# What happened?



## GeorgeS (Jan 21, 2016)

Im at a loss to what happened here. I have finished about 15 pens or so exactly the same way. Only difference is it was very cold in the shop the day I did this pen. Now the crazy part is I did a second identical pen and it hasn't had any issues. It's a CA finish and the blank was cleaned with DNA just before the CA was applied.


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## JR Custom Calls (Jan 21, 2016)

Could be a number of things. I would guess that it was either old ca, stick fast, too thick of an application, or too much heat sanding. Only reason I mention stick fast is because I had some randomly do the same thing but haven't since switching brands


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## GeorgeS (Jan 21, 2016)

It's not stick fast, it's just an off brand of medium CA. But I haven't had any issues on other pens. I don't think I'm going to push my luck though. I sure don't want any pens coming back. What are the brands that you guys like?


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## ripjack13 (Jan 21, 2016)

Wow....that is weird. Too thick of an application?


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## GeorgeS (Jan 21, 2016)

Maybe, I forgot to mention I also use an accelerant between coats as well but again, same finish on both pens. I may have been a little heavy handed on that one though. Anything is possible. What brand of CA do you guys use?


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## bamafatboy (Jan 21, 2016)

Could it be that the DNA was not dry when you applied the CA to the blank? I have never had that to happen, I use acetone to wash my blanks, then I use a piece of shop towel with a little friction heat to dry the blank. I have been using E-ZBond CA for 4 years+ and have not had any issues.


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## ripjack13 (Jan 21, 2016)

I have 2 brands. One from woodcraft. and one from ebay...lemme go snap a pic...


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## ripjack13 (Jan 21, 2016)




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## Sprung (Jan 21, 2016)

I've had cracks like that before, but they were cracks that were in the wood and then caused the finish to eventually crack. I haven't experienced it for a while, but I came to believe that it could have been caused by slight cracks that were already in the wood and then, when the wood was turned, internal stress in the wood was released and the wood eventually moved, causing the cracks. Or the wood wasn't dry enough for a pen and it cracked. I tend to think it may have been more along the lines of the first as I ended up refinishing some pens that had that issue (though never as many cracks as you have) and they never re-cracked on me.

I strongly doubt it would be the CA causing this, but something in the wood. Do you have a moisture meter? If so, do you test the blanks before you make them into pens?

Also, what's your finishing process? You mentioned medium CA, is that the only CA you use in finishing? If so, I would start with 3 or 4 coats of thin before moving on to medium. Don't accelerate the first coat. The thin will wick in/soak into the wood a little bit and fill in any cracks or minuscule voids that may be hiding in the wood.

I would also recommend avoiding random off brands of CA. Go with something that is proven. I've had problems with Stick Fast, as well as many others, but then there are those who have never had any problems with Stick Fast. (I, myself, however, will never use Stick Fast again.) I currently use Satellite City CA - Hot Stuff (Thin) and Super T (Medium) and their aerosol accelerator. When I get low, I plan to order a bottle of BSI SuperGold from ClassicNib.com - it is both odorless and flexible and I'd like to give it a try. Those who use it highly recommend it. If you're making a quality pen using quality components and a nice blank, there's no reason to skimp on the CA used for finishing. And, really, the $12 that the Satellite City costs me for a bottle is super cheap per pen - 2 ounces can do a lot of pens.

Hope you don't have to experience any more of this cracking!


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## Sprung (Jan 21, 2016)

Oh, and I've only experienced this same kind of cracking on dense, oily woods, such as ebony and cocobolo and probably one or two others. So my thinking on the cause could be wrong, but I do wonder if there is a connection between this problem and dense, oily woods...


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## GeorgeS (Jan 22, 2016)

Thanks for the info gentleman! @Sprung Matt I think you may have a winner there. That lower blank did have a lot of small cracks when I turned it. To the point that I had some good sized chips come off the wood when I was turning it. I didn't see any when I got down to finish sanding but that isn't saying much for a guy who tilts his head back an inch or two every once in a while to see better! Think its time for some reading glasses for this guy!!! I'm betting that there were some cracks I didn't see. I usually put one coat of thin on before moving to the medium and I always clean oily wood with DNA a few times and let it dry. I was wondering since it was so cold maybe it didn't dry all the way out but the cracks make a lot of sense based on how it turned. 

I did buy some Titebond CA at woodcraft last time I was there so I will switch over, I don't want to take any chances with the cheap stuff. I don't usually turn the cheaper wood. I figure if I'm going to turn a pen it should be worth something or make the person feel like they want to hold on to it for a long while. I will take a look at Classic Nib for there glues. Seems like flexible would be a good idea on a pen!

Thanks again gentleman!!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Jan 22, 2016)

George, if it makes you feel any better, I usually can't see the small cracks like that either - and I wear glasses and have a fairly new prescription in them!

If you have some lacquer thinner or acetone on hand, perhaps try that in place of the DNA. I tried DNA a few times and wasn't impressed with it for that use, but that could just be a user thing and plenty use DNA and are happy with it. I have been very happy with both lacquer thinner and acetone.


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## manbuckwal (Jan 22, 2016)

what was the wood used ? Was it dry ? It is possible that moisture was from the DNA was trapped inside the cracks since it was very cold and the DNA was not able to dry/evaporate ?


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## GeorgeS (Jan 22, 2016)

@manbuckwal Tom it was HRB, dry as a bone. I always check a blank with my meter.

@Sprung Matt which CA are you using from Classic Nib? Super Gold or Insta-flex


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## rdabpenman (Jan 22, 2016)

That's the problem with CA finishes, there is no dependable consistency like there is with polyurethane.

Les


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## Tom Smart (Jan 22, 2016)

George, the pattern of the cracks is curious. Does the spiral go all the way around the blank? Does it follow the grain of the wood? Is the blank cross cut? I would have to agree with Matt that the problem is with the wood rather than the CA or the way it was applied, especially if the top doesn't have the same problem.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## GeorgeS (Jan 22, 2016)

@Tom Smart Tom I agree with you and Matt. I'm pretty sure it was the wood too. This is Honduran Rosewood Burl and the grain goes six ways from Sunday. The spirals as of last night were about three quarters the way around it. When I first turned it Sunday it was perfect. Monday night it had a small swirl crack at the transition. Yesterday morning I picked it up to put it in my pocket and noticed all of those cracks. As of last night the top was clear. Ill check it again tonight. The second pen has no issues. I checked with my co worker yesterday and he said so far all is good with that pen.


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## Sprung (Jan 22, 2016)

GeorgeS said:


> @manbuckwal Tom it was HRB, dry as a bone. I always check a blank with my meter.
> 
> @Sprung Matt which CA are you using from Classic Nib? Super Gold or Insta-flex



I'm not using any CA from ClassicNib yet - I just opened a bottle of Satellite City Hot Stuff (thin) last week and need to use that up first - will take me a couple months to use it up. However, when I get low, I plan to restock with the Super Gold (thin) and Super Gold+ (medium) for finishing.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## blaineo (Jan 25, 2016)

Think i know what your problem was...it was cold in the shop, right? And then you took in inside your WARM house? Or warmed up the shop? 

Had that happen to me once. Had a bunch of pens made up..had them all wrapped nicely in a box that I'd been taking and showing friends. Well, here in Minnesota, it get's COOOOOOOLD...so, not leaving my heat on in the lil shop I had, it would get to be about 20-30 degrees overnight, and I'd leave them in the shop, then take them inside to the 70 degree house...back out to 20-30 degree..well, had done that a few times over a weeks time...and I took them out one day to take a picture, and they ALL had cracked....

Was brand new CA glue...had never had a pen crack on me all summer. The Cold then probably made the wood expand/contract, and poof....wrecked finish...:( I was NOT a happy woodworker....had to cut down and refinish at least 20-25 pens I had in that box...:( All different kinds of wood, and all very dry...:(


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## ssgmeader (Jan 26, 2016)

GeorgeS said:


> Maybe, I forgot to mention I also use an accelerant between coats as well but again, same finish on both pens. I may have been a little heavy handed on that one though. Anything is possible. What brand of CA do you guys use?


This would have been my guess. I never use accelerant, because every time I've seen a post about cracked CA that's been the 1 common denominator.


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## GeorgeS (Jan 27, 2016)

@blaineo Anything is possible. That day was probably the coldest day I have worked in the shop. Im going to fix that though. I have a nice little heater headed my way. Now that the blizzard is over it may actually arrive!

@ssgmeader Funny thing is I have used the accelerator on all my pens and have never had that issue.

I'm really leaning to the wood being the issue. I have never had a blank shear and chip the way this one did. I think it may have been a combination of the cold, cracks in the wood etc......... Hopefully it doesn't happen again any time soon though!

Thanks for all the input folks!


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2016)

how do you apply the CA? paper towel? did you use a fresh paper towell?


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## GeorgeS (Feb 18, 2016)

@Richard I always use a paper shop towel. Always new. Always clean off the top of the lathe and place a board of walnut with my towels, micro mesh and water on it. I think someone hit the nail on the head when they said the wood has micro cracks that opened up under the finish. I do remember one of those blanks chipping a lot when turning it.


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