# What am I doing wrong!?



## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

I did some pen turning today and it was all good till I got to the finishing. I did a CA finish, I used medium CA and spray on accelerator. But everytime I try to use the accelerator it all turns white. How can you use acc. without turning it white? am I using the wrong kind? Most people use the aerosol stuff, do you need to?

Thanks guys


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

sounds like you are using to much accelerator
i use it but i do know everyone says if you use to much it will turn the ca white and make it crystilize
try using it with a VERY light spritz


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

I thought only too much accelerator would cause the white, but I attended a demo by Barry Gross back in March and he claimed that if the accelerator container sucked in any moisture, it would cause the CA to turn white. This is why he only uses the aerosol accelerator.


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## snookfish (Jan 10, 2011)

I was told when I bought the CA finishing kit to use the aerosol. I have only used that and have had great results. Through the process of elimination I would guess that the pump accelerator might be the issue. 

When I first started turning pens I used too much accelerator and never saw a whitening of the finish. I agree with the above, a very quick spritz is all it takes.


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## PSDkevin (Dec 18, 2010)

I have seen this problem and I believe it is too much accelerator. I avoid the pump type because I discovered it doesn't atomize the liquid very well. So even if you use a small spritz sometimes the large droplets are the problem. This is just my theory. Just check the spray coming out. Sometimes a tentative press of the pump makes the thing spit rather than spray. It just takes a super light mist. 

Just my observations


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Nate,
get yourself a can of brushing lacquer from home depot and wipe it on with a clean white cloth, old tube sock work well. Use a little dab and wipe it on. It will dry in less than a minute. Put 3 or 4 coats on and your done, unless you have a buffer system, then buff it.
Mike Hawkins


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

thanks guys, I think your right, the problem is that the pump sprays it on too thick and doesn't atomize it enough.
Firehawk, when you use brushing laquer can you still micromesh it? or do you get a high gloss finish straight off the brush?


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

Jesus, ca is the easiest finish ever, all you do is turn your lathe to the slowest setting, 4 coats aerosol spray accelerator, light spray, then slow Speed, and sand at 600 to get rid of scratches and high spots, then micromesh at a high speed, comes out perfect everytome, I have roughy many people the finish with perfect results , glass like with no scratches whatsoever. Why would you do a brush on laquer on a pen.. That takes forever. Follow this and your golden, Also do research, like YouTube, YouTube has EVERYTHING


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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

^ I thought you were the guy who hates pens.

Anyway, Like everyone said, use aerosol and just one quick spritz is all it takes. I usually wait 5 seconds after just to make sure before putting on the next coat. 

Hey Firehawkmph does the lacquer hold up to the excessive handling a pen gets? I'm looking for a finish I can wipe on that is glossy and can be put on pens with very fine details that CA won't work for, but is durable enough for a pen.


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

Correction, like making pens but not hard to make, bowls are awesome


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Ibangwood said:


> Jesus, ca is the easiest finish ever, all you do is turn your lathe to the slowest setting, 4 coats aerosol spray accelerator, light spray, then slow Speed, and sand at 600 to get rid of scratches and high spots, then micromesh at a high speed, comes out perfect everytome, I have roughy many people the finish with perfect results , glass like with no scratches whatsoever. Why would you do a brush on laquer on a pen.. That takes forever. Follow this and your golden, Also do research, like YouTube, YouTube has EVERYTHING


for starters the op's name is not Jesus :no::no::no::no:
yes now that i have done it numerous times i agree that ca is easy to use
but when i did my first couple it was hard to get it right
even though i watched hours of youtube
we all do it different too


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Itchytoe said:


> ^ I thought you were the guy who hates pens.
> 
> Anyway, Like everyone said, use aerosol and just one quick spritz is all it takes. I usually wait 5 seconds after just to make sure before putting on the next coat.
> 
> Hey Firehawkmph does the lacquer hold up to the excessive handling a pen gets? I'm looking for a finish I can wipe on that is glossy and can be put on pens with very fine details that CA won't work for, but is durable enough for a pen.


 Itchy,
If you put on 3-4 coats, it should hold up fine. Get the gloss lacquer if you want the high gloss finish. As far as the micromesh, never tried it with lacquer. The other finish that would work well is 'Woodturners Finish' by General finishes. It builds up a nice film and has a nice gloss and should be pretty impervious to wear. Micromesh is the prescribed sanding media. Very simple to use, almost foolproof, and dries in minutes.
Mike Hawkins


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

What ever happen to CA and BLO, I have been using this for some time. The only time I use CA and accelerator is to stabilize wood or fill void.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Bob Willing said:


> What ever happen to CA and BLO, I have been using this for some time. The only time I use CA and accelerator is to stabilize wood or fill void.


so using this process you have to wait for the ca to dry correct?
using the accelerator lets me put all my coats on in a short time


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

Ibangwood said:


> Jesus, ca is the easiest finish ever, all you do is turn your lathe to the slowest setting, 4 coats aerosol spray accelerator, light spray, then slow Speed, and sand at 600 to get rid of scratches and high spots, then micromesh at a high speed, comes out perfect everytome, I have roughy many people the finish with perfect results , glass like with no scratches whatsoever. Why would you do a brush on laquer on a pen.. That takes forever. Follow this and your golden, Also do research, like YouTube, YouTube has EVERYTHING


 Thanks again, I have done a few pens with a ca finish that turned out perfectly but sometimes the whole thing turned white so I just wanted to find out what I was doing wrong. I think I got it now, Thanks for the help guys!:thumbsup:


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

robert421960 said:


> so using this process you have to wait for the ca to dry correct?
> using the accelerator lets me put all my coats on in a short time


Apply the CA using a viva paper towel move back and forth than apply BLO in the same manner, use a strip of brown paper bag move back and forth which remove excessive BLO do this 3 times in the same manner and if you want a glossy finish using the same polish that you use on acrylics. 



 I use the paper bag between coats rather than 600 grit sand paper.


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## Foresta Design (Dec 26, 2011)

*Pen Turners are real wood turners.*



Ibangwood said:


> Correction, like making pens but not hard to make, bowls are awesome


Fine if it is so easy then I challenge you. Enter this Pen contest and win and I will admit that you have the greatest pen making ability in the world. If it is so easy then it shouldn't be a problem right?
Put up or shut up!
Thank you and good night.


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

He'll yes I will silly pants, how do I?


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## Foresta Design (Dec 26, 2011)

Click the link and watch the video. He tells you how to enter. Put up or shut up is the link. Called a hyperlink. 
Sorry to highjack the thread.


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Ibangwood said:


> He'll yes I will silly pants, how do I?


rather than us hijacking this thread i suggest you start a thread and show us how awesome you are at making pens and also how well you do in the put up or shut up challenge 
Fair enough?????


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

If I can say something... I just read a good article by Barry Gross in Woodturning Design on respect for pen turners. He was asked how pen turners can get more respect from fellow turners. He aswered with this question, why do you not feel respected and why do you care. Respect is something that needs to be earned. If you do something unusual or new, challenging or unique you will gain respect. If people still look at your work and say "that's easy" or "that's stupid" well then who cares??? Pen turning is often viewed as a beginner's form of wood turning. This is very often true, as many people learn to turn pens first and then move on to other turning. But this doen't have to be the case. You can only turn pens and still be an amazing turner, if you advance in your skills and try new things (which many people on this forum have done and are still doing!). But someone who turns hundreds of pens of the exact shape, without any ambition to push their skills forward should not consider themselves master turners. There is nothing wrong with turning hundreds of simple pens if you get enjoyment out of it and you are satisfied, because that is why we turn right?

Also there is the misconception that bowl turning is the 'advanced' form of turning. Is this true? of course not! You can learn to turn a bowl in one day if you go to a bowl turning class, just like you can learn to turn a pen in one day if you go to a pen turning class. People who turn out lots of simple bowl and never go beyond a simple bowl are the exact same as people who turn lots of simple pens.

The reason that some people turn pens is for money. Pens are reletively easy to sell and therefore people make them.

I myself learned to turn bowls three years ago. They started out ugly but got better over time. Now I started turning pens and I thoroughly enjoy it. I like being able to use small, otherwise useless peices of beautiful wood. Also a turned pen appeals to a different crowd then a turned bowl. I will continue to turn both pens and bowl, and get better at both.

The bottom line is we need respect for all areas of turning. The pens posted here range from beginner to excellent. The purpose of this site is to help eachother become better at our hobby and support eachother. So lets get along and keep the nasty language, comments, and other junk behind and encourage eachother with helpful comments!!! 

Sorry for the long post


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## Foresta Design (Dec 26, 2011)

Wow, so true and for my part I apologize if my post came across as derogatory. I will start a thread so other pen turners can enter the contest. Keep up the good work everyone.


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

Nate Bos said:


> ... keep the nasty language, comments, and other junk behind and encourage each other with helpful comments!!!


Well said, Nate.

We don't have to agree, and we don't have to like each other. We don't have to sing Kumbaya.

I don't ask for (nor do I give) false praise -- if somebody can tell me how I might improve my turning skills, I really want to hear it.

But I don't need to be told that what I'm doing is worthless, or could be done by an 8 year old -- I have a pretty good idea of where my turnings sit on the quality scale, thanks to seeing the work of seriously talented turners here and other forums, at the turning club where I'm a member, and in exhibitions (such as the one at the Fuller Craft Museum called "Across the Grain".)

</rant>


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