mudman
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Actually not just for pens, I experimented a bit on a lightpull so that I wouldn't be messing up a nicely turned pen.
I had always been wondering how professional pen turners could complete a pen in only 20-30 minutes. I have been using a few coats of melamine laquer, burnished and then a coat of friction polish (all Chestnut's). I had been pleased with the finish but it still takes a while and there was no way of making a pen in 20 minutes. Now, I know that the secret to bashing out huge numbers of pens is to use a CA finish.
I was browsing http://www.penturners.org and all over the place, people were talking about CA finish. I couldn't figure out what CA meant in this context until I did a search and found that CA stands for cyanoacrylate, ie. superglue. Now I knew what CA stood for in terms of sticking things together or stabilising small areas of soft wood, but as a finish I was quite surprised.
So, the question was then, how is it done?
I did another search of the forum and came across the library. Look at the Articles 2004/2005/2006, here you will find some very informative articles, especially what I was looking for which is applying a CA finish.
I've been trying a couple of the methods from there and settled on the BLO/CA finishas the one that gives me the best results. I found that using just pure CA there was a large chance of the glue curing in small spikes for the porcupine effect or just plain rough.
I don't follow his method exactly, mainly because I don't like his way of sanding and application, I think it's dangerous. Yes I know, that's a bit rich coming from me. :roll:
I sand and then apply a small amount of BLO to a paper pad and then apply this to the blank. Then, whilst the lathe is running, drizzle some thin CA on top of the blank and smooth this along the blank.
Another divergence I tried last night was to add the CA at a slow speed, spead it along the blank and then to crank the speed right up high, the cured CA on the pad forms a smooth surface that burnishes the surface quite effectively.
I also put a coat of friction polish over the CA instead of all that HUT and AWS stuff.
A few observations:
1. Use paper that is not too absorbent. Last night I settled on a paper that has very little absorbency. Some of that green stuff that comes on a big roll.
2. Cheap superglue works quite well but you will need more coats.
3. Thick CA like mitre bond will cure too fast. However, I am thinking of trying it again.
4. Don't use very absorbent paper and latex gloves, this can be dangerous.
5. Always wear eye protection. If that CA sprays off the blank and gets in the eyes, it's a trip to casualty and you get to figure in a BBC article as one of the people who injured themselves with a ballpoint pen.
6. Practice on something you don't mind ruining. I ruined a few pens when skimming off a rubbish finish as they ended up too small.
7. Ventilation is a good idea. Those fumes can be nasty.
Anyway, I think the finish is great and it goes on ruddy quickly. I reckon ten minutes to finish a pen is perfectly feasible.
Sorry, no pics to hand but I can post some piccies tonight if you like.
Anyone else tried this out?
I had always been wondering how professional pen turners could complete a pen in only 20-30 minutes. I have been using a few coats of melamine laquer, burnished and then a coat of friction polish (all Chestnut's). I had been pleased with the finish but it still takes a while and there was no way of making a pen in 20 minutes. Now, I know that the secret to bashing out huge numbers of pens is to use a CA finish.
I was browsing http://www.penturners.org and all over the place, people were talking about CA finish. I couldn't figure out what CA meant in this context until I did a search and found that CA stands for cyanoacrylate, ie. superglue. Now I knew what CA stood for in terms of sticking things together or stabilising small areas of soft wood, but as a finish I was quite surprised.
So, the question was then, how is it done?
I did another search of the forum and came across the library. Look at the Articles 2004/2005/2006, here you will find some very informative articles, especially what I was looking for which is applying a CA finish.
I've been trying a couple of the methods from there and settled on the BLO/CA finishas the one that gives me the best results. I found that using just pure CA there was a large chance of the glue curing in small spikes for the porcupine effect or just plain rough.
I don't follow his method exactly, mainly because I don't like his way of sanding and application, I think it's dangerous. Yes I know, that's a bit rich coming from me. :roll:
I sand and then apply a small amount of BLO to a paper pad and then apply this to the blank. Then, whilst the lathe is running, drizzle some thin CA on top of the blank and smooth this along the blank.
Another divergence I tried last night was to add the CA at a slow speed, spead it along the blank and then to crank the speed right up high, the cured CA on the pad forms a smooth surface that burnishes the surface quite effectively.
I also put a coat of friction polish over the CA instead of all that HUT and AWS stuff.
A few observations:
1. Use paper that is not too absorbent. Last night I settled on a paper that has very little absorbency. Some of that green stuff that comes on a big roll.
2. Cheap superglue works quite well but you will need more coats.
3. Thick CA like mitre bond will cure too fast. However, I am thinking of trying it again.
4. Don't use very absorbent paper and latex gloves, this can be dangerous.
5. Always wear eye protection. If that CA sprays off the blank and gets in the eyes, it's a trip to casualty and you get to figure in a BBC article as one of the people who injured themselves with a ballpoint pen.
6. Practice on something you don't mind ruining. I ruined a few pens when skimming off a rubbish finish as they ended up too small.
7. Ventilation is a good idea. Those fumes can be nasty.
Anyway, I think the finish is great and it goes on ruddy quickly. I reckon ten minutes to finish a pen is perfectly feasible.
Sorry, no pics to hand but I can post some piccies tonight if you like.
Anyone else tried this out?
