The Best Finish?

[lazylathe]

Hi all,

A question:

What is a good, durable finish that is easy to apply for a beginner?

I have tried 3 different brands and thicknesses of CA and have had no luck. Have not given up but will work on it again at a later date!
Used a shellac wax finish that looks quite good but does not have any depth to it.
Used Minwax Poly and like the look of it, but do not like how long it takes to dry and reapply and then finish.
At present i only have one mandrel and it ties things up for too long...

Thinking of trying some of the Mylands high build friction polish.

Any suggestions??:confused:

Andrew

[Brad]

friction polish is fast and looks good, but dulls quickly when handled. It will also discolour from skin oils.
I would suggest a CA/BLO finish. Try the method shown by William Young:
http://penturnersparadise.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=2869

[PJT]

Andrew I fully agree with Brad don't give up on the blo/ca finish till you watch Willam's method. Other then some of the oily woods (use alcohol to degrease first) it works great for me . The only thing I do different is use the blue towel folded over a couple of times keep it moving and on the finishing pass make sure to let it heat up a bit . I also use thick ca. Keep up the good work
Pete

[Mike in Nanaimo]

Andrew;
Mylands is a temporary finish. Practice the CA and you will have the best. Look in the instructions on WWW and you will find a small simple tutorial. Remember your finish will only be as good as whats is underneath it.

[Sawdust]

First of all, HANG IN THERE

In my opinion, the CA finish is the quickest/durable finish. Experiment with different methods of applying it. Williams method doesn't work at all for me. The med CA method does. Use some practice blanks of scraps with no tube inserted. I used 2 X 4's when I started and practiced, turning between centers until I found something that worked consistently for me. Don't waste good blanks and tubes. Just turn a cylinder and have at it. Also, you don't have to tie up a mandrel. Search for Ed Blysard's dip method. Search all the other forums also. IAP has several methods in their tutorial section. The one method to avoid is the frustration method. It does take time. You find it one day. It'll be an "Ahhh Hahhhh" moment.

[Crickett]

Hi Andrew,

Ed is right, (I can't believe I just typed that) we've both been making pens for the same length of time (I think???) ... at least we joined the forum at the same time and were both newbies to this addiction. It took a long time for me to get the CA/BLO method and even now I don't always use it, sometimes just straight CA for about 4 coats or I do BLO, CA/BLO, CA, CA/BLO ... just depends on the wood.

There has been discussions on CA brands as well, THEY say there shouldn't be a difference in brands but I think there is because I get an unbelievable finish with the KMS CA.

Keep up with it and don't sniff too many fumes, we already have too many of those on here!!! :p :D

[lazylathe]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement!!
I have yet to try CA with BLO.
Can anyone explain the exact reason to using BLO?
Using an oil and then CA does not make too much sense to me at the moment, but from all the replies it seems to be THE method!!
Just want to find out the science behind it all, ormaybe it is an art??

Stopping by the HD tonight after work to pick up a bottle of BLO!

Can i use Methyl Hydrate to clean the wood before application?
Or does it have to be Denatured Alcohol??

Could also be the last batch of CA i bought...
Picked it up in an ancient store and the bottle was kind of gummy inside...
Don't think the model train store does a lot of stock movement...

Andrew!

[Larry in Harrow]

Hi Andrew,
Boiled Linseed Oil is not actually boiled but it's curing speed is enhanced with metalic driers (Oxidizers). Incidently these same oxidizers cause the fire hazard, don't leave oily rags laying around.
The oil in the CA/BLO process acts as a lubricant for the applicator. We tried many other oils but BLO seems to work better than others, probably because of a reaction with the above mentioned driers. Try any of the tutorials for the application.
I believe that the blotchy problem is, as Brad suggests, caused by uneven sanding. It seems most people experiencing the problem also turn using a mandrel. The out of round errors caused by the mandrel are not critical for the barrel material which even on the thinnest kits is still at least 0.030" thick. However on a finish film that is 0.002" or less it is a different story. If you feel a wobble when you sand you have a problem. If you can feel it on your side of the sandpaper I think the pen barrel can also "feel" it, and it's on the business side of the paper.
My finishes improved a great deal when I threw away the mandrels. BTW, I don't use CA as a finish at all so take this with a grain of salt.



Thanks for all the replies and encouragement!!
I have yet to try CA with BLO.
Can anyone explain the exact reason to using BLO?
Using an oil and then CA does not make too much sense to me at the moment, but from all the replies it seems to be THE method!!
Just want to find out the science behind it all, ormaybe it is an art??

Stopping by the HD tonight after work to pick up a bottle of BLO!

Can i use Methyl Hydrate to clean the wood before application?
Or does it have to be Denatured Alcohol??

Could also be the last batch of CA i bought...
Picked it up in an ancient store and the bottle was kind of gummy inside...
Don't think the model train store does a lot of stock movement...

Andrew!

[lazylathe]

Hi Larry,

Thanks for the science!
Makes some sense now!

Not quite sure what you are talking about when you mention the "Blotchy problem" The finish seems to go on evenly and smoothly, at least with the ones i have used so far...:)
No bumps felt and sanding is done evenly and the barrel feels like silk when sanding.
If i roll a barrel on a flat surface it is a smooth roll with no hiccups at all.


As a side... What finish do you use???

[Larry in Harrow]

As a side... What finish do you use???

Some shiney stuff! Actually Target Oxford Super Clear Water born Polyurethane applied with an air brush.

[lazylathe]

That is a bit too high tech for me for now!!!:D

First i will master the CA/BLO method and make a fortune and then i will try your method!!!:eek:

I bet you guys get a perfect finish everytime...:(

[hokkoku]

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement!!

Can i use Methyl Hydrate to clean the wood before application?
Or does it have to be Denatured Alcohol??

Andrew!

Hello Andrew,

If possible, do not use methyl hydrate (aka methanol, wood alcohol). It is a poison that has killed many people when consumed as a liquid and has affected the health of many others when inhaled as a vapor. If you do decide to use it, use gloves and do so in a well ventilated location.

Denatured Alcohol (mistakenly abbreviated as DNA) is mainly ethanol (grain alcohol) with another chemical added to make it undrinkable. This reduces its cost relative to consumable ethanol which is heavily taxed. DNA is useful for removing oils from some oily woods. This usually allows the common finishes to harden in a reasonable time. Acetone will also remove the oils.

Best wishes in a well ventilated space,
Les in Edmonton

[Curly]

Hello Andrew,

If possible, do not use methyl hydrate (aka methanol, wood alcohol). It is a poison that has killed many people when consumed as a liquid and has affected the health of many others when inhaled as a vapor. If you do decide to use it, use gloves and do so in a well ventilated location.

Denatured Alcohol (mistakenly abbreviated as DNA) is mainly ethanol (grain alcohol) with another chemical added to make it undrinkable. This reduces its cost relative to consumable ethanol which is heavily taxed. DNA is useful for removing oils from some oily woods. This usually allows the common finishes to harden in a reasonable time. Acetone will also remove the oils.

Best wishes in a well ventilated space,
Les in Edmonton


Actually they are all bad to breath and touch. Methyl hydrate, acetone and methyl ethel ketone (MEK) are all in the same family of chemicals. Some smell worse than others but that doesn't mean they are worse to inhale. Some don't smell as bad after some exposure and fool your nose into thinking it's not as bad as it realy is. You find out when someone comes by you and asks how can you stand the smell? If I remember correctly one of the things sometimes added to the alcohol to denature it is gasoline. So your warnings about the gloves and ventillation should be heeded for all and if you are going to use a lot then wear a properly fitted cartridge mask with organic vapour cartidges.

Now if I would only listen to my own advise. :rolleyes:;)
Pete

[lazylathe]

Hi guys!

Check out this thread and let me know what you think on the finish i achieved on pen #6!!!:D

http://penturnersparadise.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=4321

Andrew