Pen Turning: Super Glue Finish

[lorddennis1]

Nice job! The only recommendation I have is not using cloth while the lathe is running, that is a bad accident waiting to happen! If it gets caught in the lathe and tangles around your hand or finger you or going to lose or break something.

[maragaretabjoern]

i have made sompens with thin ca and the bushing is glue to the blanks. hove do you awoide that he ca craks when you remowe the bushings ??

[onewaytoturn]

@maragaretabjoern I hardly ever use the thin CA glue which has more opportunity to soak into the space between the bushings and the pen which may cause the problem.

If you use the medium CA and the rag technique I have never had the problem where the bushings wouldn't get off.

also make sure that there is no super glue inside the pen tube before you slide the bushings in. There is usually some spill over inside the tube after sliding it into the blank.

[MLEshlemanpa]

You refer to the "accelerator".....what product do you use?

[kizer1346]

could you just use plastic wrap to put the glue on.

[onewaytoturn]

@kizer1346 You could or use a rubber glove. I actually like the way the cotton and glue react which causes it to dry rapidly. on really large stuff that I cant cover all in one pass ill use a rubber glove.

[maxmolly12]

The only recommendation I would make is to be sure to wipe in between grits of sandpaper so that the previous grit doesn't contaminate the finer grits. Nice video.

[onewaytoturn]

I chose not to wet sand with the CA glue because I found it to be to aggressive and had to apply to many coats because the micro mesh was cutting through to the wood

[onewaytoturn]

Thank u all for ur Comments and suggestions. I do use a mask at all times but I choose to perfect my technique with the lathe off.

I chose to make this video with safe and easy instructions that everyone can follow. I teach wood turning and have taught many pen turning classes to mostly beginners, so I have designed this video to be as simple and safe to follow as possible. Many people will have their own little tricks that work for them, this happens to have great results an it's simple as wel

[onewaytoturn]

Thanks all for ur comments

I do always use eye protection but I still don't want glue stuck to my mask. The instructions in this video were designed to be as simple and safe for everyone as possible, hence the lathe off. Everyone will have their own little tricks that works for them. I have taught many pen turning classes and this works for me as well as for my students, Moët beginners that need simple an effective instructions.

[bammortgage]

THANK YOU!!!! I had been applying Supper Glue & Linseed oil while the lathe was on and it sucked picking dried supper glue off my hands and everything else. This is way better!!!!

The one thing I have found is that it works better to WET sand with the micromesh. I use a old windex bottle filled with water and spritz the piece frequently during the sanding. It keeps the micromesh from getting clogged up with glue dust and it keeps the wood cool.

[kenny474]

Any doubts, go watch Captain Eddie's video on it. He gave me the TP idea, I already did the rest.

[onewaytoturn]

@kenny474 the TP Idea ?

[kenny474]

I do this with toilet paper and my lathe spinning at 500rpm. The paper never sticks, as it creates a film instantly. Also, put the glue on the wood, starting at one end and moving to the other squeezing out a few drops as you go (3-5 drops is plenty)

Every 3 coats, buff with an 800 grit pad to keep things smooth. After a dozen coats (if you want a glass-like finish) wet-sand with 2000grit to make it glass smooth, then use polish and swirl remover. It will look like glass.

[kenny474]

Just because your scared to use CA with the lathe spinning does not mean it is dangerous. First off, where is you eye protection? A face shield will keep the CA out of your eyes. Where is your respirator or dust mask? If you actually took precautions, you could do this much easier with the lathe ON, and be at less risk too. Also, CA doesn't "fling everywhere". If it does, you use too much.

Also, toilet paper is the best applicator. Cheap, readily available and no reaction.

[ppellut88]

Very informative. Thanks for posting this.

[onewaytoturn]

@ppellut88 Hope it helped.

[151044]

excellent video i,m quite new to pen turning and so far have only used friction polish but it dosnt appear to have a very durable finish. will try your ca method tomorrow ..many thanks.

[kinkademark]

onewaytoturn - be careful of the "smoke" from the rag. It's cyanide gas being released from the cyanoacrylate (ca). Really bad stuff!! Thanks for the video!

[snowboarddude117]

how come my glue clouded and crystalized? i didnt use any accelerator its just REALLY rough and not shiny at all

[onewaytoturn]

@snowboarddude117

Most likely what I can think of is you spent to long wiping it on. You literally wipe it on no more that 2-3 seconds. If it is drying as you are wiping it on use a little more glue the first go around and wipe just long enough to cover all the wood and remove the runs, 2-3 seconds max. Any longer wiping it on and it will get bumpy and cloud and the rag will start to stick. Always use a new area of the rag for each coat never working on a previous coat that is not dry.

[snowboarddude117]

@onewaytoturn ok thanks im going to try again but this time ill try to do it faster

[codex653]

oh and i also do a process similar to this too and also get a great shine!

[codex653]

great video man! i like how that pen turned out! very good job:)

[gcoxjr]

Using a rag on a rotating piece of wood is an extremely dangerous practice -- find some lint free paper products. You'll lose a finger..

[codex653]

@gcoxjr well yah, but it's not as dangerous with what he's doing with the rag...he's only touching it at one spot, that won't make it catch like that. what he really shouldn't do is wrap the rag around the pen when he's working on it...THAT will definitely catch!:/ happened to me before so i know lol

[soonersfan96]

after you finish sanding try turning the lathe off and turning it by hand, running your sand paper from the right to the left of the wood quickly and it will eliminate scratch marks going aorund the cylinder of the pen.. give it a try and let me know what you think.. it makes my work MUCH smoother.. just let me know:)

[onewaytoturn]

@soonersfan96 You're right. I do sand sometimes from left to right, but some woods the grain is going every direction so sanding with the grain is pretty impossable.

[playsintheshop]

Thanks for taking the time to demonstrate this - I'm going to try it this weekend  (finally!)

[onewaytoturn]

@playsintheshop

let me know how it worked out !