System 3

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workinforwood

workinforwood

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Generally, I use CA for pen finishing, but I find that there is so much that can go wrong. Perhaps it's just me, or my techniques. I figure the biggest flaw to CA has to be contamination between coats.

I saw in a catalogue system 3 epoxy, which I already do have for some epoxy inlays, and in the catalogue it mentioned using it as a pen finish, where it provides a thick super strong finish in just one coat. So, I mixed some up and applied it. I'm guessing it'll need to sit for 24hrs before sanding and polishing...certainly if I'm right about that it is a bummer in that it takes so long to finish just one pen, but if it's a one step process with great results it could be worth it. Sure, one pen a day, but you could toss in a few acrylics in between or perhaps run more than one mandrel at a time. So anyone else actually using the system 3?
 
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I think it's a crying shame that practically all of us learn friction polish in our first lesson/class, because it sets this notion in our heads that a pen is a one-session, half-hour project. We rarely have this delusion for anything else.

Whoever said you can't buff and assemble later? Or that you can't be about as productive? I just have a couple of 2x4 blocks with 1/4" dowels or rods sticking straight up. I slide my barrels off the mandrell onto these drying holders. They're safe and untouched there. If I want to spray them with lacquer, I'm already set up.

Then, if I'm so inclined, I can go turn another one. This realization that I don't have to drill my blanks and assemble my pens in the same work session is very liberating.
 
I agree with Carl... I did a simple rig for putting aside blanks so I can free up my mandrel. I took a 1x4 short board and drove pairs of nails down the length. I marked the board with "top" and "nib" and even wrote my self a reminder to put the pens on with the center band side down for both pieces so its easier to re-align later (especially for woods where the grain alignment is harder to see).

This frees me up at any point after turning if I desire..
 
Y'all need to take a look at the inexpensive setup Joe Collazo is offering.

Mandrel rods and bushings w/ locking collars or just bushings and locking collars.
Basically, you set the pen up for your finish, get to the point wherein you must wait,
and take that rod off the lathe with the barrels still in place to continue finishing later.
With his system, you can be working as many pens as you want and move the sets back on and off
to continue the finishing process as needed.
It eliminates the concerns Dean refers to above WRT marking a board, moving the barrels around,
getting the different ends out of whack, et al.

See it here: http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=27566

I hope to take pics of the benefits of using his system this weekend.

Gary
 
That's pretty slick ok, but major overkill for me. I never have more than 3 in the works at a time, and i just deal with them in pairs. A rod sticking up out of a board may be crude, but it works fine.

I'm long since over this notion that I have to start and finish a pen in the same hour or even same day. I'll go down and drill several, putting the prepared blanks in the bag with the kit I'm using. Just build up a "bank of blanks" and close down the sawing/drilling/milling side of the shop until I need some more.

Then when I'm ready to turn, I just pull out the blanks, load them on the mandrel and go. Saves a lot of lost motion and setup time.
 
I always have several pens in various stages of being "completely done....If you have this, you can drill some blanks, turn some pens, finish some pens,(all different stages of), and assemble some pens in the same day. It is just not the pen that you turned "today". I will go to my shop later today and turn and sand a pen, put the final stages of finish on another pen, and assemble another. This method gets me one more pen ready to go most every day.
 
Right...I find the more you are patient the better the finish, and with system 3 epoxy, you definitely have to wait. I could see applying the epoxy on the lathe and then carefully sliding them off onto a nail or rod of some sort to cure. Even with CA, it takes more than 24 hrs to truly be cured. The pen I applied the epoxy too really looks pretty awesome at the moment, although the epoxy hasn't even been sanded smooth and buffed. Basically you guys are doing a similar thing as this stuff needs, only in laquer. But is anyone else using system 3 ? I was hesitant, but have to try since the catalogue says it's as good as it gets. I noticed a few other epoxy formulas, but they said they dry ambery, but didn't see it say anything like that for the system 3. Doesn't look ambery so far, but it's only been on hold for maybe 12 hrs so far.
 
I have used regular System 3 epoxy as a finish many times in the past. I use it as a friction finish, however, and do not have to wait like to mention. I apply it quite hevily with the lathe spinning. I then let it set for a few minutes until it starts to get a little firm. I then turn on the lath again and use a cloth rag stretched tight to remove the excess and smooth it out. I let it set another 5 minutes or so and then use a clean part of the rag with the lathe on high speed to burnish it in like a friction polish. The heat generated cures the epoxy for the most part and leaves a nice smooth finish. I then usually apply a second coat in the same manner. Once the second coat it finished, I set it aside until the next day to really cure out. I then buff on my buffing system and get a great looking finish. I also use this process on bowls sometimes.
 
interesting Curtis. I will give that a try. I finished my pen with my old fashioned apply and wait system and it did turn out great. Looks identicle to a CA finish, but no issues with cloudiness. Now if only I had assembled it correctly ! I was making my first click style. I read the instructions thoroughly, did everything it said. I squeezed in the bushing with the female threads, when to thread the two halves together and it wouldn't thread. I was confused for quite some time, then opened another bag and pulled out the part from it. I discovered that it will only thread in from one side, even though that makes no sense to me why. The threads go all the way through, go figure. Can't get it the bushing out so it's sitting in my trash can...$4.50 goodbye. Doesn't say in the instructions that the bushing needs to go in a certain direction, so I was pretty pissed. I know now, but that's a tough way to learn!!!
 
You all came to a very important conclusion I learned the "hard way" a few days ago. One thing I have always liked about pen turning is I can walk away with a finished product(no pun intended) the same day. After seeing the pens on IAP I have realized I need to pay more attention to my finishing. So I decided to turn some pens, put laquer them and let them dry on a homemade jig similar to the ones decribed here. Then I did some acrylics and today I go back to apply more laquer. It was hard at first to leave my shop empty handed but now I have got several stages through out the shop and I am able to leave with pens started a few days ago and actually I am more efficient this way. I can make more in less time some how? Anyway, it is still a work in progress but I am hoping to have some pens to post on the site soon. Most pens to this point haven't been "site worthy" in my opinion. But I am encouraged. Some lessons you just have to learn yourself.
 
I use threaded rod and the old 'tapered' washers as bushings... I'll get ya some pics some time. PLUS, I use several mandrels if I think I need to go back to the lathe...

Point is to keep working with ideas and solutions to find the one that works for you!!
 
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