Using CA for a finish

[Vic Perrin]

Perhaps another dumb question but having never tried to do it what is the process for using CA as a finish

Vic

 

[mattyts]

Linseed oil to highlight the grain,couple of coats of CA then polish and buff I think

Never used the method myself,I get a high gloss finish which is long lasting using friction polish and ren wax without having to breath in the horrible CA fumes.

 

[Woody]

I'm keeping out of this one sorry Vic but I hate the stuff its bad enough when you have to use it to make a blank or infill voids

 

[paulm]

The process I do is:

1 Fold up a piece of kitchen roll till it is about 1/2 wide
2 put the roll under the pen and pour medium ca whilst moving the paper along the wood - to half way and then stop pouring the ca but continue with the paper.
3 Carry on moving up and down the blank with the paper for 3 or 4 strokes
4.Do the other half of the blank
5 spray a dusting of activator
6 wait 10-15 seconds
7 do 2 to 6 as many times as you feel you need. I do it 10 times
8. with an old parting tool or knife cut the end of the ca through so that its not attached to the bushes.
9. using 600 wet and dry sand the blanks to get rid of any ridges. If its very ridged sand with 400
10. sand with 1200 wet and dry
11 polish with buffing cream, car polish, tooth paste, cutting paste... I use cutting paste nowadays
12 polish with clean water.

 

[paulm]

On thing I didnt' say Vic is beware of the fumes as it creates a lot and they are as sticky on you lungs as on the wood. Also always wear eye protection unless you're happy for a nurse to scrape it off your eyeball...

 

[Vic Perrin]

Thanks for all the advice but I think I might give this process a miss it sounds a bit of a messy job and perhaps a bit risky as well.

Like Woody I think stick with conventional methods of finishing.

Vic

 

[bellringer]

Fold three sheets of kitchen paper then turn the lathe on to 700 rpm then put 10-15 coats on the wet sand to 1200 then farcle 300 and 500 from pete b

 

[retreatjohn]

Plenty of demos on youtube!

 

[scouseroy]

I have only used CA as a finish so far ,never had any real problems with it its a bit stinky but it does give a nice finish !!! all this from a bloke who`s avatar is someone with a turkey glued to his head!!!:wink:

 

[Terry]

David of Timberbits has a good video you can watch. The thing with CA is that everyone has a different way of doing it !!!

 

[Jim]

David of Timberbits has a good video you can watch. The thing with CA is that everyone has a different way of doing it !!!

I do mine very similar to what David uses, it works well, but for me to use the CA finish the blank has to be a special one, other wise i just use the friction finish ..


Here is Davids Video

 

[rayf6604]

I don't like it because it takes the feel of the wood away and makes it feel plasticy. I used it the other day on the plywood pen I did and the sanded plywood doesn't feel great. Also if you're doing a burr you might elect to use ca as rescue if it becomes gappy or cracked. But a nice piece of wood is best left with a more natural finish Imho

 

[Woody]

I don't like it because it takes the feel of the wood away and makes it feel plasticy. I used it the other day on the plywood pen I did and the sanded plywood doesn't feel great. Also if you're doing a burr you might elect to use ca as rescue if it becomes gappy or cracked. But a nice piece of wood is best left with a more natural finish Imho

Exactly my point Ray why on earth would you want to cover a beautiful bit of wood with plastic yes done right it dose look good but they don't feel right oh I could go on but I wont but then we each do our own thing its not my fault your all wrong LOL

 

[rayf6604]

JI think all these finishes are good in different ways and we should all have them in our arsenal of finishes to use as we see fit. It's partly why this hobby costs so much coz we need soooo much stuff lol

 

[Grump]

Ca is the best finish available for pens bar none.

 

[bellringer]

if you want a good gloss then ca is the way

 

[mattyts]

I don't mind the plastic feel of CA,I just think it's a lot of effort.

I get high gloss,long lasting finishes using friction polish and wax without having to breath the CA fumes which I really don't get along with,I do use CA when gluing tubes and/or flooding hard to turn blanks but I try to keep its use to a minimal.

 

[cookie21]

Agree with Woody, why spoil a nice piece of wood

 

[bassethound]

I have to use it to get my daily fix!

 

[billyb_imp]

I just use the friction polish & wax

I don't think you get the same tactile sensation with a wood pen covered in CA