Shopsmith Forums

I'm wondering what the pen makers out there are using to finish their pens.

I've made about 25 or so in the last few months and have been using CA glue. I've inhaled about all the super glue fumes I care to inhale for a lifetime.

Does anyone do anything different? I've been thinking about using shine juice on them, but am concerned about the durablity of the finish.

Latest creation

Not to say that I know how to do this the very best way, but I've had no issue with the fumes of Crazy Glue.

Yes, I use CA for pens, putting a few drops on half of the pen, turning at a slow speed (200RPM on the PowerPro) while holding a towel lightly against the pen. This is done for the other half, then let dry about 5 minutes.

Then I repeat the process - twice or thrice - depending how it looks.

For me, the secret to getting a hard, smooth finish is the sanding. I use these pads and go through all 9 pads. Only takes a few minutes. No smell! https://www.pennstateind.com/store/MMESHPADS9.html

Those are beautiful.

I apply the same way, but at a little faster speed. Perhaps I should not use dollar store super glue. Those micromesh pads are amazing.

This one, I made with shine juice and poly acrylic.

A great place to get answers about pen turning is at the Pen turning organization. http://www.penturners.org/

richardrouse wrote:I'm wondering what the pen makers out there are using to finish their pens.

I've made about 25 or so in the last few months and have been using CA glue. I've inhaled about all the super glue fumes I care to inhale for a lifetime.

Does anyone do anything different? I've been thinking about using shine juice on them, but am concerned about the durability of the finish.

I have been using a CA finish, I haven’t done as many as you though.
I have been using 4 or 5 coats of thin CA, lightly sand with 400 to level the surface, then since I didn't have any plastic polish so I tried some Autosol metal polish I had on hand and it worked great.

Carl Jacobson did a video recently where he tried a new type of CA that he said doesn't smell. I have not tried it personally but it could be worth checking out.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVTq6Iw1SHQ[/youtube]

I have done around 50 pens with a CA glue finish. They do look nice.

Now, I made a nice redwood Sierra with CA finish for my wife. It turned into her car pen and gets beat up and it did get Sun-baked. It was a gorgeous pen but looks horrible now.

A few others have been hit just right to cause a chip. Now I just use 1 or 2 coats of tung oil depending on how I feel. I think the wood looks just as nice if not better.

Remember that CA glue will react with cotton. It will create an exothermic reaction that creates more fumes as the glue gets hot. If you are having a fume issue I would check the material in the pad you are using to apply.

I've been using the two products below on wood pens for several years and have never had an issue. Plus the Shellawax smells pretty good and is food safe.

Yes, expensive but you use so little on pens that you can make a jar of this stuff last forever. Apply the EE Shine first then 1 to 3 coats of Shellawax and you are good to go.


EE Shine
https://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKSWEEE.html

Shellawax Cream
https://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/mercha ... =Shellawax

I too like Shellawax, however I buy the liquid. I presume the only difference is the viscosity.

I stopped using CA because I'd leave the cap slightly off so it would dry in the bottle. I was using the stuff from Fastcap, 2p10 which was too expensive to waste. A friend sent me a small sample of Sellawax and I've been using since.

Be well,
Ben