Thread: Finishes

Finish is a personal choice and will start some great debate.
I use CA/BLO but others use wax or just CA or WOP and many more. I like CA/BLO because it is quick and durable and also has the benefit of being glue so it help hold fragile blanks together.
I guess you just need to try as many as you can and find one that suits you because it is no good using the best if you cannot get the best results from it.
I hope this helps if you look in the library on the different sites you should find some really goo tutorials.

i previously tried adding BLO to the wood before using another finish, there are articles saying how much the colors and grain explodes from the wood, this i found to be true but the finish never seems to stick properly, i had lots of pens which after a while looked like the finish was lifting

now i use BLO/CA, yes there is a difference to CA/BLO

i place a very small drop of BLO onto my paper towel, then on top of this a few drops of CA, the blo tends to stop the paper sticking to the blank, not always though, i just keep adding layers until i get a nice deep shine

CA tends to bring out the colors and the grain as well, probably because it is a liquid when applied

if i am making a higher end pen then i do 3 - 6 coats of straight CA and use an accelerator to set the CA, after this i do about 6 coats of BLO/CA to even out the ridges before sanding lightly with the top 5-6 grades of MM

i use a CA finish on all of the wood and worthless wood pens that i make, even the cheapies get about 3 coats of BLO/CA

i hope this helps

MIK

I always used Shellawax Glow and it is a really nice quick finish. My hands seem to dull it pretty quickly though. For some woods, this isn't a problem as it lets the wood be the feature if that makes sense.

More recently, I have followed DJ's excellent CA tutorial. It's a great tutorial, just make sure you follow it pretty closely or it can go wrong. CA, and the accelerator are pretty rough on the fumes so beware.

I am interested in trying the CA/BLO finish, though probably after I'm fully comfortable with straight CA.

Cheers,
Dave

i've always used Glow, but have just bought some CA's of differing viscosity and some accelerator to have a go at a CA finish.

DJ's tutorial is what finally got me on the right track, and now I just experiment and use variations of CA, CA/BLO , thick, medium ,thin CA. Amos

Ok here comes advice from the odd gal out. If you have followed the forum I make the spiral pens. No way to finish those with CA or BLO/CA..I had to dip mine in lacquer. It worked so well on the spirals I started doing regular pens that way.It's easy & durable. And I am lazy once I get to this stage. Good luck on your next pens

Thanks very much everyone. I will be doing some more experiments.

Originally Posted by canuk

Thanks very much everyone. I will be doing some more experiments.

good luck and let us know how you go

Originally Posted by gal turner

Ok here comes advice from the odd gal out. If you have followed the forum I make the spiral pens. No way to finish those with CA or BLO/CA..I had to dip mine in lacquer. It worked so well on the spirals I started doing regular pens that way.It's easy & durable. And I am lazy once I get to this stage. Good luck on your next pens

What sort of lacquer do you use as I'm having trouble with the finish cracking after a while.
I've been told it could be the lacquer - I'm using automotive lacquer. But I know of some whom use automotive and have no problems

Originally Posted by Sawdust Maker

What sort of lacquer do you use as I'm having trouble with the finish cracking after a while.
I've been told it could be the lacquer - I'm using automotive lacquer. But I know of some whom use automotive and have no problems

OK I have no clue what the difference is in automotive lac. vs. wood lacquer..the formulation? One sticks to metal & the other to wood. So if I were you I would try lacquer formulated for wood. Are you putting anything under the lacquer? oils? wax of any kind? If so I would stop doing that and sand to a very high grit to get a nice shine BEFORE putting on the finish. Only other thing I can think of IS YOUR WOOD DRY? If the wood is expanding & contracting it will crack the finish. And last: how thick are you putting the lacquer on? Are you sure it is dry before 2nd coat? How many coats? Lots of variables to ponder here. Good luck