Russell Neyman
11-23-2012, 7:59 PM
My recent post about a fairly large urn which had a complete CA finish set the stage for a whole new discussion about using cynoacrylate. Here's that post:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?193644-Poplar-Buckeye-Ebony-Urn
So, the truth is that I'm a lacquer man. Always have been and always will be, I guess. But there are times when circumstances dictate that I use poly or cynoacrylate (CA) finishes. For the past six months, I've been making a policy of making at least two small objects each day (bottle stoppers or small goblets, usually) to build up my inventory for the upcoming holiday season. People like my larger pieces, but if they can't afford those, they at least want to walk away with something in the $10-35 range, and these smaller items fill that need.
Anyway, CA seems to be the right product when I need to get a really shiny finish in a short period of time. It is expensive compared to other products, but for short-term small projects, it’s a good choice. Mind you, it does not give the depth of grain that my standard 2xBLO/2xshellac/5+xLacquer finish does, but I like what I can get out of it and the result is certainly durable.
A few observations and tips worth sharing, hoping that others with more experience will chime in too:
CA requires at least two coats of the thin and sometimes three, applied with a Q-tip. There's no getting around it. If the wood is porous, I'll wipe on one coat of thick with a piece of cotton, let it dry, sand, then apply another coat of thin.
After I've gotten a satisfactory build, I sand with 400, then polish with Beal Tripoli/White Diamond/Carnauba. If I follow this process, I get a glassy finish without fail. Don’t waste your time with CA as a finish if you aren’t going to polish afterward.
The activator/accelerator sometimes creates white residue, and that requires additional sanding, and I try to avoid using it. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it’s a bother. If I use that stuff, I wait a few minutes to let the CA begin to harden, then I apply.
The small bumps and drips of CA that occur on some pieces can easily be smoothed with sandpaper with no problem.
Other considerations that come into play with this choice of finish is when there is punky wood that needs stabilizing. CA will “densify” instable wood and make it possible to get a nice finish over bad wood. Yes, other finishes can be applied over CA, in my experience.
There does seem to be a difference between brands. The Titebond “thin” is thinner than other brands, so Q-tip application goes smoother.
When applying CA, move quickly and try for multiple thin coats.
Overall, I think CA gives a marvelous high gloss result when time is of the essence.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?193644-Poplar-Buckeye-Ebony-Urn
So, the truth is that I'm a lacquer man. Always have been and always will be, I guess. But there are times when circumstances dictate that I use poly or cynoacrylate (CA) finishes. For the past six months, I've been making a policy of making at least two small objects each day (bottle stoppers or small goblets, usually) to build up my inventory for the upcoming holiday season. People like my larger pieces, but if they can't afford those, they at least want to walk away with something in the $10-35 range, and these smaller items fill that need.
Anyway, CA seems to be the right product when I need to get a really shiny finish in a short period of time. It is expensive compared to other products, but for short-term small projects, it’s a good choice. Mind you, it does not give the depth of grain that my standard 2xBLO/2xshellac/5+xLacquer finish does, but I like what I can get out of it and the result is certainly durable.
A few observations and tips worth sharing, hoping that others with more experience will chime in too:
CA requires at least two coats of the thin and sometimes three, applied with a Q-tip. There's no getting around it. If the wood is porous, I'll wipe on one coat of thick with a piece of cotton, let it dry, sand, then apply another coat of thin.
After I've gotten a satisfactory build, I sand with 400, then polish with Beal Tripoli/White Diamond/Carnauba. If I follow this process, I get a glassy finish without fail. Don’t waste your time with CA as a finish if you aren’t going to polish afterward.
The activator/accelerator sometimes creates white residue, and that requires additional sanding, and I try to avoid using it. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it’s a bother. If I use that stuff, I wait a few minutes to let the CA begin to harden, then I apply.
The small bumps and drips of CA that occur on some pieces can easily be smoothed with sandpaper with no problem.
Other considerations that come into play with this choice of finish is when there is punky wood that needs stabilizing. CA will “densify” instable wood and make it possible to get a nice finish over bad wood. Yes, other finishes can be applied over CA, in my experience.
There does seem to be a difference between brands. The Titebond “thin” is thinner than other brands, so Q-tip application goes smoother.
When applying CA, move quickly and try for multiple thin coats.
Overall, I think CA gives a marvelous high gloss result when time is of the essence.