What finishes do you use?

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Woodchipper

Woodchipper

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I have used these: CA glue, boiled linseed oil, Shellawax. One penturner I knew used alternate applications of CA and BLO. OK...what do you use? Why? Looking to see what is available and enhance wood blanks on pens. Anyone use lacquer? Thanks two bunches.
 
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Lately,

I usually use GluBoost, but I haven't gotten a solid regimen that works for me down yet. Often I seem to get an uneven thickness across the blank. I haven't figured it out yet whether it is too much finish per coat, the lathe speed, number of coats, etc., but I will get it sorted out at some point as GluBoost has been a really good finish for me.

My old regimen used the Stick Fast Wood Finish products (not those labeled as CA glue, but those specifically labeled as Wood Finish). Although many have had issues with this brand, myself included, for me they have been minor and I was able to figure out the cause, make corrections, and refinish the blanks without issue. The only problem I've had with this product was a crazed / cracked looking surface. I was using a rather old bottle of medium finish and replacing it with a newer / fresher one fixed the problem.

For non-CA, I really like Doctor's Woodshop. My regimen includes sanding using Walnut Oil as a sanding lubricant followed by Pens Plus, and polished off with Microcrystal Wax. I've carried a Padauk keychain for two or three years and the finish has held up very well. The wood has darkened a little and it has lost some of it's glossy luster, but it has held up very nicely. (I built my regimen around the one explained by Mike Meredith, the Doctor himself in a series of videos he produced.

Mostly for non-pens, if I am not using Doctor's Woodshop, I use O.B.'s Shine Juice. As friction polishes go, It works well for me and gets the job done. For those that are not familiar, O.B. (Orelien Burchman) Lacoste from Lafayette, Louisiana was one of the founding members of the Bayou Woodturners organization and a friend and mentor to Cap'n Eddie Castelin who has promoted the Shine Juice in his YouTube videos. It is essentially equal parts of Boiled Linseed Oil, Clear De-Waxed Shellac, and Denatured Alcohol.

Also, I have used Hut Crystal Coat and I still have some, but it is not my first choice anymore since using Doctor's Woodshop and O.B.'s Shine Juice.

Dave
 
GluBoost for 99 percent of my pens. If a more natural wood finish is needed then my goto is Dr's workshop pens plus.
 
For pens? I exclusively use Starbond CA. Never had a bad experience with it.

For other woodworking products, spray lacquer for boxes, water based poly for table tops, epoxy resin for different projects, and food grade mineral oil + bees wax for cutting boards and other wooden items that will be used for food prep.
 
Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise. Does lacquer have a drying time of hours or even days? Woodcraft has two turned lamps finished in gloss lacquer. Need to ask what they used. BTW, anyone visited Woodcraft and came out empty-handed?
 
Melamine lacquer.........Tripoli/white Diamond/Ren. Wax........Woodworker's Sauce Diamond Coat......and CA once every 100 pens!!!
 
Been using Satellite City CA for as long as I have been making wood pens which is not too many. Have good luck with that CA. No surprises and different formulas to use to get a finish 3 coats thin and about 4 coats med and MM and polish and I am very happy. I have used Deft lacquers on pens and use that on larger projects. Yes lacquer has a cure rate and not just a dry rate. Depends on many things so no exact science. i also use waterbase lacquers on things as well.
 
Woodchipper said:
Thanks for sharing your experience and expertise. Does lacquer have a drying time of hours or even days? Woodcraft has two turned lamps finished in gloss lacquer. Need to ask what they used. BTW, anyone visited Woodcraft and came out empty-handed?
Click to expand...
Usually lacquer dries very fast. It also has the characteristic that the solvent in the following coat actually softens/dissolves the previous coat which provides great adhesion. For rattle can lacquer I usually apply the coats with only 10 to 15 minutes in between. Very light sanding with a fine grit just before the last coat and then I let it dry for about 24 hours.
 
egnald said:
Lately,

I usually use GluBoost, but I haven't gotten a solid regimen that works for me down yet. Often I seem to get an uneven thickness across the blank. I haven't figured it out yet whether it is too much finish per coat, the lathe speed, number of coats, etc., but I will get it sorted out at some point as GluBoost has been a really good finish for me.

My old regimen used the Stick Fast Wood Finish products (not those labeled as CA glue, but those specifically labeled as Wood Finish). Although many have had issues with this brand, myself included, for me they have been minor and I was able to figure out the cause, make corrections, and refinish the blanks without issue. The only problem I've had with this product was a crazed / cracked looking surface. I was using a rather old bottle of medium finish and replacing it with a newer / fresher one fixed the problem.

For non-CA, I really like Doctor's Woodshop. My regimen includes sanding using Walnut Oil as a sanding lubricant followed by Pens Plus, and polished off with Microcrystal Wax. I've carried a Padauk keychain for two or three years and the finish has held up very well. The wood has darkened a little and it has lost some of it's glossy luster, but it has held up very nicely. (I built my regimen around the one explained by Mike Meredith, the Doctor himself in a series of videos he produced.

Mostly for non-pens, if I am not using Doctor's Woodshop, I use O.B.'s Shine Juice. As friction polishes go, It works well for me and gets the job done. For those that are not familiar, O.B. (Orelien Burchman) Lacoste from Lafayette, Louisiana was one of the founding members of the Bayou Woodturners organization and a friend and mentor to Cap'n Eddie Castelin who has promoted the Shine Juice in his YouTube videos. It is essentially equal parts of Boiled Linseed Oil, Clear De-Waxed Shellac, and Denatured Alcohol.

Also, I have used Hut Crystal Coat and I still have some, but it is not my first choice anymore since using Doctor's Woodshop and O.B.'s Shine Juice.

Dave
Click to expand...
Dave

On GluBoost. Are you putting it on with the lathe on? If so try lathe off. I only put it on with the lathe off and with the grain. The open viscosity has enough time. Just a thought to help you out. Pm me if you have other issues and I will get you my phone number to help out.

Mark
 
Another GluBoost guy for my pens and bottle stoppers. I've used lacquer on stoppers and some other smaller items too. For larger projects I have really become a fan of Arm R Seal products.
 
mg_dreyer said:
Dave

On GluBoost. Are you putting it on with the lathe on? If so try lathe off. I only put it on with the lathe off and with the grain. The open viscosity has enough time. Just a thought to help you out. Pm me if you have other issues and I will get you my phone number to help out.

Mark
Click to expand...
Thanks Mark, I'll give that a try. - Dave
 
My experience/opinion is that the ideal finish for pens can be applied quickly and doesn't require extended curing time between coats, and is tough enough to withstand constant handling. So for me, that has come down to one of two options - WOP and lacquer-based friction polish. I have also used pure lacquer (thinned and then wiped on - not sprayed), but I don't find it to be any better than lacquer-based friction polish.

I've used both solvent WOP (ie, Minwax), and water-based WOP (ie, hardwood floor finish). The water-based version works a little better because the curing time is shorter, but I don't get excited about the fact that it is so colorless that it appears blue.

But my favorite remains lacquer-based friction polish - equal measures of a brushing lacquer, oil and lacquer thinner. I use Watco Lacquer simply because that's what the store near me sells. I also use pure Tung Oil (Hopes) although its no longer available in the stores near me - but Amazon still sells it. And like any other friction polish, I wipe it on, and the rub while spinning the pen on the lathe at fairly high speed. Wait a couple of minutes, and repeat. Typically three applications, but sometime more if I lose track of what I'm doing. It does build, but it's not plasticky like CA, and if you want, its possible to use a polishing wax or buffing arrangement to get a higher shine. But I prefer a a simpler process that leaves the wood feeling like wood. And it's tough.


That's my opinion. YMMV
 
Woodchipper said:
I have used these: CA glue, boiled linseed oil, Shellawax. One penturner I knew used alternate applications of CA and BLO. OK...what do you use? Why? Looking to see what is available and enhance wood blanks on pens. Anyone use lacquer? Thanks two bunches.
Click to expand...
The most durable is CA. That's all I use.
 
Just to be different

As long as its wood and is sanded smooth I just use a friction polish and then a couple of layers of caranubia max.

I find that gives a nice gloss finish that still feels like wood.

I have been experimenting with Malamine lacquer and caranubia but still keep going back to friction polish.
 
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