Thread: New Alternative Accelerator for Thin CA - "Super Tight As Method"

Interesting David. Bit time consuming.

How would straight heat go?

In the time it takes to grab the kettle and hold it there, my CA would have gone off by itself anyway

Honestly, may work for fine grained solid wood, but if there are any holes or ponding of the CA, you are asking for white spots

Hi David,

I hadn't used CA before, but had looked at many youtube video's, many times. But didn't have the courage to try it.

However, using Glen 20 I have managed to turn out two pens (out of two) that I think look fantastic with their highly polished finish.

As you mentioned, the frosting happens, but mostly disappears with the next layer of CA. I have discovered that the thicker the application of CA the more frosting. Also, on my first attempted pen, I got frosting where I had left two groves in the blank. (My poor turning () After I sanded the blank properly and reapplied CA ... great result.

So it's the steam technique now. Of course - moisture setting off the CA. I have some ideas to for generating a quick burst of steam. I'll get back to you on that.

So now that the finish is well on the way to being mastered, just got to sort out a quick and clean way of glueing the tubes to the blanks. (Maybe you could solve that one tonight )) Just kidding.

I wondered what mask / respirator you use when you are applying the CA?

Thank you for the effort you have put into making my pen turning much more enjoyable and hopefully more fruitfull.

Very best regards, Chris

Hey David I have to say love that movie one of my favs and its good to see you fighting back hard with your new ideas well done mate Ian

hey david , 4am is always in the morning.

with the cost of electricity these days to boil the kettle would cost more than the spray would

I just huffed on mine! (Please note I have only made 2 pens. ) I think it just gives you something to do while the CA dries.

I have to agree with Neil. Although I have a steamer that might work, keeping it powered up without letting it explode or getting a steam burn just isn't worth the effort when a can of accelerator costs little for the time it lasts and give good results each time without white spot.

Although I should say I am a convert to Nitro at the moment. I will try CA again soon as its fairly easy to correct mistakes in applying it. I might also try the Rustins some time soon. I have to get all this done before I retire when I can no longer afford to splurge on different sealing methods.

Greg

I don't know David, ya get a bloke hooked on Mitrefix, then all of a sudden ya pull the plug on supply, and expect us Mitrefix junkies to start sniffing steam ?. We must have our ....fix.... (mitrefix). I dunno, looking at, and reading all the info on Mitrefix, on the companies web site, it states that it has been chemically blended and designed to combine with the chemical properties of CA to react with and enhance the curing process. Over the years I have experimented with doing things on the cheap, and nearly every time, further down the track, it comes back to haunt you. The pens cured with Glen20 or with steam etc, who's to say that 2 years from now, they might start to de-laminate or become flakey, or go an odd colour etc. Re- the slower delivery of customers orders because Mitrefix can't be shipped air mail, well people understand that fact, and would order extra in advance to allow for extended delivery times by road. I for one really appreciate your efforts to save us all a few bucks, but I am having great success using CA + Mitrefix, and like the old Mortein fly spray ad goes, 'when your on a good thing, stick to it'.

Hi Steve

There is no pressure for you to change your method, please don't take it personal. I keep saying, if your happy with it stick with it. I am not tell you not to use it.

I am only putting out alternatives for others to try.

I look at it this way, it's like all forms of woodworking. If your a box maker and you love doing dovetail joints and your having success with it, stick with it. If I show others how to make a box with miter joints, it not a personal dig at you to say your method sucks, its just another alternative to try. The same goes with butt joints and finger joints. There are more than one way to skin a cat.

Please don't talk down the method just because you can't get it to work for you.

MiterFix is a great product. I still use it for particular situations where I find it most appropriate. Glen 20 is another great method that many others have mastered with lots of success. I still get emails from people saying that the Glen 20 method is great.

This forum is about sharing information, I am only sharing what I have discovered so others may be able to put it in use without having to go through all experimentation that I have gone through.

Timberbits

Originally Posted by Pariss

I don't know David, ya get a bloke hooked on Mitrefix, then all of a sudden ya pull the plug on supply, and expect us Mitrefix junkies to start sniffing steam ?. We must have our ....fix.... (mitrefix). I dunno, looking at, and reading all the info on Mitrefix, on the companies web site, it states that it has been chemically blended and designed to combine with the chemical properties of CA to react with and enhance the curing process. Over the years I have experimented with doing things on the cheap, and nearly every time, further down the track, it comes back to haunt you. The pens cured with Glen20 or with steam etc, who's to say that 2 years from now, they might start to de-laminate or become flakey, or go an odd colour etc. Re- the slower delivery of customers orders because Mitrefix can't be shipped air mail, well people understand that fact, and would order extra in advance to allow for extended delivery times by road. I for one really appreciate your efforts to save us all a few bucks, but I am having great success using CA + Mitrefix, and like the old Mortein fly spray ad goes, 'when your on a good thing, stick to it'.

Interwood

Check out the thread at this forum on the following link
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/fu...remedy-144433/

That mask is perfect for me. You might like to give it a go. I had to stop using CA because of the headaches but now there are none.
Greg

Originally Posted by timberbits

Hi Steve

There is no pressure for you to change your method, please don't take it personal. I keep saying, if your happy with it stick with it. I am not tell you not to use it.

I am only putting out alternatives for others to try.

I look at it this way, it's like all forms of woodworking. If your a box maker and you love doing dovetail joints and your having success with it, stick with it. If I show others how to make a box with miter joints, it not a personal dig at you to say your method sucks, its just another alternative to try. The same goes with butt joints and finger joints. There are more than one way to skin a cat.

Please don't talk down the method just because you can't get it to work for you.

MiterFix is a great product. I still use it for particular situations where I find it most appropriate. Glen 20 is another great method that many others have mastered with lots of success. I still get emails from people saying that the Glen 20 method is great.

This forum is about sharing information, I am only sharing what I have discovered so others may be able to put it in use without having to go through all experimentation that I have gone through.

Timberbits

Sorry Pariss got to agree with David on this one, I am one that have been using Glen20 for finishing pens. I have a hand held steamer that I bought from Kmart, Pirahna brand, I will give it a go, because I have nothing to lose. I have been using medium CA for a while now and with accelerator if your timing is out just a tad you get a lovely orange peel effect.

I would like to thank David for his efforts for trying new things and not keeping them to himself and using this forum as it is intended, to share knowledge and information and to foster a fellowship within the pen crafting community.

I was using MiterFix long before a lot of people were using it and mentioned it in a post ages ago. In fact using it long before Davids business came into being. Like David I still use MiterFix. I know Bunnings dropped it from there range because the glue was going off and setting in the bottle. I always thought that the glue was no good any way and the only way it was usable was to blend it with thin CA to make a medium type blend of my own. It is still available through 043Turnings, direct from the supplier and there are other alternatives as we have seen posted here.

Working in big business, it is the business' choice whether to dis-continue a line that they sell, we do it everyday, it is also David's choice to do so. As David said there are many ways of doing things, he is showing alternatives to try. If they don't work for you, either try again, if they still don't, I am sure a private message to David saying hey it isn't working for me, do you have any ideas, I am sure he would help. If it doesn't work a third time, give up, walk away and go back to the method you have had success with.

I have seen CA finishes de-laminate 4 years down the track on pens a mate of mine has made and we have sat down gone over his method and he used MiterFix. I even for a stage had my finish crack like china does when it gets old, I used MiterFix, I had to re-evaluate what I was doing wrong and fix it.

All I am saying is David as a business has a right to carry what stock he likes, he has also given alternatives to curing CA, you can try it if you like, if it works, good, if it doesn't, it is not for you. But don't knock a bloke for and idea before it has been tried.

I know some will say who the hell are you to respond like this, but I have been around for a while and have seen pen crafters that have started at a similar time as me and come after me and are doing big things and are proud to know and call friends. I can't afford high end kits, big dollar blanks, I don't cast. I am an average pen crafter, that does average work. I don't post as often as many others, but only if something is worth commenting on. I felt this was.

Originally Posted by bdar

Sorry Pariss got to agree with David on this one, I am one that have been using Glen20 for finishing pens. I have a hand held steamer that I bought from Kmart, Pirahna brand, I will give it a go, because I have nothing to lose. I have been using medium CA for a while now and with accelerator if your timing is out just a tad you get a lovely orange peel effect.

I would like to thank David for his efforts for trying new things and not keeping them to himself and using this forum as it is intended, to share knowledge and information and to foster a fellowship within the pen crafting community.

I was using MiterFix long before a lot of people were using it and mentioned it in a post ages ago. In fact using it long before Davids business came into being. Like David I still use MiterFix. I know Bunnings dropped it from there range because the glue was going off and setting in the bottle. I always thought that the glue was no good any way and the only way it was usable was to blend it with thin CA to make a medium type blend of my own. It is still available through 043Turnings, direct from the supplier and there are other alternatives as we have seen posted here.

Working in big business, it is the business' choice whether to dis-continue a line that they sell, we do it everyday, it is also David's choice to do so. As David said there are many ways of doing things, he is showing alternatives to try. If they don't work for you, either try again, if they still don't, I am sure a private message to David saying hey it isn't working for me, do you have any ideas, I am sure he would help. If it doesn't work a third time, give up, walk away and go back to the method you have had success with.

I have seen CA finishes de-laminate 4 years down the track on pens a mate of mine has made and we have sat down gone over his method and he used MiterFix. I even for a stage had my finish crack like china does when it gets old, I used MiterFix, I had to re-evaluate what I was doing wrong and fix it.

All I am saying is David as a business has a right to carry what stock he likes, he has also given alternatives to curing CA, you can try it if you like, if it works, good, if it doesn't, it is not for you. But don't knock a bloke for and idea before it has been tried.

I know some will say who the hell are you to respond like this, but I have been around for a while and have seen pen crafters that have started at a similar time as me and come after me and are doing big things and are proud to know and call friends. I can't afford high end kits, big dollar blanks, I don't cast. I am an average pen crafter, that does average work. I don't post as often as many others, but only if something is worth commenting on. I felt this was.

Hi Bdar. I couldn't agree with you more. Seems you & David missed the "tongue in cheek" "JOKING" first paragraph of my post, the paragraph with the winking smiley. I have great respect and admiration for David, I learn't to make pens from watching all his info video's. I, along with others on the forum thought David stopped selling Mitrefix because he discovered the 'Glen20' solution, ...BUT..... as I have recently been advised, there was a major supply problem from the distributor, hence all of Davids efforts to find an alternate for Mitrefix. I have owned and run my own company for just on 40 years, and know all about supply problems from manufactures. Hats off to my friend David for his wonderful efforts, and his amazing service to all his customers. Also, cheers to yourself for defending him, but it's not needed, as I would be the first to stand up for him. In future, I'll try and refrain from joking around, as it may put noses out of joint.

I got the "tongue in cheek" tone in your posting and the use of smilies which are the email form of body language. Be a pity if we cannot joke around when posting