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Since the topic of unusual finish products comes up, I wanted to show an example of a Padauk body finished, from pore fill to finish, using CA. I think this one is Starbond. I've also done a Claro Walnut body and a Macassar Ebony body with Gluboost. I would say that ebony and CA interact a little strangely - I kept getting color bleeding from the ebony after several sessions of applying the CA. I'm wondering if there are other folks out there trying this, and any experience with problems. The finish seems to be fairly bulletproof, and can go to the buffer as soon as you think you have a level surface sanded to 600.

Oops, I can't get my picture to size down to smaller than 500kb. ? Send an email if you want to see examples - kirby at udel dor edu

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I was trying to use it as porefill at one point. The first layer would go on good, but subsequent layers kicked off before intended and made a sticky mess. How were you applying it?

Ed,
send your email and I'll send some pics.
i was originally using CA as pore fill, and wanted to go on from there without changing technique all that much. That didn't get far, as maybe you found.
Instead, I have subsequently found that, once the initial pore fill is done and sanded back level, then the subsequent process has more of a french polish feel to it. Not that there is any circular padding, as this just builds ridges in a finish that is flashing off really fast, and isn't able to be flattened after the ridges are built. Instead, a build session consists of using long strokes along the entire body, and doing a few to more or less cover the surface. Don't worry about covering everything - that just build more ridges. After you have done a few cycles, sand back flat to 400, then do it all again, and sand back to 600. Once you get a surface sanded to 600 with no sand-throughs, you are done. Wait an hour and take it to the buffer. Once you get the hang of it, you can go from pore fill to buffer in a day. The finish shouldn't be any thicker than a french polished shellac finish.
It is very much like French polishing, individual applications should be very dry. I work with a pad that is a few folds of a lint-free cloth, and apply CA to the pad and then apply in long strokes. If i am doing it right, the pad is so dry that once a session is done, the pad dries and is still flexible.
I have a few threads on Robbie's forum that describe this in more detail.
I've been very excited about this, and would be happy to share any details I can.

Jim

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu

I know that a lot of the boxes and various other trinkets were finished nicely with CA…

In the 80's and 90's I finished several necks and fingerboards in CA. It's a lot of work, but done properly - looks great, and protects well.

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Emailed you, hadn't seen this post, will try to find your posts on robbie's forum, maybe you have a link?

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

P.S. Found your posts on Robbie's forum

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

I used CA as a pore fill on Wenge and BRW in part thinking that it would help in terms of cracks too since these woods are known to crack. I found that it worked very well as a pore filler. I would sand the wood with 320 and leave the dust in place and then squeegee CA all over it, sand back and repeat. I also was using Star Bond. I think I do remember a post from John Arnold(?) who said he did not have a good experience with Starbond. I've been reluctant to use it since but so far the ones I have done are fine.

Who's Robbie and what's his forum? Can you put up a link to it?

Robbie O’Brien. I think you have to have taken one of his courses in order to be invited to join a Google chat group he hosts.

Hi everyone. Regarding Robbie's forum, I think he will let you in if you ask, but I'm not sure. I haven't done an in person building course with him but have purchased a number of the online courses, and attended one of Trevor Gore's workshops at Robbie's home.

Colin North wrote to me directly, and I put together a collection of the discussions on Robbie's forum with added notes on another build that was problematic. (Ebony turns out to be a little weird.) Email me at kirby at udel dot edu if you'd like a copy. Email more reliable than replying here - I just don't get back here regularly enough.

Best to all.

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Jim Kirby
kirby@udel.edu