Thread: Micro Mesh Sanding Pads Degree Of Shine

Christos,
When I use CA for the finish I use 20 coats of thin CA. I would say that what is happening is that you are sanding through the 3 coats that you put on in some places and that is why you are getting some shiny sections, and some gloss where you don't sand through. With only 3 coats you would be only just sealing the wood. Every coat of CA are very, very thin, and that is why you need lots of them.
Try putting at least 10 coats of thin CA on and give it another go. I use a trigger spray bottle to apply water to the blank as I go through the MM grades and make sure it stays wet. You only need to sand lightly for about 20 seconds with each pad. Once you have gone through all the MM grades, polish with Brasso, and then with a car polish or wax for protection. Buff it off to a high shine.

The original application of my CA finish would take ages for it to dry, so I know that I was applying way too thick. I have since done more research and modified my application that it now dries within 2 minutes, still a bit thick but thinner then before.

Sorry I should have mention that the shine weather glossy or not as glossy is consistent with the whole blank and not in spots on the blank.

Originally Posted by Christos

The original application of my CA finish would take ages for it to dry, so I know that I was applying way too thick. I have since done more research and modified my application that it now dries within 2 minutes, still a bit thick but thinner then before.

Sorry I should have mention that the shine weather glossy or not as glossy is consistent with the whole blank and not in spots on the blank.

You mention dry sanding,not a good idea as the ca will heat up quickly and then you will never get a high gloss finish as the damage is already done . After you have applied the thickness you want (which varies between users) you can do a quick smooth with "0000" steel wool dry but moving quickly along tube surface so as to avoid heat build up, after that have a look at your surface to see no bumps hollows or lines ,that is when you start the wet sanding process with the M Mesh pads ,in other words the better the surface you start with the better the finished surface ,it also pays if possible to get some time with another pen turner doing CA finishes to get an idea of what to expect out of the process ,sometimes we are going on pictures which may or may not tell the whole story,flash and lighting can distort things,as most of us know the pictures are mostly no where near rhe reality of these things . perserverence is the key till you find what works for you, we all have differing work conditions so our results need to be adjusted to our own circumstances , hot weather humidity cold and in between can all play a part Cheers ~ John

If you use CA you will get a shiny finish over the timber. Wet sand the CA with the MM instead of dry sanding it. I just dip the MM in a jar of water before sanding and again after I use each MM to wash it off a bit. The MM will last a lot longer and stay reasonably clean. You could try a satin finish in other products. Minwax Wipe on Poly has a satin finish but I have not tried it. You could also try using EEE and Shellawax as an alternative to CA if you don't want a shine but prefer a natural timber finish. I agree with Tree that 3 coats of CA is not enough for a proper seal. Just use an accelerator on the CA if you don't want delays between coats. Sorry, I can't help you out with the soapy water but I would imagine it would give a higher shine given there would be less friction but I stand to be corrected. Hope this helps a little.

What CA are you using? If it was taking 2 minutes to go off on the first coat, it was definitely way too thick, you probably had heaps of rings at the ends too.

You can get a shinny finish on you wood from the micromesh, it doesn't mean you still have some CA on it. As others have said, get someone who knows what they are doing to give you a few lessons. I'll be down in Sydney mid Feb, happy to call in on way and show you my method.

Cheers

I eexperimented with this the other day after getting some good advice from HazzaB. Pics to come once the pens have been assembled, but basically if I want a high gloss finish I have found the best to be 20 coats of thin CA as exampled on the timberbits website. If I want a matt finish I use the micro mesh dry on the timber, then use about 9 coats of thin CA, then just hit it lightly with the 1500 micro mesh (the coarsest) after dipping the pad in water. Gives a nice subdued finish without the gloss.

I have never had any problems with accelerator from timberbits.

The CA that I am using is the one from Gary Pye and has a purple lid and bottle, I think it is medium thick viscosity. So I know that I am still heavy on the application. Their web site says it dries in about 5 - 15 seconds.


Your replies have given me some ideas on what to try.

Originally Posted by dai sensei

..... As others have said, get someone who knows what they are doing to give you a few lessons. I'll be down in Sydney mid Feb, happy to call in on way and show you my method...

Let me get back to you on this one. Could you PM me your timing in Febuary.

Originally Posted by Christos

The CA that I am using is the one from Gary Pye and has a purple lid and bottle, I think it is medium thick viscosity. So I know that I am still heavy on the application. Their web site says it dries in about 5 - 15 seconds.


Your replies have given me some ideas on what to try.

I think it means it will dry in 5-15 secs if used as a glue, not a finish.

When I started using CA I watched the video that David has on the Timberbits site and followed the instructions that he has up also bought his accelerator along with his thin CA and am having pretty good success with the process. Video here How I apply 20 thin coats of CA as a finish « TimberBits Blog

Originally Posted by Christos

The CA that I am using is the one from Gary Pye and has a purple lid and bottle, I think it is medium thick viscosity. So I know that I am still heavy on the application. Their web site says it dries in about 5 - 15 seconds.


Your replies have given me some ideas on what to try.

I've been using the same purple label GPW CA and apply it to a spinning blank. Usually use craft foam to spread. Touch dry in 20secs easily. Just tried with paper towel and it was dry in under 15 secs.

I rarely use accelerator and only have issues if I go too heavy.

Try smaller/fewer drops. I use one from left and wipe to centre then one from right and wipe to centre, then one very, very quick full length wipe end to end and back.

I don't think switching to wet sanding is the answer. Wet sanding keeps the MM clearer and results in removing material faster. I sand with MM dry and wipe the pads clean on a denim rag. I only sand along the blank with the first two grits, this takes off the ripples and high spots without sanding thru the finish.
If you want a extreme gloss, buff with a very fine glaze compound after 12000 MM. If you want less gloss, sand to 12000, then back down the grits untill you get the gloss level you want.

There is nothing wrong with 3 coats of medium CA, just be careful on the rougher MM grits with that few coats. I usually finish with 4 coats of medium, sand thru all the MM grits and buff for a deep gloss.

IMHO, using MM is a waste of money and time.
I apply only 6 coats of Med CA.
I and have found through some experimentation that dry sanding to 400x, buffing with extra fine steel wool and polishing with Huts Ultra Gloss will give me a consistent, dependable finish every time that is just as good or better than using MM.
This works for me.

Les

Hi Christos. The whole purpose of using CA is to give you a hard, glass smooth & glossy finish, that not only enhances the look of the timber, but provides a 'hard shell' like protection against dings & scratches, oily hands etc with every day usage. Three coats of CA is no where near enough. I always use at least 20 coats of 'THIN' CA + a CA accelerator spray such as the Miter-Fix system. When you Micro Mesh the CA coated blank down, you remove 'at least' 2-3 layers of CA in the process anyway. If you just want a satin look to the wood then you are better off to 'go natural' and the sand to 1200 grit, then use EEE compound (instead of Micro Mesh), then Shellawax, then a final coat of Traditional Wax (all from U-Beaut products) and applied 'on lathe'. As posted before, study the Timberbits instructional video's on Pen making. Cheers. https://www.timberbits.com/videos.html