Scratches in CA finish

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tbroye

tbroye

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Joined
Sep 3, 2007
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Location
Sacramento, CA, USA.
I am getting a little frustrated. I am using CA to finish my pens. When I get done and start assembling the pen I see fine scratches or lines in the finish. I assume they are in the finish. I did a pen with DI and sanded to 600 then applied some thin CA to seal the wood and the proceeded to apply 4 coats of medium CA with out BLO. I did not go back and forth over the CA, but applied and waited a couple of minuets and applied the next coat. I then used MM pads from 1500-12000 and that may be the problem starting out to low a MM. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The work light above my lathe is a small 2 tube florescent fixture, an old desk light. so I may need to change that so I can see better when applying the finish.
 
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A finish on a pen is related to the amount of prep you do on the wood itself. Sanding to 600 may not be far enough. I sand to 100 then use micromesh prior to applying a finish of any kind. Are you sanding lengthwise between grits of sandpaper and micromesh? Are you cleaning off the sanding dust between sanding grits. The dust will have some of the grit in it and will interfere with the next finer grit. Maybe the applicator you use for the CA is making the scratches. Think through what you do and decide where these scratches are being introduced. I do hope you figure it out...finding those scratches during assembly is not fun.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Originally posted by tbroye

I am getting a little frustrated. I am using CA to finish my pens. When I get done and start assembling the pen I see fine scratches or lines in the finish. I assume they are in the finish. I did a pen with DI and sanded to 600 then applied some thin CA to seal the wood and the proceeded to apply 4 coats of medium CA with out BLO. I did not go back and forth over the CA, but applied and waited a couple of minuets and applied the next coat. I then used MM pads from 1500-12000 and that may be the problem starting out to low a MM. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The work light above my lathe is a small 2 tube florescent fixture, an old desk light. so I may need to change that so I can see better when applying the finish.
Click to expand...
 
Are the scratches along the axis or across the axis? A lot of people forget forget to sand along the axis. Don't forget to clean up after each grit as well. And wet sanding helps too.
 
Even 12000 micro mesh will leave a scratch pattern when looked at under a magnifying glass. We use to go through some of the same problems. One problem is that the 8000 and 12000 mesh will load up on CA and a small amount that you cannot see with your eyes will start to cause scratches around the blank. The other problem is that even after the 12000 you need to buff out the finish. There are several ways to do this. You can use buffing wheels or something like Novus, which is easier for us and we don't have to worry about keeping buffing wheels clean of any saw dust or other contamination.

Mike
 
Tom,

Scratches are a pain. But, you knew that.

Get another light - maybe a "clamp lamp" with a big reflector (that's what I use - $6 ea at Lowe's) Put a 100w bulb in it and stop your lathe after sanding -- CHECK for scratches BEFORE you CA.

IF you KNOW they were NOT there before your first CA coat, and you find them later, they HAVE to be in the CA process. So, you won't have to sand back to WOOD to get rid of them.

The ones that REALLY got my goat were being introduced by my PAPER TOWELS!!!

I switched to <s>Kleenex</s> (sorry, almost an ad) "nose-blowing tissues" which eliminated the problem. BUT it took a while to figgur that one out.

Stop between steps and LOOK ---- REALLY LOOK ----- at your work so you KNOW when the scratches were introduced. THEN determine WHAT you are using in that step that is making it scratch.

GOOD LUCK!!!
 
I have found it helps to use a plastic polish like Novus or, I like to use an automotive antiswirl compound like McGuire's followed by pure carnuba was and TSW.
 
Took it down with Automotive wet/dry 600 paper applied two coats of CA and then MM from 2400-12000, then plastic polish, and Jhonson Paste wax. It looks beautiful now. I did change paper towles the hosehold generic paper is softer, and cheaper then the white box of towles from HD. I also think the CA was bad as it wasn't setting up real fast was still tacky after 2 or 3 minuets. Tossed it and use a new bottle of med CA and everything is fine. Will know more and the next one I do from scratch.
Thanks for all the help.
 
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