Tips and tricks for high gloss with Alumilite Clear Slow blanks?

[Hippie3180]

Previously, I've purchased blanks that I wasn't always sure what they were made of, some vendors are better at listing the material than others. Anyway, most of the blanks I've turned in the past I've been able to get a nice glass like finish. As we all know, Alumilite is a bit different in terms of the way it polishes up. I looked back at older posts about this topic and I didn't find anything very definitive (except that this is an issue). Has anyone found a solid polishing method to get an optimal high gloss finish with Alimilite, or no?

My current method is Micromesh, then plastic polish, it's a decent shine but not like other blanks. I don't currently own a buffing system and I suspect that may be the key. Thoughts?

 

[bugradx2]

I put some CA (GluBoost) on mine and it gets a nice shine that way.

 

[Hippie3180]

Really? Hmmm.

Do you notice it holding onto micro scratches more than other materials. I'm wondering if I need to do more to get rid of them, before I used Gluboost?

I've seen some Alumilite that is shiny is why I ask and that may be the way they are getting to that shiny finish.

 

[Woodchipper]

What plastic polish are you using? Some might zero in on this.

 

[Hippie3180]

I don't use Hut or any specialized plastic polish.

 

[JohnU]

Urethane and epoxy resins don't shine up as easily as polyresin. Some buff them to a nice finish and others use plastic polish like Novus and others with acceptable results, but if you place them alongside one finished with Gluboost you will see a difference. I apply a Gluboost finish to all of my alumilite balnks. The shine holds up much longer than just polish.

 

[Hippie3180]

Urethane and epoxy resins don't shine up as easily as polyresin. Some buff them to a nice finish and others use plastic polish like Novus and others with acceptable results, but if you place them alongside one finished with Gluboost you will see a difference. I apply a Gluboost finish to all of my alumilite balnks. The shine holds up much longer than just polish.

Excellent! Thank you.

 

[its_virgil]

My experience is the longer an alumilite or expoy blank sits on the shelf after casting the better the shine. Maybe its my imagination.

 

[Brandy]

Stadium Pen Blanks Magic Juice gives mine a really nice shine

 

[JohnU]

My experience is the longer an alumilite or expoy blank sits on the shelf after casting the better the shine. Maybe its my imagination.

That would make sense. I think it gets harder with age, and the harder the resin the better the shine. I find it more obvious in the "clear"resin blanks but not so much in color casts made with "white".

 

[bugradx2]

Really? Hmmm.

Do you notice it holding onto micro scratches more than other materials. I'm wondering if I need to do more to get rid of them, before I used Gluboost?

I've seen some Alumilite that is shiny is why I ask and that may be the way they are getting to that shiny finish.

JohnU is truly the expert on alumilite, way more than I'll ever be. My use of GluBoost on those blanks comes from him and others in our local IAP chapter.

I should have been more specific in my response earlier too. For me, I sand up to 600 (that's where my sanding strip kit goes, no other reason) and I do make a point to sand away the tangential marks by sanding in line with the lathe axis before starting a new grit. Once at 600 I use a couple coats of medium GluBoost and then 3-5 coats of thin. I'll micro mesh sand after that. Lately I've been using some Flitz polish after the micro mesh sanding, probably a little overkill but it does seem to make a little difference on blanks when compared to one without it. There are a couple conversations on here stating Flitz and One Step Polish are the same thing so if you have that you could give it a go. This is an alumilite pen I finished a couple weeks ago with it.

 

[Hippie3180]

Thank you for your helpful input, I follow pretty much the same sanding protocol, but I haven't tried the Gluboost. I will get some and give it a try.

Thanks again!

 

[Aurelius]

Personally, I wet sand from 320 through 1000 and that's all I need to get a really nice finish. Someone recommended the Mirka Goldflex which is a foam backed sandpaper which is what I use. I feel like it gives a little more cushioning and that seems to give a smoother finish. (Or maybe I'm just imagining it.)
I also picked up a bottle of PlastX to put a final polish on but, so far, I haven't felt like I needed it.

 

[mrrichieboy]

My experience is the longer an alumilite or expoy blank sits on the shelf after casting the better the shine. Maybe its my imagination.

I always leave mine to cure for a minimum of a week and the shine is much better.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

My experience is the longer an alumilite or expoy blank sits on the shelf after casting the better the shine. Maybe its my imagination.

I agree with Virgil. I have no science to back it up but, I think older blanks polish better than newer ones.
I use car polishes and scratch remover to polish my pens. I'm going to have to give this Glueboost a try.