Turning a cast blank.

[Scruffy]

I hope this is the correct place to ask the following.

I have turned a number of PR blanks to try out Castings. While it does seem easier to turn a cast blank than a lot of the wood ones, I am not getting the result I hoped for.

Basically I'm using a CA finish, "Stick-Fast". A couple layers of thin, then 5-7 thick and sanding with pads upto 12,000. Satin and Gloss Finish. The finish came out nice.

Ok now the colors seems more subdued in the finished pen that on the blank. (This has happen 3 times. I know not a great sample size, but enough to make me want to ask.)

Did the sanding cloud the colors?
I like CA, should I try something other than Stick-Fast?
Should I try a different Finish (other than the Stick Fast Satin+Gloss approach?

Or should I just expect to get subdued colors?
Or...?

 

[Waluy]

I have only done a few but I was told putting CA on resin would be overly redundant. Because you're putting plastic (CA is basically liquid plastic) on plastic (for lack of better terms). I just sand mine to the highest grit I have and then buff.

 

[Carl Fisher]

Are you talking about materials cast in the blank that are exposed when you turn, or just a simple color casting where it is solid resin?

If there is nothing exposed but the resin, simply sand and polish with no added finish.

If there is something exposed (beans, cones, pits, etc...) then a CA finish should polish up just as clear and glossy as the cast itself.

 

[ALexG]

I wouldn't add CA to a casting except that something else was cast with the PR ie wood, coffee beans, pine cones or whatever, otherwise, sand to the finest grit you have, wet sand after 1200, and for extra gloss use plastic polish . Dont forget to cross sand between grits that will eliminate undesirable fine scratches

 

[Scruffy]

I think my life has just gotten easier.

Thanks for the information.

4 months ago I could not spell laithe
and with the help of here I can now turn one on ..


Using it has been an adventure in experiments for me..

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Like the others have mentioned I don't use ca on any acrilic,cast or stabilized blanks. Several turners use buffing wheels to "shine"up the final project but I sand and then go through all the micro mesh pads then finish with Hut Ultra Gloss Plastic Polish all on the lathe. The only time I use ca glue is on plain wood.

 

[Jim Burr]

Great advise so far Alan! When the turning is done, I hit the blank with some 600, then the wet sanding starts. I use 3M black wet/dry 600 and 1000 grit...always wet. Then through the grits with micromesh pads up to 10000. There are many products to use as a polish, I like Hutts Ultra Gloss. Gives a real mirror finish!