Thread: First brush

Originally Posted by prodigy

So apparently I sanded too thin in a few spots. Not enough to notice when polishing up the handle, but when used and put in water, the finish is horrible in several spots. Has anyone ever messed up like this? Any ideas on how to approach it? I'm scared to even try reapplying CA and sanding etc with the knot set. It's not the end of the world, but I feel so stupid for not noticing this before I put the knot in.

Never ever, ever have I messed up like this..... It's just you. Soooooo kidding. I have issues like this almost everytime I apply a CA finish. I can usually notice those areas that I've sanded through, they usually will have a duller appearance. Not sure how many coats you are doing, but I'd aim at around 8-10 minimum. Usually when I reach that number I start sanding with 1k wet until all the shiny areas are gone and the surface is smooth. Then inspect the surface for any areas that you may have sanded through and proceed to the rest of your wet sanding if there is none. If there is, apply 4-5 more coats on those areas that are thin. Another tip is sand on low speed. 500-800rpm. anything faster just heats everything up which will also create problems. I also can't stress enough how key it is to keep everything sopping wet when sanding. Don't ever let the piece become dry or even close to becoming dry.

As for the problem you have now...... Ever done drywall mudding? You'll have to apply coats off the lathe, and get them sanded (blended) into the original finish. The key is getting the edges of what you just applied, so there are no edges. I'd try applying thin CA to a paper towel and wiping it on these areas... One wipe each time, until you have 4-5 coats. Then sand with 1k wet until you have the edges blended in. Then go through your grits until finished and hopfully that takes care of the problem. Have some patience with this, you might be at it for a while.

Hope this helps

Anyone else have troubles getting on the forum yesterday? It was the only website that wouldn't load for me.....

Here's a couple videos that I learned from. Great videos that I took information from to develop my own techniques for applying CA on the lathe. If you have the time, I suggest watching both all the way through. Both of these guys have many years of experience. The headlight polish trick is what I use for my final polish. I don't do any buffing afterwards. IMO, there's no need.

Anyone who's used CA for an extended period of time will understand why Satellite City calls their thin CA, Hot stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRXSkmTJ4Pw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L4-xoDINg4

Good info there!

Looks too easy not to try again, seems the key is very quick light coats, and very light sanding. I just turned a couple more brushes yesterday, and may have to give it another go.

Ya, it's one of those techniques you just need to do over and over to get good at. Especially the sanding aspect. You need to develop a feel and know when you've reached the point where you don't need to sand with your initial grit anymore, and move onto the next grits. A good CA finish is so rewarding too. It gives you that feeling of accomplishment.

Wow, I need accelerator. He did in ten minutes what took me a day and a half to do! Thanks for those videos!

Here's the damage.

Yup. I have issues with it on end grain too sometimes, just like on yours there. Try what I said above and hopefully you can get it fixed.

Thats why I usually avoid CA. I messed up a couple really nice calls trying to get it right, some came out great and some looked like your end grain there.

On real dense/oily woods I had trouble, coco and African blackwood drove me nuts so I usually gave them a good oil soak and went with that.My thoughts were that if its not thirsty wood that soaks up the CA on the first base coat it was just a shell waiting for issues. For calls, once that shell in nicked they would absorb water and look like crap, that is my fear on brushes, but I have just started turning them so Im guessing.

I am going to try again on my next maple/walnut brushes, have two more blanks standing by , that should soak up the CA nicely.

Same reason I don't do CA anymore. It's a shell waiting to crack. I did one a while ago that went to Australia. Cracked to all hell, owner shipped it back and the finish was just trashed. sanded it all of and redid the finish with spray poly. Haven't heard back so it must have held up better than the CA. Only thing I'll do CA on anymore is stabilized wood.