Most severe pen turners have in all probability heard of utilizing Cyanoacrylate (CA), in any other case generally known as tremendous glue, to place a shiny end on picket pens. Done proper, a CA pen end will yield the quickest, most sturdy, shiny end obtainable. But doing it proper may be more durable than you assume!
I spent many irritating hours making an attempt and failing to realize a quick, constant CA end on my picket pens. Over time, nonetheless, I started to grasp what labored and what did not. The objective of this text is to offer you among the greatest ideas that I discovered alongside the best way. Apply the following pointers and I assure you will notice an enormous enchancment in your CA pen ending outcomes.
Avoid BLO
BLO stands for boiled linseed oil. There has been lots of buzz within the pen turning world about utilizing BLO to clean out the CA as it's being utilized to the pan clean. However, from private expertise with this pen ending technique, I might strongly advocate you keep away from it. -> ->
The main causes that I like to recommend you keep away from this technique are that it hardly ever leads to a high-gloss end and that it is extremely inconsistent. Dull spots, cloudy areas, and a low-sheen end are frequent issues that you'll expertise once you introduce BLO into your CA end.
The cause CA/BLO hardly ever leads to a high-gloss end is that the oil itself prevents gloss. Try wiping any sort of oil on a transparent piece of glass and see if the glass stays shiny and clear. It would not, proper? So if the boiled linseed oil is all the time impregnated within the floor of the CA, you'll by no means be capable of polish the CA to a high-gloss end. My conclusion in regards to the CA/BLO course of is that it isn't constant or shiny sufficient to be a sensible end for my pens.
Stick with straight CA and you will notice lots of your issues go away!
Use skinny CA and preserve it contemporary
I like to recommend skinny CA for pen ending as a substitute of medium or thick CA as a result of every coat dries and cures shortly and totally. Just like paint and some other liquid ending product, CA must be utilized in a number of skinny coats, not just a few thick coats. By permitting every skinny coat to totally dry earlier than making use of subsequent coats, you'll be sure that your sanding course of can be constant and profitable. If you do not heed this recommendation, you'll virtually definitely start experiencing widespread CA issues resembling clouding and boring spots.
Your skinny CA must be contemporary to provide the greatest outcomes. Fresh skinny CA has the consistency of water and dries in a short time. As CA will get older it tends to thicken and never carry out nicely. I can let you know from private expertise that older CA will act utterly totally different from contemporary CA. A buyer of mine who tried my CA pen ending system was shocked at how significantly better his end was when he received a brand new bottle of skinny CA.
To preserve your CA contemporary, maker positive you retain a cap on the bottle of CA and most significantly, preserve it in an air conditioned (and heated) surroundings.
Use activator between coats
It is essential that you just treatment each coat of skinny CA earlier than making use of one other. Without this step, you should have fixed issues reaching a fair shiny end. The greatest approach to treatment each coat is to make use of CA activator after every coat is utilized. As easy as this may increasingly appear, it's the single most essential issue within the CA pen ending course of.
Wet sand with micromesh
Once you've got utilized your CA to the pen clean, you'll need to sand and polish the CA. This is greatest completed with Micro-Mesh, a system of sanding pads that begins at 1500 grit and ends with a remarkably positive 12000 grit.
I strongly advocate that you just moist sand with the Micro-Mesh system for 2 causes. First, the water lubricates the pads and permits for a a lot smoother floor. Second, and presumably extra importantly, the water retains the CA cool as it's being sanded. Heat will not be your good friend and the extra you may cut back warmth, the higher your CA pen end can be. ->
Start making use of the following pointers right this moment and your pen finishes can be glossier, simpler, and far more constant!
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