I sand with sand paper starting with 220 through 400. This part is
up to the individual turner as to how smooth and how far you turn
your blank. You may need to start with 150 or whatever you feel is
better.
Next I use Micro Mesh 1500 through 12,000 at the slowest speed
keeping the Micro Mesh moving at all times. Remember Micro Mesh will
melt.
For the sanding sealer and the Enduro I use Viva paper towell. I cut
off a piece of towell about 4" x 6" and fold into a 1/2" to 3/4" x
6" strip. I make two, one for the sanding sealer and one for the
Enduro. I also purchased a couple small bottles like CA comes in and
I put my sanding sealer in one and Enduro in the other. Its a lot
easier that trying to drip from a quart container.
I now put on three coats of sanding sealer. With the lathe again
running at the lowest speed I hold the folded paper towell behind the
slowly turning blank and drip sanding sealer on the top of the blank
moving the towell back and forth to even out the SS. The sanding
sealer will only take 2 or 3 minutes to dry. After the first coat
dries I then put on another just like the first. Lastly with the
lathe off, I put a drop at a time on the folded pad I put on the last
coat in the opposit direction, from end to end.
At this point the sanding sealer will need to cure for in my opinion,
at least four to six hours. I let mine cure overnight. I take the
blank off the mandrel and put on another spare mandrel and work on
another pen.
Now the sanding sealer has cured and I sand with the Micro Mesh
starting with 3200 through 12,000. I DO NOT sand all of the sanding
sealer off the blank, I am just smoothing it out and polishing it.
I now take the second folded pad of paper towell and again with the
blank turning at the slowest speed I put on three coats of Enduro
Poly. I do this again holding the pad behind the blank and drip the
Enduro on top sliding the pad back and forth a couple times to even
it out. Enduro dries very fast so be carfull to just even the Enduro
out on the blank. I put on three coats total of the Enduro Poly each
in the same direction with the lathe running at low speed. There
will be rings but they will even out later with the finial sanding
and polishing.
From what I've found the cure time is a little faster for the poly
that the sanding sealer, I only let the Enduro cure for 3 or 4 hours.
I get the Micro Mesh out again and starting with 3200 I lightly
smooth the blanks, again with the lathe at low speed. I use all of
the Micro Mesh grits from 3200 up to 12,000.
At this time if you have a beautifull set of blanks that are ready to
be assembled into a pen, or whatever it is you are making.
up to the individual turner as to how smooth and how far you turn
your blank. You may need to start with 150 or whatever you feel is
better.
Next I use Micro Mesh 1500 through 12,000 at the slowest speed
keeping the Micro Mesh moving at all times. Remember Micro Mesh will
melt.
For the sanding sealer and the Enduro I use Viva paper towell. I cut
off a piece of towell about 4" x 6" and fold into a 1/2" to 3/4" x
6" strip. I make two, one for the sanding sealer and one for the
Enduro. I also purchased a couple small bottles like CA comes in and
I put my sanding sealer in one and Enduro in the other. Its a lot
easier that trying to drip from a quart container.
I now put on three coats of sanding sealer. With the lathe again
running at the lowest speed I hold the folded paper towell behind the
slowly turning blank and drip sanding sealer on the top of the blank
moving the towell back and forth to even out the SS. The sanding
sealer will only take 2 or 3 minutes to dry. After the first coat
dries I then put on another just like the first. Lastly with the
lathe off, I put a drop at a time on the folded pad I put on the last
coat in the opposit direction, from end to end.
At this point the sanding sealer will need to cure for in my opinion,
at least four to six hours. I let mine cure overnight. I take the
blank off the mandrel and put on another spare mandrel and work on
another pen.
Now the sanding sealer has cured and I sand with the Micro Mesh
starting with 3200 through 12,000. I DO NOT sand all of the sanding
sealer off the blank, I am just smoothing it out and polishing it.
I now take the second folded pad of paper towell and again with the
blank turning at the slowest speed I put on three coats of Enduro
Poly. I do this again holding the pad behind the blank and drip the
Enduro on top sliding the pad back and forth a couple times to even
it out. Enduro dries very fast so be carfull to just even the Enduro
out on the blank. I put on three coats total of the Enduro Poly each
in the same direction with the lathe running at low speed. There
will be rings but they will even out later with the finial sanding
and polishing.
From what I've found the cure time is a little faster for the poly
that the sanding sealer, I only let the Enduro cure for 3 or 4 hours.
I get the Micro Mesh out again and starting with 3200 I lightly
smooth the blanks, again with the lathe at low speed. I use all of
the Micro Mesh grits from 3200 up to 12,000.
At this time if you have a beautifull set of blanks that are ready to
be assembled into a pen, or whatever it is you are making.