Beginners finish

[bobh]

Ok, here goes, I feel this may cause a few different points of view but.....
Which finish would you recommend for a complete beginner, I've been turning bowls for a few years and always finish with shellac sanding sealer followed by microcrystalline wax.
Now I can see that the microcrystalline wax may not be durable enough for something like a pen so what do you guys suggest?

 

[Buckeye]

CA.

Peter

 

[Grump]

Whatever you are comfortable using, there is so much bullshit about finishing that i'ts a never ending argument.
If you're happy to use CA then it's without a doubt the quickest hard wearing finish.

 

[Phil Dart]

Blimey - that's done it. Over the last month alone there have been several discussions about finishes, and there is no one size fits all solution.
Here are two of those discussions you might want to look at, and you can bet your bottom dollar this will yield yet more diverse opinions.

http://www.penturners.co.uk/tools-equipment-accessories/12004-friction-polish-finish.html
http://www.penturners.co.uk/turning-pens/11918-alternative-ca.html

The go-to options seem to be friction polish (which in my view is wholly unsuitable for a pen) and CA. My preferred method is a liquid melamine lacquer, but there are also a number of proprietary products available which seem to be gaining ground.

Walter Hall is too much of a gentleman to ever mention it, but he is the author of a leading book on penturning, which covers finishing in some depth.
The Complete Guide to Turning Pens & Pencils. Taunton Press ISBN 978-1-60085-365-4

 

[Penpal]

Read up on the books published on penmaking all of them especially the latest ones very cheap library material to own. Incredibly available also the dealers who freely advertise on this forum who I hold in high regard check also methods etc on Timberbits.com for his videos, Ed Browns vids on Exotic Blanks in the US.

If you feel your question will cause different points of view relax and examine your motives do your part and follow up with your own contributions on how when where and why you found the helps on You Tube as well benefitted you together with the real effort to join Wood Clubs and share with them I note with interest you already are doing some of these things will be interested to read your findings pics of where you live etc the kind of sharing we all cherish.

All the best Bob Peter.

 

[bobh]

Thanks for the replies so far, yes I did realise that there are many differing views on finishing, much like sharpening (BTW, anyone not using a sorbypro edge is just plain wrong ��)
The reason I asked is that although I could and indeed did search the forums for other threads sometimes they can be aimed a little too much at a more experienced pen turner so I thought a beginner specific thread might help me.
I'll follow up the various links latter, but I'm off to the local Sunday afternoon turning club now.
Looking forward to other opinions
Bob

 

[wm460]

CA
Dipping
Rustin Plastic Coat
Are just a few.

 

[Paul]

Hey bob. I'm a newb and I use sealer and wax. But. I guess I'm not a pen seller. So if I was thinking of customers you might go with the long durable advice. But if it's for own use and development then stick with what you have.

 

[Baldy]

Craft coat is about the simplest gives a good finish but durability still to be proven for me but so far so good. But as ever use what you like to use there are so many opinions expressed on here and none of them are wrong but individuals own preferences.. For me it's down to feel.. I like the feel of the wood and not the plasticity of Ca but some of the people I have sold pens to preferred the high gloss finish of ca.. my way around is do some of both.. [emoji6] [emoji12] [emoji39] [emoji106] [emoji106]

 

[Jim]

I use both the CA and Friction finishes, when using the friction finish i do at times use microcrystalline wax to polish up the pen ..

 

[TonyL]

I do what Jim does. But I have been toying with using polyurethane...if I can muster the patience. I have also tried multiple (like 20) coats of General Finishes Wood Turners Finish. For me CA was the fastest.

 

[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

I do what Jim does. But I have been toying with using polyurethane...if I can muster the patience. I have also tried multiple (like 20) coats of General Finishes Wood Turners Finish. For me CA was the fastest.

How did you find the WTF Tony? I watched the Exotic Blanks demo on it and it looked a good idea?

 

[Walter]

Walter Hall is too much of a gentleman to ever mention it, but he is the author of a leading book on penturning, which covers finishing in some depth.
The Complete Guide to Turning Pens & Pencils. Taunton Press ISBN 978-1-60085-365-4

Thank you Phil for the compliment and the mention.

There are so many options for finishing it is impossible to recommend one that is best. Many new ones have been introduced since my book was written. Craft Coat and Drechseln and Mehr pen finish to name but two.

My advice to a beginner would be to try them all and find the one that you are most comfortable with using. They all have advantages and disadvantages. Unsurprisingly, the easiest to apply are often the least robust.

 

[TonyL]

How did you find the WTF Tony? I watched the Exotic Blanks demo on it and it looked a good idea?

It wasn't hard to find here. There are 3 stores within 10 miles of each other that carry it. Here's the manufactuer's/distributor's link: https://generalfinishes.com/

Here's my preference in terms of high-gloss or near high-gloss finishes

1. CA (followed by Meguiars 105, 205, and then Rejex)
2. Pen Plus Friction Polish followed by the Micro Abrasive Wax (aka Dr. Brown's)
3. WTF

- but it takes me more than a dozen coats and a good amount of drying time between coats to achieve something about 75% as good as CA.

I really wished that the WTF performed as well as CA. It was originally designed to finish hardwood floors so I would think the shine and durability would be there. Maybe, I am doing something wrong. I have not tried Craft Coat. I hear (but have never seen) that it achieves more of a semi-gloss finish (again, I have no personal) experience.

I also though this was going to be a high gloss finish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orcgOf4siqc . It definitely easy, but not super high gloss. The video is also 6 years old.

 

[TaylorsMirfield.co.uk]

It wasn't hard to find here. There are 3 stores within 10 miles of each other that carry it. Here's the manufactuer's/distributor's link: https://generalfinishes.com/

Here's my preference in terms of high-gloss or near high-gloss finishes

1. CA (followed by Meguiars 105, 205, and then Rejex)
2. Pen Plus Friction Polish followed by the Micro Abrasive Wax (aka Dr. Brown's)
3. WTF

- but it takes me more than a dozen coats and a good amount of drying time between coats to achieve something about 75% as good as CA.

I really wished that the WTF performed as well as CA. It was originally designed to finish hardwood floors so I would think the shine and durability would be there. Maybe, I am doing something wrong. I have not tried Craft Coat. I hear (but have never seen) that it achieves more of a semi-gloss finish (again, I have no personal) experience.

I also though this was going to be a high gloss finish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orcgOf4siqc . It definitely easy, but not super high gloss. The video is also 6 years old.

Sorry Tony. I wasn't meaning location of resellers :) I have a sample I plan to test.

 

[Louie_Powell]

Men generally have a choice between boxers, briefs or commando.

Likewise pen turners have choices and the decision is often based on the same thing that determine choice of undies - personal preference.

CA, shellac-based friction finish, lacquer-based friction finish, oil alone, wax alone, a combination of oil and wax, polyurethane, or even commando (polished, but no finish). And finishes can be wiped on, sprayed on, or dipped. Part of the fun is experimenting with different finishes to see how the results compare.

 

[TonyL]

Sorry Tony. I wasn't meaning location of resellers :) I have a sample I plan to test.

My fault :-) . I was underwhelmed by the results. I have a large bottle of it. I will try again. I only used it twice so far: first with little drying time, and the second time with the recommended (bottle instructions) drying time. Please let me know what you think.

 

[silver]

as I stated in my thread reply to Phil.

Use what you are comfortable in using and are happy with the results. No harm in playing with other finishes if you want too.

Thank you Phil for the compliment and the mention.

My advice to a beginner would be to try them all and find the one that you are most comfortable with using.

They all have advantages and disadvantages. Unsurprisingly, the easiest to apply are often the least robust.

Couldn't agree more with you Walter..

Men generally have a choice between boxers, briefs or commando.

Nicely put and I can't think of a simpler way to put it.. Unless we put the "budgie smugglers" in there as well..

 

[Penpal]

The Canadian guyts video is interesting cant for the life of me understand how lathe mounting is unimportant to so many small lathe users also the video two down on the grouping from you tube is a ripper also shaky videoing but by a guy using his laser machine over an hour that should fascinate Paul I know it did me.

I guess finishing is like the Olympics. There are the winners the losers and the ones that could have won. All carefully prepared, trained, presented, judged.

Peter.

 

[chas_41_uk]

It's all been said
But for my two pennies worth ... Whatever you are comfortable using :wink: