Brush or spray can Finish for shafts?
- Thread starter be1163
- Start date
I'm a hobbyist so I try not to get involved with expensive/complex spray set-ups and really dangerous-flammable chemicals. I've used plain old Deft Clear Gloss spray lacquer in a spray can for shafts and butts and it will work with enough coats...10+ for sure. It wetsands/buffs out well and will give a good shine. I just masked off all but the first 3 inches of the shaft and hung the shaft from the ceiling on a string attached to a joint pin that was in the shaft. I wound up the string and let the shaft spin and sprayed on the finish. Lots of light coats is best to avoid runs. I don't do that anymore, now I use a finishing epoxy base with thin CA (superglue) over the top and it gives a really great finish although it is time and work intensive. I learned the method from Chris Hightower's book and experimentation on my own. I'm very much a beginner at this and can only make simple cues with ringwork. For me, so far anyway (I haven't attempted any points or inlay work yet but I'm sure it's really hard) the finishing process is by far the most challenging, frustrating and time consuming part of making the cue.
Here are a couple of finishes that's been mentioned, altough the pictures are not very good.
The veneered cue I built was done with a combination of sealer, helmsman spray, and top coated with deft spray. It still needs alittle more work, but so far seems like the finish will be too soft, and scratch easy. My collet got pushed tight when drilling for the weight bolt, and it left a ring that needs touched up, maybe CA over the top would help that, don't know.
The next picture of the cue joint was a refinish done with the minwax polyacrylic mentioned in the other thread. It was put on By hand over a year ago. The result harder finish, but goes on thin, takes a while to dry, sands away too fast, and will roll up easy when wet sanding with finer grits. Also had some tiny bubbles show up in the finish out of no where about 8 months after It was done.
I've done CA also, and IMO It's only good for repair and touch up work. Any movement in the wood will cause all kinds of problems. It does look good & buff well though, and is hard enough, just not well suited to me for a whole cue. It's also a pain dealing with the joint area because It sticks too well. You need a good set of sanding mandrels to solve that problem the easy way, and they are expensive.
I do repair & sales, but building has been a hobby up to this point for me also, so did'nt matter as much, but I've already decided that whatever I use, I am going to need to use My spray gun. I am going to try a waterborn I heard was good, and if that does'nt work for me, I will be setting up the proper booth to spray the auto clear.
It was all a learning experience though, and sure It will help carry over to the better suited finishes when I start using them.
Check out the last picture. It's a piece of bacote that looks like It's begging to play some 8 ball
Hope this helps answer a few questions for you, good luck, Greg
The veneered cue I built was done with a combination of sealer, helmsman spray, and top coated with deft spray. It still needs alittle more work, but so far seems like the finish will be too soft, and scratch easy. My collet got pushed tight when drilling for the weight bolt, and it left a ring that needs touched up, maybe CA over the top would help that, don't know.
The next picture of the cue joint was a refinish done with the minwax polyacrylic mentioned in the other thread. It was put on By hand over a year ago. The result harder finish, but goes on thin, takes a while to dry, sands away too fast, and will roll up easy when wet sanding with finer grits. Also had some tiny bubbles show up in the finish out of no where about 8 months after It was done.
I've done CA also, and IMO It's only good for repair and touch up work. Any movement in the wood will cause all kinds of problems. It does look good & buff well though, and is hard enough, just not well suited to me for a whole cue. It's also a pain dealing with the joint area because It sticks too well. You need a good set of sanding mandrels to solve that problem the easy way, and they are expensive.
I do repair & sales, but building has been a hobby up to this point for me also, so did'nt matter as much, but I've already decided that whatever I use, I am going to need to use My spray gun. I am going to try a waterborn I heard was good, and if that does'nt work for me, I will be setting up the proper booth to spray the auto clear.
It was all a learning experience though, and sure It will help carry over to the better suited finishes when I start using them.
Check out the last picture. It's a piece of bacote that looks like It's begging to play some 8 ball
Hope this helps answer a few questions for you, good luck, Greg
