Yes one more CA Problem / Swirling

[Federman]

Does anyone have any thoughts on swirling created by applying CA for finishing? I have looked for previous posts but may have missed it. Nothing relating to this specific issue.

I have prepared the blanks for finish. I apply a pool of Slow Curing CA on a paper towel and apply the CA and BLO. It creates swirls every time I try it. I therefore have to sand to get the swirls out.
I am pretty sure tit is the application of the clue that is the problem but cannot figure out what is wrong.

I have tried different glue (thick/thin), Papertowels, lathe speed, etc...

Is there something I am missing?


Thanks in advance!

 

[Fred]

You may be applying too much CA and/or not moving your finger down the blank fast enough. BLO and CA react rather rapidly, however, the slow setting CA seems to give me a bit longer working time. Also, if the material is warm it will react faster. Do the CA/BLO in layers with a bit of polishing in between each layer.

Try getting the CA and maybe even the BLO cooled down. You do have a refrigerator in the shop for the beverages ... right! [}]

 

[Federman]

Originally posted by Fred_erick
<br />You may be applying too much CA and/or not moving your finger down the blank fast enough. BLO and CA react rather rapidly, however, the slow setting CA seems to give me a bit longer working time. Also, if the material is warm it will react faster. Do the CA/BLO in layers with a bit of polishing in between each layer.

Try getting the CA and maybe even the BLO cooled down. You do have a refrigerator in the shop for the beverages ... right! [}]

Maybe the heat of where I am working has something to do with it.
I don't think I am using too much CA or going too slow. I will try cooling the CA on the next one and see if it is any different.
Thanks, anything new helps.

 

[Monty]

Be careful if you put your CA in the fridge. If you live in a humid area, when you take the CA out of the fridge, water vapor may condense on the inside of the bottle and ruin the CA.

 

[leehljp]

I get swirls occasionally with thick CA and paper towel. I put BLO on the paper towel, let it soak in and put the CA on top of that and rub/spread it on and have less problem this way. I just recently went back to CA BLO rather than CA alone and much of the swirl with thick CA stopped. Medium and thin give me not problems. This is in a 85% and there abouts humidity shop.

 

[Federman]

Originally posted by leehljp
<br />... I put BLO on the paper towel, let it soak in and put the CA on top of that and rub/spread it on and have less problem this way. ...

I thought BLO was a Catalyst for CA. Wouldn't that activate it more? I may be way off...

 

[leehljp]

Originally posted by Federman
<br />

Originally posted by leehljp
<br />... I put BLO on the paper towel, let it soak in and put the CA on top of that and rub/spread it on and have less problem this way. ...

I thought BLO was a Catalyst for CA. Wouldn't that activate it more? I may be way off...

It is done both ways. Either ways is fine. There have been discussions as to which is more effective. I find that if I use paper towel, thick and sometimes medium CA, get the least bit distracted and lose my focus, CA grabs the paper towel - on about one in 8 to 10 pens. It hasn't happened since I started putting the BLO on the paper towel first.

I put 3 or 4 drops of BLO on part the towel and fold to soak it in - that is on the layer that I will use to apply the CA.

Others will have just as good advice for doing it the other way. A few months ago, Russ Fairfield had a good article on making pens this way or that, finishing with that or this - and in the end all looking just as great. It comes down to an individual's style and what works best for him or her. I started with CA/BLO dropped the BLO for a year and am back on it - since 3 months ago.

My problem was that I used a lot of oily woods and often had separation of CA on the ends. So I stopped BLO altogether. It didn't help that much. I started using the "no Mandrel" method about 3 months ago, had great success and started back with the BLO, but putting it on the paper towel first - which has helped prevent paper towel grab from the thick CA on the blanks.

I could be wrong in my assumptions, but it is working for me now.

 

[RONB]

I've started using Delrin strips and this solved a multitude of the swirl problems.