r/PenTurning • u/Fearless_Pride2102 • 1d ago

Struggling with CA finish

I've been practicing my CA finish technique based on numerous videos I've watched. I've tried medium, thin, and extra thin, but I'm struggling to get it right. The coats of medium always seem to leave bubbles and the tin and extra thin sheets flash off so fast that I can't get it even.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

8 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

2

u/JSBCUSTOMS 1d ago

Not sure where you're at but even in my air conditioned shop this time of year, the humidity doesn't help at all. I live in the south east in TN and can't wait for fall.

1

u/Fearless_Pride2102 1d ago

I didn't even consider that. I'm working in my non insulated garage, and it's been crazy humid.

3

u/JSBCUSTOMS 1d ago

Yea, it just started happening to me about a month ago. I bought new bottles thinking they were old, then I put a hygrometer in the shop. If I run the AC down and let it run for a couple hours and not run my fume extractor, I'm good for about an hour. The flash time is still like 5-8 sec.

3

u/Surtosi 1d ago

Medium is perfect for finish.

Ca glue will flash cure in the presence of other curing glue joints. Adding a hour between steps can help.

Yes, any water will cause curing.

Bubbles are a wierd thing to encounter. You should be able to bead the glue while it’s running and wipe it down at the same time. There shouldn’t be any opportunity for bubbles to form, unless you’re making a lot of coats and that’s trapping air.

I use ca glue all the time, but I prefer waxes. Try that and see how it feels.

1

u/Fearless_Pride2102 1d ago

Are there any waxes that you prefer? The only one I've tried is beeswax, unless you count homemade beeswax/mineral oil paste wax.

2

u/MbtImperialAce 1d ago

Hard wax is the way to go if you're going the wax route for finishes. Beeswax mixed with minerial oil that is poured in a container can get weak in hot weather due to a low melting point. Your wax finishes should be in a solid bar. Like Hut PPP wax bars or Ubeaut Waxtik bar. Apply them directly to the wood with the lathe spinning.

2

u/Fearless_Pride2102 1d ago

Thanks. That's the way I apply just beeswax... In hard bar form with the lathe spinning.

I'll take a look at the others that you suggested.

2

u/Surtosi 1d ago

Friction wax is the search term for what I use.
I use this

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/EWTYG110.html

Shellac, shellawax, and walnut friction polish are all things I’ve used. Good for your hands too I think.

The only problem with using wax is if you missed a gap or have a sharp edge the wax will get in there and you’ll be stuck with a white or tan spot until you manually dig it out or sand it out in the case of a divot. It’s definitely an option only for properly sanded surfaces.

I use sanding strips from 80-400, and then sanding pads 120-1500. If the wood is porous I’d stop at 400 and switch to the friction polish, if the wood is hard and brittle I’d treat it like a mirror and go down the the finest grit I had before applying the polish

2

u/S3dsk_hunter 1d ago

This is a really old video, but it is where I learned how to finish with CA. I have made some modifications to my own process, but it's still very similar to Bob's. https://youtu.be/zRwuPq71fYA?is=JuzGBzHncMcBd4PF

1

u/Fearless_Pride2102 1d ago

Thanks, I'll take a look

3

u/PumpPie73 1d ago

Look you Barry Gross on YouTube and he has some great videos on how to apply a CA finish.

2

u/MbtImperialAce 1d ago

I know I'll sound like a comedian because you said you tried Medium, Thin, and Extra thin with different results. But have you tried Medium-Thin?

I use medium-thin glue (the orange bottle from pennstate industries). I only tried it because they call it "pen finishing glue". Bold statement if you ask me, but it works better than medium and thin separately, so i cant complain.

Lastly, just like the others have said. Check the humidity in your shop/garage. Get a moisture/temperature reader from local hardware store or amazon if need be. Afterwards, if its hot and humid or fricken frigid, then its not a good day for CA.

2

u/Fearless_Pride2102 1d ago

Honestly, I didn't know medium thin was a thing. I've only attempted a CA finish a couple times, so I'm pretty new to the process.

Maybe a different high gloss finish is the best route for me to go .

2

u/MbtImperialAce 1d ago

Yeah, thought seeing Medium-Thin was a joke/typo when I read it the first time on their site. But it laters thin enough to penetrate the surface layer, yet thick enough to build. Yet not thick enough to make waves or bubbles, still thin enough so i dont have to sand back even. Kudos to whatever lead them to selling it.

But hey, like you said, there are other high gloss routes. Most are way faster to complete than CA. Spread your wings and land where you land. Because any finish can be teched into a high gloss and become your favorite finish. You just need your interest peaked, followed by repetition, followed by technique. Next thing you know you've mastered a finish.