pen turning

[ldh]

Fun to do......just a bit addictive. I use a finish on mine that I got from the Bonnie Klein site. Equal parts Alcohol, Boiled Linseed Oil and Zinsser Shellac.
A little on a paper towel with a little pressure while applying it to the turning pen and it heats and is dry. Cheap to make and quick. How many others us it?
ldh

[nuhobby]

My kit was from Penn State and the Shellawax that was in the kit seems to be about the same mixture that you've described. Pretty easy and very fast drying!

[james.miller]

There was a post on wood magazines woodturning forum a while back about finishing pens with plexiglass, the guy disolved bits of plexiglass in acetone for a few days until it disolved, thined it out and applied it on the lathe to the wood .

Also ca is popular.

[Greenvilleguy]

I've heard that CA is used. How do you put it on evenly. I'm guessing you would use thin mixture (runny kind), but will it just spread itself out?

I'm a little paranoid about spreading CA with my fingers for obvious reasons, but I guess a plastic applicator might work if you are fast enough.

[roy_okc]

I've not yet tried CA on wood pens, hope to do on my next batch when weather warms up. I did use CA on a couple of plastic key fobs I turned for stocking stuffers and it worked well other than needed overnight to dry (but the temp was only in the 40s when I put it on); I applied it with a paper towel.

Here's a link for using boiled linseed oil and CA to finish wood pens: http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/ca-blo.pdf. Many pen turners swear by the BLO/CA finish.

Besides gloves, I'd recommend a full face mask in case the CA slings off the pen.

Roy

[Greenvilleguy]

Thanks Roy. I'm not sure of the chemistry here. I wonder why the BLO mixes with CA. I didn't think CA had a petroluem base. If it does, we should be able to use mineral oil as well. Perhaps the BLO somehow slows the curing process so the CA has time to be spread and mineral oil might dry too quickly.

Any chemist out there?

[james.miller]

Watched a guy apply ca once, as I remember he folded up a paper towel or a rag, wet it with ca then held the rag against the pen to spread it out and the friction set up the ca and buffed it at the same time. Paper towels are safer because when they catch it just pulls a little piece of paper towel off and sticks it to the piece being turned where cloth will be jerked out of your hand if you're lucky, or it could pull your hand around the piece.

You could practice on a section of dowel held in a chuck, sand then finish. A drill chuck would work or a 3-jaw with #1 or spigot jaws.

[W3DRM]

I've experimented with using CA as a finish/sealer on a couple of pens and it works quite nicely. However, if you use a paper towel to apply the CA you have to watch carefully that the towel doesn't stick to the surface. Also, the odor from the curing CA is incredibly bad. I'd suggest having a fan or dust collector close to the area to get rid of the fumes quickly. Ed suggests using a dressmakers batting for application of the CA. My wife had some scaps and they really work nicely.

Here is a link on the International Assoc of Penturners website where you will find various topics on CA finishing and Pen Turning in general.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17155

Lots of good tips and info available on that site.

[Greenvilleguy]

Thanks! That link really covers the subject and makes it look easy. I did notice that he is not wearing gloves in the clip. I guess I'm just paranoid about getting CA on my fingers and gluing myself together.

[W3DRM]

I always wear either vinyl or nitrile gloves when working with any glue. It just makes cleanup a lot easier after you are done working. I get my gloves from COSTCO.