Why use CA finish on acrylic pens?

CA is short for Cyanoacrylate, which is the chemical name for super glue. A CA finish is made by building up many really thin layers of super glue on your pen, then polishing them to a high-gloss. It is the most durable finish I’ve found and can be used on virtually all woods, stabilized woods, and even acrylics.

What are the ingredients of French polish?

French polish is a mixture of shellac and oil. Little oil is needed; it acts as a lubricant for the shellac.

Why is my CA finish cracking?

Wood moving through a wide range of moisture conditions can move enough to cause a brittle finish to crack. Thin cyanoacrylate applied to both sides of very thin wood is more likely to impregnate the wood, possibly all the way through, than it is to sit atop it.

Do you need to finish acrylic pens?

dano, you do have to sand and wax or use some other finish on acrylic to make it shine again after you turn it.

What kind of Polish to use on wooden pens?

Pens in daily use will have a hard life the wear caused by friction and things spilt on them at the office desk. I’m sure as a woodworker you have read articles about white rings on furniture or even asked to repair them. So friction polish is no good for a wooden pen. Melamine lacquer is an alternative wooden pen finish.

How to apply CA glue finish on a pen?

Going straight across while the lathe is running and then small circles with the lathe off while rotating backwards. Once you are happy with that you while apply a couple coats of plastic polish to finish. Apply with the lathe off and then buff out for 30 to 45 seconds with the lathe running. Assemble the pen and you’re done!

What do you need to know about French polishing?

Preparation of the surface for French polishing is extremely important. Any slight imperfections which might not be noticeable under varnish or oil finishes would be apparent under French Polish. It is essential, therefore, that the surface is clean and fine sanded.

What kind of shellac is used to make French Polish?

This is known as Button Lac from which Button Polish is made. The next amount of shellac that oozes through may contain impurities which would easily be detected visually it the shellac was in the form of a button and it is, therefore, stretched into a thin sheet and crushed, when cold, into flakes, from which French Polish is made.