Author Topic: So...this weekend I......  (Read 2651 times)

Offline Katchin

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
So...this weekend I......
« on: November 27, 2011, 10:28:05 PM »
made a mess again  ;D

Well half.

I made a pen, nicely turned for a change, I used micromesh on it and it was very nice. I then made a daft mistake. I used sanding sealer on it, but too much, I then tried using wood shaving on it as I had seen on a club demo, not for the first time. Unfortunately I much of grab the handful that had a lot of fine sawdust in it too, so the result was dry sanding sealer with bits of sawdust in it  ::)
I then tried micro meshing it again, which kind of worked. The final result was a pen with little or no sanding sealer on it, waxed with microcrystaline wax, with finger mark on the edges.

What would you have done?

My sanding sealer is 50% Cellulose Sanding Sealer and 50% Chestnut Cellulose Thinners. But it is still a bit thick for pens when applied with a paint brush. How would you do it?
John Simon Lawrenson

Andy Coates

  • Guest
Re: So...this weekend I......
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2011, 07:52:35 AM »
Not with a brush! A brush carries an awful lot of fluid (sealer) and this will overload the small area of wood in a pen. A small wad of kitchen paper (white) and a finger end dipped lightly in sealer. Work it in and spread as far as possible without building up too much friction(because this dries the sealer and can lead to solids forming in cyclical rings). Several light coats like this rather than one flooded coat.

I'm not a pen turner so this is a general approach; pen turners may now tell you about CA finish, which I've tried and works well, but I'l leave it to the pen turners now.

Andy

Offline Katchin

  • bronze
  • ***
  • Posts: 172
Re: So...this weekend I......
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2011, 08:03:24 AM »
thanks for that, will try it later
John Simon Lawrenson

admalin

  • Guest
Re: So...this weekend I......
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2011, 02:44:43 PM »
I know the feeling when the finish goes wrong, so usually clean off with thinners and start again using as little "finish" as possible.
I normally finish pens with Chestnut Melamine thinned down with about 30% thinners. I see no point in a high gloss, so 1 or 2 coats is ample, using low speed and gentle pressure.
There are numerous videos on line, but some are pretty boring. There's one where the guy shows the use of various tools. A good idea -- but scrapers, big ones !!!???
One showing the use of CA flashes the products too quickly across the screen, then spends several minutes buffing.
Incidentally I drill the blanks with a 6mm drill and finish (ream) with 7mm. That way I avoid going oversize. In one video the brass tube is roughened with sandpaper.

Tony Malin