skin oils, and any other contaminants.
- Apply thin coats of Aqua Coat; at least two, with an hour between coats, three or more if the material is pitty (sometimes is the case with stabilized wood).
- Let the last coat dry overnight.
- Resume sanding with 320, 400, 600, 800 grit paper, then 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 grit sanding sponges (dry).
- Steel wool, just for the halibut.
- Another wipe of mineral spirits, then let set a few minutes to thoroughly dry.
- 1 or 2 coats of EEE.
- 1 or 2 coats of shellawax, buffed with a lint-free microfiber cloth.

The finish ends up super smooth, though the shellawax is still not quite as glossy as I'd like, but damn close. I'm going to try Mylands Friction Polish, as that stuff supposedly gives a better shine with enough layers. But the bottom line here is, I'm loving the results with the Aqua Coat.
 
Danny, you let blanks finished with Shellawax sit and buff? Shellawax is supposed to be not good for wear and tear for pens. Interesting as I will try that.
 
Woodchipper said:
Danny, you let blanks finished with Shellawax sit and buff? Shellawax is supposed to be not good for wear and tear for pens. Interesting as I will try that.
Click to expand...
I did just recently try to buff one of these finished with shellawax after it sat for almost a month. I was not happy with the result - there was no distinguishable difference between the buffed blank and the unbuffed one. This was using the PSA 3-step buffing system. That was rather disappointing. I've read that shellawax isn't the most durable finish, but so far it's held up well for me and the folks I've given pens to. Awhile back I did try CA on some scraps; I don't remember why, but I didn't like the process or the result. So I'm sticking with refining my friction polishing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom