# Help with Ghosting Pens



## Fishin Tails (Mar 21, 2007)

This is totally embarassing, but a few customers have let me know that their pens have turned milky under the CA finish. The pictures arent the best. The pen on top is an alumalite and is milky on the top part. The middle pen is Panamanian Ironwood, State Tree of Panama, and the entire bottom and most of the top turned milky. The bottom pen is Purpleheart and has a few spots on it.

I built these pens from late December to February 09-10. I had just started learning, self learned, how to finish with CA. I do remember high spots of CA that I would stop to sand out, creating the chalky result of sanded CA. Well when I applied more CA it would get clear and shiny again so I would move on. It took all these pens at least 4 months to get to what they are now. All the blanks were moisture free so it is not water.

It almost appears to be mold. Does anyone have any advise for this? 
I am in the middle of a 100 pen order, all CA finish, and am kind of worried. 

Thanks for your help 2cool.


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

Was the wood completely dry, do you wet sand in your process? Moisture will cause CA to turn cloudy/milky. When I do the CA finish, once I get the blanks sanded to where I like, I remove them and let sit overnight before putting on the CA finish. I does take me longer but the bearings, mandrel and bushings trap heat. Plus in this heat, I'm usually sweating, hands get dirty ect. all this leads me to get a bad finish, so I would rather wait then have to redue


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

Sorry I can't help. I haven't had that happen yet. I just went and checked all the pens I have here and none of them are doing that. 

Did the pens get hot somehow?


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

ok, I re-read your post, not moisture humm, that is the only thing I know will cause the blurry milky finish

just a question here but why did you CA finish an alumalite blank?


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## Slip (Jul 25, 2006)

I too have never had a problem and have had exelent sucess with CA finishes. Never did CA on plastic however, but deer antler has been fantastic and seem to last forever. Can't help with this one either since I have several and do use them and no such milkyness.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Not much help here.. I mostly only use CA finish on antler.. Have used it on some really porous non=stabilized woods..but haven't seen or heard of any chalking..

On almost all wooden pens..I go to 600 with dry sanding, then smooth out more with EEE Cream...then finish with Behlens Woodworkng Finish...

Dont see need for CA on acrylics...to 600 with sandpaper..then wet sand to 12,000 with the little pads...then some acrylic polish...or, preferably, the One Step Finish..


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

bill said:


> ok, I re-read your post, not moisture humm, that is the only thing I know will cause the blurry milky finish
> 
> just a question here but why did you CA finish an alumalite blank?


alumilite by itself can't be sanded and polished to a high-gloss shine.

that's why MesquiteMan recommends CA finish on all his blanks.


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

Thanks SC, I never did one.

FT, I searched on IAP, milky CA finish results all came up with moisture as the cause


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## Fishin Tails (Mar 21, 2007)

Yes! I wet sanded the finished CA. I did not wet sand any of the blanks themselves. I am exhausting CA Finishing videos and comparing notes. Bill, thinking back on it, that Ironwood could have been hot when I applied the Glue. Actually all of these could have been retaining heat, due to poorly sharpened tools and hard material, upon CA application.

I always CA finish Antler and even Water Buffalo.

As always, thanks for helping a novice.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

Did you use DNA to clean the blank before applying the CA? If so, that is likely your problem. DNA absorb moisture from the air and can leave a significant amount of moisture on the blank.

I need to get my darn video done of my CA process and share it. It works 100% of the time and is 100% fool proof, at least in my use. It is also quick and easy! I just need some extra time to do it! Anyone want to drive up to San Marcos and shoot the video for me? It is hard doing it on a tripod.

Also, Speckle-catcher is not 100% correct on the Alumilite thing. Where did your Alumilite blank come from? If it was made with Alumilite Crystal Clear, then it will polish up as good as PR. If it was made with Alumilite Water Clear, then it will not. I helped Alumilite develop the Crystal Clear specifically to have a resin that is better for penturning. Unfortunately, I am allergic to it and do not use it myself. Then again, all of the blanks that I make have something in the resin so it needs a CA finish to protect the portions that are not resin regardless of what type of resin is used.


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## Fishin Tails (Mar 21, 2007)

Yes Curtis I did use DNA. The Alumalite came from you. Ok no more DNA. Thanks for the information.


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

MesquiteMan said:


> Did you use DNA to clean the blank before applying the CA? If so, that is likely your problem. DNA absorb moisture from the air and can leave a significant amount of moisture on the blank.
> 
> I need to get my darn video done of my CA process and share it. It works 100% of the time and is 100% fool proof, at least in my use. It is also quick and easy! I just need some extra time to do it! Anyone want to drive up to San Marcos and shoot the video for me? It is hard doing it on a tripod.
> 
> Also, Speckle-catcher is not 100% correct on the Alumilite thing. Where did your Alumilite blank come from? If it was made with Alumilite Crystal Clear, then it will polish up as good as PR. If it was made with Alumilite Water Clear, then it will not. I helped Alumilite develop the Crystal Clear specifically to have a resin that is better for penturning. Unfortunately, I am allergic to it and do not use it myself. Then again, all of the blanks that I make have something in the resin so it needs a CA finish to protect the portions that are not resin regardless of what type of resin is used.


ah, I misunderstood what you said.


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

What is the Alumilite blank? I do not recognize it at all. I normally remember all of my "babies"!


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## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

I've just finally seemed to get a CA finish i'm happy with and doesn't take all day. Never seen one turn milky like that and I have rubbed some down with DNA in the past. Usually just use an old tac cloth now and it gets most dust without the hassle of opening and spilling the DNA.


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## Fishin Tails (Mar 21, 2007)

MesquiteMan said:


> What is the Alumilite blank? I do not recognize it at all. I normally remember all of my "babies"!


Maybe not. It is the Green on Top. It was a peice you threw in back near Christmas just for me to mess around with. It has an Aluminum looking vein right down the center.


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## 47741 (Jan 5, 2010)

I would have to argue about the DNA- if by that you mean denatured alcohol.

The alcohol and any water in the blank are "sucked out" when the alcohol evaporates. So, unless you soaked the life out of the blank and didn't let it dry for a little while, its not the cause.

If you wet sanded, and then did CA right after, that's a possibility, but odd that it would show up so much later...


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## MesquiteMan (Jun 28, 2008)

Salty,

That does make sense about the DNA causing the water to evaporate. Maybe there is some other reaction that the DNA is causing because it is a well know and established fact that DNA can cause cloudiness in a CA finish. Hmm, who knows.


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