Search on here, there's been many discussions on this subject. Don't know what Erik is using but any of the natural oils work well; vegetable oil, olive oil, along with clear oils. keep in mind that Erik's procedure will not be in your search.
Mario
Opinions wanted on clear finishes.
- Thread starter 67fastback
- Start date
Search on here, there's been many discussions on this subject. Don't know what Erik is using but any of the natural oils work well; vegetable oil, olive oil, along with clear oils. keep in mind that Erik's procedure will not be in your search.
Mario
Jay, is unfortunate you've had such a bad experience with CA finishes. Every week as I visit pool rooms in my area I see cues ten to fifteen years old which are played with everyday and show no signs of chipping, cracking, advance wear or yellowing. Furthermore, another local maker has cues that are over twenty years+ old with CA finish and I see those cues often.
Of course, I've refinish some which have been abused but even so after examining the finish there was no failure. Anyway that's my two cents.
BTW. All these cues were finish with CA on top of West system finishing epoxy used as a sealer.
Mario
I use linseed oil, but it is my understanding that many oils work. A plus is that oil seems to amplify color & figure. The linseed oil I use is yellow & leaves warm glow, especially on maple, but mineral oil is water clear if you don't want the tinted hue. I oil the cue & dry the excess with a towel, then immediately begin the CA. The oil penetrates & the CA catalyzes to become one with the oil, securely bonding the finish to the cue rather than simply laying on the surface.
Thank you for the reply. I have never applied oil pre-CA. With automotive finish, oil is a no, no. I will give your treatment a try.
I don't like nitrile. I just buy a case of these.
https://www.amazon.com/Dynarex-Safe...narex+Safe-Touch+Latex+Exam+Glove+Powder+Free
I used to be cavalier about masks and gloves..... I experienced some of the worst headaches of my life while working at a body shop....
Explains alot..
67fastback
Registered
Thanks to everyone that replied to my thread. As I said in the beginning, I have used automotive clear since day one & have always had excellent results. I have played with CA on some shaft joints & was happy with the finish just not the durability. I think more the just myself learned something about CA form this thread. never would I have ever dreamed of using oil as a catalyst. With AC, the surface needs to be clean of ANY oils. I will definitely have to try this new information out. I was taught the only stupid question is the one not asked. Thanks for every ones input................ Jim Neilson
Don't be afraid to try things, and never make your mind up on something until you have exhaustively tried it out. If something doesn't work, you learn how to not do things. I've never been afraid of failing. I learn something whether I fail or succeed. More often I learn the most from failure because when I find success I stop searching.
Just consider this, auto clear coats are designed to go on a surface that will be exposed to extreme cold, heat, dryness , wetness and lots of hard contact for years ( if not decades ). I think there is no question, they are the best clear finish one can apply to a cue. They can be very expensive and laborious . And extremely dangerous , of course if not done right.
You look at a SW and see that great finish, you should be in awe and appreciative as that finish is both really beautiful and very very tough.
You look at a SW and see that great finish, you should be in awe and appreciative as that finish is both really beautiful and very very tough.
Thank You Joey and I share your opinion. A/C is the nuts for the 'indy' CM.
Let's break this down for clarity. UV & A/C are the top dogs in the finish dept.
There's a reason that the big cue manufacturers have gone to UV; they can afford it.
Also, they have determined that UV works best in the production environment for CUES.
Now, one must ask why Ford & GM haven't gone the UV route for their vehicles.
I can't answer that. I can only accept that they ALL have made the decision to go A/C.
So does that mean that one is better than the other ?
While it may be a factor in the decision, I believe there are a multitude of factors to consider.
For one, every dealership and body shop in the country would have to set-up for UV.
It's just money so why haven't they ? I'll let the reader come to their own conclusions.
Joey on A/C states: "I think there is no question, they are the best clear finish one can apply to a cue.
They can be very expensive and laborious . And extremely dangerous , of course if not done right."
Yes, they can be but they don't have to be, expensive, laborious and extremely dangerous.
I've already laid-out my costs on A/C. You'd spend more on rattle-can Krylon than I do with A/C.
My system is efficient and very cost effective. For me, A/C is the only way to go. YMMV.
"And extremely dangerous , of course if not done right." I agree. Do your homework/research.
Learn what the dangers are and build your system to neutralize them. It doesn't have to be dangerous.
In summary, everyone will use what they feel comfortable with. Every application may be different.
Again, I'm not pushing any particular system. It doesn't matter a lick to me what you use.
Use what works best FOR YOU. I've been in this game 30 yrs. I know what works FOR ME.
KJ
Let's break this down for clarity. UV & A/C are the top dogs in the finish dept.
There's a reason that the big cue manufacturers have gone to UV; they can afford it.
Also, they have determined that UV works best in the production environment for CUES.
Now, one must ask why Ford & GM haven't gone the UV route for their vehicles.
I can't answer that. I can only accept that they ALL have made the decision to go A/C.
So does that mean that one is better than the other ?
While it may be a factor in the decision, I believe there are a multitude of factors to consider.
For one, every dealership and body shop in the country would have to set-up for UV.
It's just money so why haven't they ? I'll let the reader come to their own conclusions.
Joey on A/C states: "I think there is no question, they are the best clear finish one can apply to a cue.
They can be very expensive and laborious . And extremely dangerous , of course if not done right."
Yes, they can be but they don't have to be, expensive, laborious and extremely dangerous.
I've already laid-out my costs on A/C. You'd spend more on rattle-can Krylon than I do with A/C.
My system is efficient and very cost effective. For me, A/C is the only way to go. YMMV.
"And extremely dangerous , of course if not done right." I agree. Do your homework/research.
Learn what the dangers are and build your system to neutralize them. It doesn't have to be dangerous.
In summary, everyone will use what they feel comfortable with. Every application may be different.
Again, I'm not pushing any particular system. It doesn't matter a lick to me what you use.
Use what works best FOR YOU. I've been in this game 30 yrs. I know what works FOR ME.
KJ
This is where we can agree to disagree. Any time yourself or Joey or anybody would like to compare their finish to my CA finish, I'm game. I'm not even a little worried about pitting my finish against any on the planet. I go to the shows & tourneys, and I look closely at all the other cues, custom and production. Any time you'd like to find out how good a finish is or isn't, I'm ready. Until then it's just opinions, right?
Great looking finish and I am not here to make any claim of what is the best.
A great way for a CA finish, test for yourself with an open grain wood like Purpleheart or Wenge, rub BLO on it and then put a little more on some 320 or 400 grit and start sanding. Go to 600, 800, 1000, 1200 and finish at 1500. Around 1000 the oil is soaked into the wood and the sandpaper now becomes dry, 1200 and 1500 will sand dry as well.
DONT WIPE!!! Let it sit for 3+ days at proper temp and humidity.
You now have a glass smooth surface, lightly sand for roughness and begin the CA process.
Use Blue paper towels with a small amount of BLO on it and then with lathe spinning, apply medium in two coats, dry, sand and then polish with 3 steps.
I have restored many muscle cars in my life, some very rare. I was taught auto finish by a guy who won best finish at Vegas a few times, his trophies were 6 feet tall, we grew up together. The last cars I restored in the last ten years I let a custom shop do the finish, having 4 first gen Camaros at the same time left me void of time, he charged a lot but they were show quality.
I like AC but I believe CA is a stronger finish in the end, it takes more to scratch it.
There are so many fantastic cues and cuemakers in the world and many great finishes, Thanks to all.
That's a different technique than I use, but your sentiments mirror my own. The CA finish dogma existed long before I chose to use it, so I knew what I was getting into. In such a fickle business as cue making, it's almost prohibitive to use CA just because of the stigma attached to it. It's a cue making taboo, something only the weekend warrior wannabes do. I knew that before I chose it, and I still chose it. I don't expect anybody to know what I know, or even to care what I know. What matters to me is results. If my cue looks good, stays looking good, can endure the abuses of pool, then it has a good finish. CA finishes should no longer be frowned on or looked at as cheap, weak, brittle, non-lasting. The method belongs in any level of cue making, except for maybe assembly line factories. It requires more hands on time & work than spraying, which means a factory would need a lot more hired hands, which would ultimately be cost prohibitive. But for a custom shop, I challenge anybody to prove a better finish.
That's exactly right though I'm not challenging anybody to anything.
We use what we use because it works best for us. Your requirements may be different.
The whole point of this exercise is to say that not every finish is right for everyone.
KJ
That I agree with.
I know a Cue Maker who uses Crisco from the can at room temperature to treat the wood before CA.
That cue maker must be a lard of laughs.
I can see using lard on a cue. Must give some slick shots.
"Heeeey Crisco."
"Yes Poncho?"
"Lets go shoot some pool."
"No Poncho, I have to save some shots for OL' LARDASS in Low-Radio."
"Si, den we can channel some Dinero har-whey."
. . . And now, we return you to regular program in AzBilliards.
Based on the info in this thread, I'm giving CA a try on a purpleheart sneaky. While awaiting the arrival of some medium CA, I oiled the cue with Johnson's Baby Oil (the only stuff I had that was clear) and applied a few coats of some thin Loctite 401 I had on hand. A quick sanding & a few more coats convince me that CA has merit. My application technique is improving quickly but I think the medium CA will help with that.
I'll follow up with my thoughts when the medium arrives & I have a chance to finish it.
I will say that this was the EASIEST time I ever had filling in the grain of a purpleheart cue.
If you have any questions or concerns, hick-ups, whatever, let me know if there's any way I can help you. You openly and willingly share an awful lot with the cue making community. Anything I can do to help you with something would be a pleasure
