Internal polishing and clarity

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Hippie3180

Hippie3180

Member
Joined
May 30, 2023
Messages
1,265
Location
Texas
I'm wondering if JohnU or someone who does some internal polishing can chime in. I just finished two transparent floral blanks, they were quite the struggle as there was some filling with ca etc on the outside and all. I did as JohnU suggested and used some ultra thin Glu Boost to seal the plant matter on the inside. I then polished and polished(with Zona) but in the end felt they were lacking in clarity. I feel really frustrated after all the work and probably will try again here soon once I recover from the disappointment, what could I have done differently to get better clarity?

I did drill slowly and with water to cool and lubricate my bits btw. I don't think it was heat, the blanks are fairly clear, just not like I would like them.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I think a long while ago someone said they used Micro-Mesh Sanding Swabs to polish the inside of barrels for ink windows or demonstrator pens. This was the first source that popped up when I searched.

Micro-Mesh® Sanding Swabs

The Micro-Mesh® Swabs are used for anything from polymer clay to porcelain, plastics, and more.
www.sisweb.com
 
I have been on this journey lately and struggling with one this week. I really like the look of those micro mesh swabs above, and I might give them a try. I have never seen them.

I made a tool using a Foredam split mandrel. I wet sand with Mirka Goldflex soft foam-backed sanding sheets in 400, 600, 800, and 1000 and then move to 3M wet dry paper for 1500 and 2000. The foam-backed sanding pads really help me get even sanding. Then I apply 6 steps of magic juice using gun cleaning cotton cloths attached to my mandrel. Then I use Caswell buffing compounds extra fine and fine on a small buffing bit. The whole process takes me about 1 hour per part. It is a real pain and sometimes I feel not worth the effort. The problem comes once everything dries and I see a hazy spot or area. Then I start over again.

The pen below (exterior not buffed yet) is on its second time through these steps, and I almost have it where I want it to be. Once it dried I noticed a little haze on my step drilling in the cap. I am going through these steps again on my cap tonight. This pen is a commission, and I think going forward, the most clear I will do is an ink window. Trying to get a whole pen perfect is too much work and my price needs to go way up.

1709074735152.png


1709074759558.png


1709074298001.png
 
hooked said:
I have been on this journey lately and struggling with one this week. I really like the look of those micro mesh swabs above, and I might give them a try. I have never seen them.

I made a tool using a Foredam split mandrel. I wet sand with Mirka Goldflex soft foam-backed sanding sheets in 400, 600, 800, and 1000 and then move to 3M wet dry paper for 1500 and 2000. The foam-backed sanding pads really help me get even sanding. Then I apply 6 steps of magic juice using gun cleaning cotton cloths attached to my mandrel. Then I use Caswell buffing compounds extra fine and fine on a small buffing bit. The whole process takes me about 1 hour per part. It is a real pain and sometimes I feel not worth the effort. The problem comes once everything dries and I see a hazy spot or area. Then I start over again.

The pen below (exterior not buffed yet) is on its second time through these steps, and I almost have it where I want it to be. Once it dried I noticed a little haze on my step drilling in the cap. I am going through these steps again on my cap tonight. This pen is a commission, and I think going forward, the most clear I will do is an ink window. Trying to get a whole pen perfect is too much work and my price needs to go way up.

View attachment 369639

View attachment 369640

View attachment 369638
Click to expand...
Wow! It looks amazing, that is a beautiful sight to behold.

So, you don't do the external polishing first? Someone I asked about internal polishing said they do the external first 1) so they could see 2) so they don't put the just polished internals on the mandrel I would guess.

Interesting you do wet dry after the soft pads. Hmmm? I do wet dry prior to 1000 - 2000 then Zona.

You have a whole process that seems to yield fantastic results. Gosh! I spent SO much time in these two and they just aren't up to par, I feel pretty discouraged.
You do wonder if it's all worth it, and yes, they do demand a price to justify the time spent.
 
Sorry to hear about your frustration.

Although I haven't done any transparent pens (yet anyway), I did order the Magic Juice polishing system from Drop Anchor Creations yesterday. The instructions say to sand through 2000 grit first to be followed by their 6 polishing compounds. I'm guessing that internals could be given a final polish-up with this stuff by simply using cotton swabs. (I also get those with various stick lengths and tip sizes from from Walmart - Grip 325 piece Industrial Cotton Swab Assortment).

Good luck! I'm sure you will be successful in developing a regimen that works well for you!
Dave
 
Hippie3180 said:
I'm wondering if JohnU or someone who does some internal polishing can chime in. I just finished two transparent floral blanks, they were quite the struggle as there was some filling with ca etc on the outside and all. I did as JohnU suggested and used some ultra thin Glu Boost to seal the plant matter on the inside. I then polished and polished(with Zona) but in the end felt they were lacking in clarity. I feel really frustrated after all the work and probably will try again here soon once I recover from the disappointment, what could I have done differently to get better clarity?

I did drill slowly and with water to cool and lubricate my bits btw. I don't think it was heat, the blanks are fairly clear, just not like I would like them.
Click to expand...
Check out this video. Interior finishing methods around 10-11 min mark, but whole video is good.
 
Hippie3180 said:
Wow! It looks amazing, that is a beautiful sight to behold.

So, you don't do the external polishing first? Someone I asked about internal polishing said they do the external first 1) so they could see 2) so they don't put the just polished internals on the mandrel I would guess.

Interesting you do wet dry after the soft pads. Hmmm? I do wet dry prior to 1000 - 2000 then Zona.

You have a whole process that seems to yield fantastic results. Gosh! I spent SO much time in these two and they just aren't up to par, I feel pretty discouraged.
You do wonder if it's all worth it, and yes, they do demand a price to justify the time spent.
Click to expand...
I'm probably wasting my time doing it first thing, but I worry that I might accidentally damage my threads. I usually end up polishing again.

I only use the wet/dry sandpaper because Mirka doesn't make pads with grits above 1000. Zona would work very well, too.

I think if you took it a bit further and added a plastic polish after Zona, you would be happy with your results. Final buffing compounds will bring another level of clarity beyond the plastic polish.

This only works for me with alumilite. When I go through all of these steps with clear acrylic I get some crazing develop after a few days. I'm still working on that process.
 
hooked said:
I'm probably wasting my time doing it first thing, but I worry that I might accidentally damage my threads. I usually end up polishing again.

I only use the wet/dry sandpaper because Mirka doesn't make pads with grits above 1000. Zona would work very well, too.

I think if you took it a bit further and added a plastic polish after Zona, you would be happy with your results. Final buffing compounds will bring another level of clarity beyond the plastic polish.

This only works for me with alumilite. When I go through all of these steps with clear acrylic I get some crazing develop after a few days. I'm still working on that process.
Click to expand...
I am also polishing Alumilite. When you say crazing, is that like tiny little bubbles. I get that sometimes on my Alumilite, I think it comes from heat, I find that polishing at a slower speed helps with that. What speed do you polish at?
 
Crazing is surface cracking, fine lines in all directions. As an aircraft mechanic I saw it happen to older plexiglass (acrylic) canopies and windows. Sunlight causes it and is hastened when solvents or ammonia cleaning products were used on them. I think using some lubricants with oils or solvents in them to drill, tap or polish might do it in pens made with acrylic based plastic. Alumilite is a polyurethane and may not behave in the same manner.
 
hooked said:
When I go through all of these steps with clear acrylic I get some crazing develop after a few days. I'm still working on that process.
Click to expand...

Strongly recommend always selecting CAST (not extruded) acrylic acetate, and only using water with a drop of dish detergent as lubricant/coolant when working it.

Extruded acrylic acetate has internal stresses which cast does not have. The worst crazing happened to me one time I used DNA to wash out some swarf from a tube I drilled - there are articles about it online, such as THIS ONE
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom