Any tips on using super glue for finishing?

cueenvy

cueenvy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm finishing a cue with super glue. Watched several videos and read a few descriptions from there woodworking forums. I'm finishing the top of a shaft and based on results may proceed to the entire cue butt.

I built up a half dozen or more layers of medium super glue. I read after light sanding it can be polished with Turtle wax liquid polishing compound. Sounds pretty straight forward.

Any pointers anyone can offer would be appreciated. If it doesn't work out I have a brush on finish I can use.
 
When I put a CA finish on pens and other turnings I make, this is what I do.

I start out with thin CA and make 6-7 coats. I take 400 grit and gently sand. Then I repeat the process using medium CA. After the last coat of medium CA, I wet sand from 400-12,000 grit. Once that's done, I take some meguiars scratch polish and give it 2 coats.

Here's an example. All but the bottom two have a CA finish.
 

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That's the finish I'm after.

I think I sanded before it was cured and I took it down too much with 1000 grit paper. I reapplied at least 5 coatings of medium CA. It's a little rough and slightly cloudy. Seems like about the right thickness now.

The descriptions for the procedure all read about the same. Ill sand down to 2000 grit. Then I'm hoping the rubbing compound does the trick. I see guys doing this in about 10 minutes using CA accelerator in videos. I don't have accelerator,but can get some if it helps.
 
I've had no luck with accelerator. That always seems to make the finish cloudy. I would stay away from it. I usually wait a minute or so go by between coats and very lightly sand as slow as the lathe goes.

If you're only doing the top part of the cue shaft, I don't think it'll be a big deal if you have some fine scratches.
 
Here is a jump cue handle I just did.
IMG_20160308_173042.jpg

Not perfect, but I`m getting there.
I seal with BSI epoxy, sand flat after 24 hours, then add a layer of CA (I use Zap medium thick)
Wet sand 800 - 1200. New layer, wet sand 1200 - 2000. New layer, wet sand 2000 - 3000. New layer, wet sand 3000 - 4000. New layer, wet sand 4000 - 5000.
The I use 3M silica buffing compound and then Mirka medium polish paste, then Mirka fine polishing paste.
This is when the picture is taken. Waiting for my new buffing machine, that will be the final step.
 
Yes - don't use super glue. Just call me over and I'll teach you to use urethane. CA is toxic and offers subpar results.
 
Here's the MSDS for Minwax polyurethane and for Loctite cyanoacrylate. Take a look & compare. Please do your due diligence and research the chemicals you use before you use them. Do NOT take anybody's word on an online forum when it comes to your health & safety. At its worst, cyano will burn your eyes & make it difficult to breathe, temporarily. Urethane will flat KILL you, whether by respiratory failure, blood disease, cancer, etc. Again, at least take a look at the MSDS's.

https://www.minwax.com/document/MSDS/en/027426230002
http://www.vercounty.org/MSDS/Tech Services/Loctite Super Glue.pdf
 
Before I got away from making pens I was using the stuff that is used to finish gym floors. That stuff was amazing and a lot easier to apply than CA. The cloudiness will go away when you get your routine down with the CA. I found that I was taking too much off when that happened to me.

Keepanionme, man those pens look amazing. You have been putting in work on those things my friend. It's warming up now and hopefully I can get back into it. My neighbor redid his wood shop during the winter and he's wanting me back over the with him to make some sawdust.
 
qbilder said:
Here's the MSDS for Minwax polyurethane and for Loctite cyanoacrylate. Take a look & compare. Please do your due diligence and research the chemicals you use before you use them. Do NOT take anybody's word on an online forum when it comes to your health & safety. At its worst, cyano will burn your eyes & make it difficult to breathe, temporarily. Urethane will flat KILL you, whether by respiratory failure, blood disease, cancer, etc. Again, at least take a look at the MSDS's.

https://www.minwax.com/document/MSDS/en/027426230002
http://www.vercounty.org/MSDS/Tech Services/Loctite Super Glue.pdf
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My neighbor had to quit using CA because of this. He liked the shellawax compound the best because it didn't mess with his breathing. He always wears a respirator too no matter what he uses.
 
ca

A lot of it is the product you are using. I tried every kind and had poor results. Then I bought the CA that Joe sells at Cue Components. Night and day difference! Make sure that you sand very gently over the sharp corner of the joint. Apply the CA down over that miniscule angle that you created. It will keep the finish from lifting there. Look at the cues you own - you will see that everyone else has done this. You just barely touch it with the sandpaper.
 
I watched a pen builder do a CA glue finish on a pen on YouTube and before his first coat he put down linseed oil and it almost looked perfect before he even started with the CA. Any truth to this or any experience with linseed oil on before the first coat?
 
The top of the shaft I did finished up nice. I laid the CA on a bit thick but it polished up beautifully with sandpaper up to 2000 followed by Turtle Wax liquid rubbing compound. Just a few lines in the finish, look to be low spots from where I spread CA. I'll try wet sanding it more, then hit it with rubbing compound.

I laid down a few layers on the cue butt, sanding with 800 briefly in between coats when it's dry. I spin on the finish in just a minute or 2 and I'm outta there....minimal exposure. Not using much product either. Maybe a third of an ounce total.
 
BLO is commonly used along with CA as a finish on small items. The oil actually acts as a accelerator which is good on small items like pens, bottle stoppers etc. If you want to use that method on a cue then you have to go with a thicker CA that has more kick time.
 
Allen Brown said:
Keepanionme, man those pens look amazing. You have been putting in work on those things my friend. It's warming up now and hopefully I can get back into it. My neighbor redid his wood shop during the winter and he's wanting me back over the with him to make some sawdust.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Now that it's warming up, I'll be back in the shop too. I haven't forgotten what you sent me a few years ago. I'll have something for you. You'll get it when you least expect it :)
 
keepanionme said:
I've had no luck with accelerator. That always seems to make the finish cloudy. I would stay away from it. I usually wait a minute or so go by between coats and very lightly sand as slow as the lathe goes.

If you're only doing the top part of the cue shaft, I don't think it'll be a big deal if you have some fine scratches.
Click to expand...


Deleted----Trying to get a life :)
 
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Here's the finished product...sort of.

Hit cue with 800,1000,1500,2000 and 3000 then buffing compound. I can't believe I made a finish this nice. Gorgeous. Just needs a wrap.

20 minutes later...I'm pressing wrap and roll up onto the first 1/8 of an inch of wood on buttsleeve. It creased the finish. So I unwrapped a 1/4 inch of wrap and sanded first 1/2 inch of the buttsleeve down to the wood. I'm reapplied CA to that portion and blended it into the rest.

It dried and you could see the transition to the old finish and moreover the line in the finish from the press. So I scraped off all the buttsleve finish. Resanded the buttsleve and applied a first coat of CA.

Boy was I pissed.

I will get it perfect...l'm learning alot...probably mostly from making mistakes.
 

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I don't know, I've never found failure to be all it's cracked-up to be.
Granted it's a relatively low bar and most should be able to meet it or at least come close,
but where's the glitz, the glamour, the big reward ?
All in all I suppose it has it's place. Just don't make a career of it.

You need to lose before you know the reason for winning.
Without failure there is no knowledge of success.
 
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