Thread: What's wrong with Friction polishes?

Shellawax goes dull after some use. If you're selling someone a $200+ plus pen then you can't give them a pen that won't look all that flash after they use it for a bit.

I use WOP

Hehe! for $200 I will call round once a week and "spit" polish it lol.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Does it all come down to durability? Is the CA the hardest, longest lasting finish (along with Poly finishes I imagine) whereas the Friction polishes, waxes and other more "natural" finishes wear off? Or is the bias for CA all in my head, or just bad luck in that's the posts I'm reading?

Yes. Waxes tend to wear off rather quickly. And while the Shellawax goes on much easier, without fumes etc. it also has to bond to the wood, and it really needs to be left alone for a couple of weeks after applying. That means no handling. That means no showing off your pen to anyone. No gloating. No immediate gratification.

It's sort of like a Christmas present under the tree that has a little tear in the wrapping paper.. just enough that you can sort of see what's inside, but not enough that you can really tell what it is. And it has your name on it, damn it!

Friction polishes are fast and they look good. But they aren't all that permanent. Some still prefer them for certain types of work. It depends on the pen. Sometimes you want that high gloss durable finish of CA, and sometimes you want the feel of the real wood in your hands.

You'll find your own preference soon enough.

I like shellawax.

If you apply it properly and prep the timber properly, its an awesome finish.

its my prefferred finish especially seeing as though its so quick.

Originally Posted by funkychicken

Shellawax goes dull after some use. If you're selling someone a $200+ plus pen then you can't give them a pen that won't look all that flash after they use it for a bit.

I'll go one step further. If you sell someone a pen for $350 (the kit set you back $130) it better look good down the road. Shellawax may look good for one or two months, maybe. The pen with CA will still be shiny after years of daily use.

But.......you better like the "coated in plastic" look. Some don't. If it's done right, I do. Simply a matter of preference.

OK cool, I see. I guess I'll maybe have some of each eventually.

1. The poly finish wins out first I think, as I have some so there's no extra $$$

2. Then when I'm sick of waiting for it to dry, I'll go CA, as that's next easiest to obtain.

3. Then when I get sick from the fumes, I'll buy some Shellwax to save my lungs

*fast forward a few months*

The Shellawax has worn, not happy, pen quality getting better....

Go back to #1 and start all over again

While I'm here a quick question on another finish. I use spray on acrylic lacquer from Supercheap Auto to seal my boomerangs (at $17 a can, it aint Supercheap though!). Would this make any kind of appropriate finish, or is it something that wouldn't shine properly, be too brittle, or something else, or should I just suck it and see myself??

Thanks for the feedback. Russell.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

While I'm here a quick question on another finish. I use spray on acrylic lacquer from Supercheap Auto to seal my boomerangs (at $17 a can, it aint Supercheap though!). Would this make any kind of appropriate finish, or is it something that wouldn't shine properly, be too brittle, or something else, or should I just suck it and see myself??
Thanks for the feedback. Russell.

Not sure about the acrylic lacquer, but the NC lacquer is cheaper than that and it
holds up just fine. (Fumes are tough, though.. ask any furniture finisher) If it's tough enough for your dining room table ,it's probably going to be fine on a pen.

Toughest part about NC lacquer (aside from the fumes) is making sure you know ho wto apply it. VERY thin coats, but lots of them. Fortunately, it dries in minutes. The advantage of NC lacquer is that each coat becomes part of the coats before it, so instead of building up 10 thin coats, you're actually making ONE thick coat. (but doing it one thin coat at a time) Lacquer works like that ,as does shellac.

You should be able to pick up NC lacquer in spray cans for about $5 at a big hardware store. Minwax works fine.. just make sure you keep that nozzle CLEAN!

I believe the lacquer from Deft would work fine as well. Fumes will still be an issue though. I've found the CA to be easier to work as I got used to it. I wear a mask with dual charcoal elements and leave my shop as soon as I am done applying it. An hour or so later, I will venture in and sand. Not really a big deal if you just make it the last thing you do. I've had a pen sitting on my lathe three days now because I haven't found the right time to CA it. Also, I've noticed that my CA finish is starting to look less like the pen is encased in plastic the more I do it. I believe it is due to getting thinner coats on with practice. I do ten coats thin CA. Micromesh to 12,000. Repeat with another ten thin coats, micromesh again and finish up with glass polish. Aerosol accelerant for each coat is a must. Just a quick puff from about 12 inches away is all it takes. Explore all the avenues and find out what works best for you. Don't forget Rustins as well. Lots of folks here getting very good results from it.

Best of luck to you!

Currently I am using "glow" finish ,0n the machine the finish is brilliant ,but as stated in time it dulls a bit, has anyone tried protecting the friction finish with a CA or Poly finish to seal the finished surface, I guess what I am trying to say is it ,may only need a very light coat or 2 to maintain your preffered finish,eg the speed of friction finish,and the durability of ca poly or lacquer, none of which I am ready to try yet!

Russell,

Don't discount a natural finish on the pens ie: none. While you can get great results from CA and Poly etc, they can be time consuming, frustrating and may detract from your initial pleasure. I know your end goal is to sell the pens and make a quid but seriously your first 20 to 50 (depending how you go) while they will be good, your wife will gush, your friends will thank you profusely for the gift, you will find that down the track looking back they wouldn't be the pens you wanted to sell anyway.

If you get what I am trying to say...

My recomendation would be while you are still firmly in the learning stage keep your possible frustration points to an absolute minimum. Go with raw wood, or acrylics, or use a friction polish and have your personal expectation set that if you start easy and progress to hard later you will receive a lot more enjoyment out of your new hobby.

Originally Posted by Toasty

Russell,

Don't discount a natural finish on the pens ie: none. While you can get great results from CA and Poly etc, they can be time consuming, frustrating and may detract from your initial pleasure. I know your end goal is to sell the pens and make a quid but seriously your first 20 to 50 (depending how you go) while they will be good, your wife will gush, your friends will thank you profusely for the gift, you will find that down the track looking back they wouldn't be the pens you wanted to sell anyway.

If you get what I am trying to say...

My recomendation would be while you are still firmly in the learning stage keep your possible frustration points to an absolute minimum. Go with raw wood, or acrylics, or use a friction polish and have your personal expectation set that if you start easy and progress to hard later you will receive a lot more enjoyment out of your new hobby.

Excellent comment. Youa lwasy come up with the goods Toasty, I'm impressed

I'd give the friction polish a try for a start, just too much hassle to get it atm, unless I can find something similar in Warwick.

Oh BTW, what's NC Lacquer?

Russell.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Oh BTW, what's NC Lacquer?
Russell.

Sorry . NC = nitrocellulose.

It's probably the most common finish for commercially made furniture. (could be the
most common automobile finish to, I'm not sure)

If you see furniture in the store, it's probably an NC lacquer finish.

Like he said, you can probably find Deft (brand name) but Minwax is more commonly available where I am. I like the Deft better, just can't always get it.

Hit a search engine, they'll tell you about the NC lacquer fumes

I think Deft is a US product - don;t think we get it here. But I can looks for similar products.

Russell.

Originally Posted by Toasty

...but seriously your first 20 to 50 (depending how you go) while they will be good, your wife will gush, your friends will thank you profusely for the gift, you will find that down the track looking back they wouldn't be the pens you wanted to sell anyway.

Very well put. I look back at pens I was making a mere twelve months ago and I cringe with shame. Still working out the finer details, but getting much closer.