Thread: CA a pain?

I have been finishing my scales in Tung Oil/Renaisannce Wax for now. I wanted to make a simple set in birdseye maple and in order to show the depth, I thought CA would look better. Is this stuff really that much of a pain to apply? Do you guys attach something to the inside of the scales and finish the outer part first, then do the inside?

CA is actually quite a lot of work but the results are quite amazing.
After sanding the wood down with 2000 grit sandpaper I then attach about a three inch piece of pointed wood, like a popsicle stick, to the inside of the each scale with the CA. I then stick each piece of wood with the attached scale into a small styrafoam square. I take some surgical gloves and cut one finger off and place it on my forefinger. I then take the THIN, they make thin and thick, CA and apply a small amount along the center of a scale and then smooth this out with the rubber on my forefinger. I do the same on the other scale. After this sets up which takes a few hours I apply another coat. After about three or four coats you will notice that the surface is kind of rough. I take some 320 or 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper and wet it and then sand down the CA until it is smooth. I will then apply some more coats of CA, let it set up and then sand again. After I get seveal coats applied I will sand with 320 or 400 and then finish with 600, 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000. I polish this with either MAAS or Mothers Mag & Aluminum polish. The finish is now very clear and shiny. Yes this is a lot of work and sometimes on the rounded parts of the scales you will sand thru to the wood and then have to apply some more CA to that spot and then sand that smooth.
When you get to where you like it you then cut off the stick from the inside of the scales and then sand down the CA that ran to that area and then apply a couple of coats of CA to that area.

OR you could try this stuff. I have experimented with it but not to the extent that I have used it on scales yet and it does leave a very hard and very clear finish. You don't have to sand it unless you mess it up but then you just mix some more up and apply it over the messed up part. The link to it is:

FAMOWOOD Glaze Coat High Build Epoxy Coating Quart Kit

Thanks for the post. It dosn't sound too bad, or that much more work than Tung oil since it takes so long to dry. I think i will give it a shot at some point.

I apologize for asking a dumb question, but what is CA?

I looked in the Newbie Abreviation and Acronym list, and it wasn't there.

It is Super Glue (CyanoAcrylate). It is a plastic I suppose an acrylic type of plastic.

Originally Posted by Aquanin

Thanks for the post. It dosn't sound too bad, or that much more work than Tung oil since it takes so long to dry. I think i will give it a shot at some point.

It doesn't sound too bad...



Please post after giving it a whirl...

It si great stuff, but it is a pain in the rear!

Ohh boy, I guess I am in for some frustration ehh?

I got some of the glaze coat and some similar bartop coating called mirror coat from woodcraft. It's a little difficult to get the stuff to set up on the edges properly on something that is rounded as it is self-leveling and takes many hours to fully cure so what you end up with is a thicker spot of coating on the level part and thinner parts on the sides. I haven't done it too much but tried some on a piece of scrap.

The problem I've had with CA while finishing scales is that sometimes while sanding, it goes filmy white for no good reason (even after letting it dry for a few hours).

The BIG reason that it's a pain in the rear is that on occasion it will instantly bond your glove to the scale, even if you do everything quickly. I've done enough identical coats to figure out that his is a random aberration of nature, and should just be accepted as the cost of doing business. But when it does happen, be prepared to start all from scratch, because you have to sand out the latex glove that is now part of your scale.

Good luck.

Mark

Water, even the slightest amount, is actually an activator of CA. If your glove is wet, regardless of the amount, it may cause the CA to set up instantly and stick the glove to the scale. Also, if the Ca is not completely set up and you put water on it via sanding it could turn white. I have never had a glove stick to the scale but am glad you mentioned it as I will watch for that. I have tried to hurry the process of curing but have never had any luck at that either as it always turns white or gets really rough. Basically speaking CA is a pita but the results are really nice.