Problem with CA

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JerryS

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
145
Location
Phila Pa
Yesterday I turned my second pen , purpleheart was my wood of choice . Everything went fine with the finish but when I started to assembly the pen I noticed the finish was turning white , like puffy little clouds . I finished in the same manner as my first pen which turned out fine . Speed was around 1350 and I used thin CA with the paper towel method . Any ideas what happened here , I put the pen back on the lathe and sanded the CA off and just used triple E and shellawax . TIA

Jerry
 
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CaptG

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Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
2,686
Location
Otsego, Mi, USA.
I used to get that problem with olive wood. Now I wipe down my blanks, after sanding, with acetone. That has cured the white cloud problem for me.
 

cozee

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Joined
Oct 4, 2005
Messages
1,764
Location
Sadorus, IL.
Moisture is usually the culprit 9 times outta 10. I wipe my blanks with rubbing alcohol and a lint free cloth.
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2004
Messages
163
Location
madison, wi, USA.
I have used a piece of paper towel with denatured alcohol to wipe the blank prior to applying BLO/CA finish.
To be certain that the wood is dry, I turn the speed to highest and use a dry piece of the paper towel to heat the blank.
No problem with white cloudiness.

Larry
 

leehljp

Member Liaison
Joined
Feb 6, 2005
Messages
9,314
Location
Tunica, Mississippi,
To put things in the right perspective - It is not a problem with CA. It is a problem with moisture. One way to help get the moisture out fast is - before applying the finish - turn the pen at a modest speed 1000 - 2000 and wipe with a paper towel for 10 to 15 seconds to get it warm, wait about 30 seconds and repeat, do this several times. It has been my experience that the heat build up will "help" it release moisture that is accumulated from wiping with DNA, but not always. I now use DNA only on rare occasions because of moisture lingering in the wood after use.

Edit: I didn't need to add this, Larry above said the same thing.
 
Last edited:

Rudy Vey

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Joined
Jan 26, 2004
Messages
2,032
Location
South Plainfield, NJ, USA.
Moisture is usually the culprit 9 times outta 10. I wipe my blanks with rubbing alcohol and a lint free cloth.

Careful here, my friend!! Rubbing alcohol often is only 60-70% alcohol and the rest is water!!! If you need to rub down a blank for whatever reason, use some solvent, water free!! I totally gave up wiping blanks before finishing with any liquid, I give them an intense dry-rubbing with an old towel. This for me removes and loose dust and all oils or what could be on the surface.
 

bubbatd

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2008
Messages
21
Location
Reno Nv.
You might try burnishing your blank with some of the shavings from the same blank,that will heat up the blank.
 
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