Handle finish help

[Trenton]

I have some cocobolo that I would like to turn into handles for some brushes, and was at a neighbors shop yesterday he suggested CA glue. He uses it on pens and thought it would be a good choice. He claims it is highly water resistant although not totally water proof. I really like the look he gets on pens but not sure if I should try it on a brush handle. I suppose I should only use stabilized wood or an acrylic, but wanted to ask your advice.

Thanks
Daryl

 

[jwhite]

I've never used the glue as a final finish, only as a carrier for mica or precious metal powder in decorative grain filling under a lacquer or french polish. I would be concerned that it wouldn't hold up to the rigors of shaving use. I would use linseed oil, or a thinned marine varnish and wipe on in several cotes. The linseed will work well but will likely need to be wiped on periodically, this is really easy and will not require any sanding. The marine varnish will give a deeper gloss and wear longer but may require some sanding when it needs to be touched up.

 

[ahoiberg]

CA actually works great for shaving brushes. i've been using mine for about 4 yrs without any noticeable wear in the finish. it's difficult to apply without a lathe though.. i would try the sprayable spar urethane or lots of coats of deft spray lacquer. i must admit though, the linseed oil is a pretty good thought for cocobolo, which is super dense and fairly water resistant anyway.

 

[Trenton]

Thanks guys, I will try the CA on at least one of the handles I do have a lathe but it is a machinist lathe for metal. I need to get a couple parts so I can get it to do what I want, and so I can work safely. I can't wait to give both turning and finishing a try.

 

[Rudy Vey]

CA glue is a good finish! I use it on all my wooden pens. For brushes I have used it, but the way I apply it it can be used only on a very few styles.

 

[Trenton]

CA glue is a good finish! I use it on all my wooden pens. For brushes I have used it, but the way I apply it it can be used only on a very few styles.

Thanks Rudy, can you explain how you apply and why it only works on some styles?

 

[cooncatbob]

Thanks guys, I will try the CA on at least one of the handles I do have a lathe but it is a machinist lathe for metal. I need to get a couple parts so I can get it to do what I want, and so I can work safely. I can't wait to give both turning and finishing a try.

If you have a metal cutting lathe you're ahead of the game.
I have both and I use the slow speed of the machine lathe for squaring expensive exotic burl and boring the bush head sockets, most wood turning lathes don't have a slow enough low speeds.
I also use the machine lathe for making special turning and finishing mandrels that allow me to finish my handles on the lathe without gripping the outsides of the wooden handle.

 

[Trenton]

If you have a metal cutting lathe you're ahead of the game.
I have both and I use the slow speed of the machine lathe for squaring expensive exotic burl and boring the bush head sockets, most wood turning lathes don't have a slow enough low speeds.
I also use the machine lathe for making special turning and finishing mandrels that allow me to finish my handles on the lathe without gripping the outsides of the wooden handle.

Thanks Bob, I looked at your setup very nice, and you made you own wood lathe, that is impressive and inspiring. You have me thinking that I should make one as well. My lathe is a South Bend 9x36" model C, it came with a bunch of tooling that I have never looked at. It is fun to make your own tools. As far as lathes go I don't know anything, but you are never to old to learn, hopefully.

What type of mandrels do you make? I'm not sure I understand.

 

[cooncatbob]

Thanks Bob, I looked at your setup very nice, and you made you own wood lathe, that is impressive and inspiring. You have me thinking that I should make one as well. My lathe is a South Bend 9x36" model C, it came with a bunch of tooling that I have never looked at. It is fun to make your own tools. As far as lathes go I don't know anything, but you are never to old to learn, hopefully.

What type of mandrels do you make? I'm not sure I understand.

First off since you have a South Bend, join this site.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/
Also get a copy of South Bend's " How to run a lathe"
I don't take many pictures of my unfinished work.
Here's a picture of 2 brushes turned from the same blank end to end.

I epoxy 1/2 long plug of 3/8th brass in the bottom of the brush head socket.
This plug is drilled and tap for #10-32 threaded rod, the mandrel is a short piece of aluminum rod, I now use 5/8th by 1 1/4 and this is drilled and taped too.
The mandrel is attached to the plug and can then be gripped in my wood lathe's chuck.
When I've cut the handle free from the waste I can still spin the handle to apply finish.
I also have a block of wood with hole drill where I can stand the pieces up and place under lamps to speed drying time since I use a deluded spar varnish.

 

[Trenton]

First off since you have a South Bend, join this site.
http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/
Also get a copy of South Bend's " How to run a lathe"
I don't take many pictures of my unfinished work.
Here's a picture of 2 brushes turned from the same blank end to end.

I epoxy 1/2 long plug of 3/8th brass in the bottom of the brush head socket.
This plug is drilled and tap for #10-32 threaded rod, the mandrel is a short piece of aluminum rod, I now use 5/8th by 1 1/4 and this is drilled and taped too.
The mandrel is attached to the plug and can then be gripped in my wood lathe's chuck.
When I've cut the handle free from the waste I can still spin the handle to apply finish.
I also have a block of wood with hole drill where I can stand the pieces up and place under lamps to speed drying time since I use a deluded spar varnish.

Thanks I joined and will place an order tonight. The mandrel was totally different than what I expected but makes perfect sense. I also went through your web site, must say you do impressive work.

Cheers
Daryl

 

[ahoiberg]

just to offer an alternative solution, if you have an expanding jaw chuck for that metal lathe, you can just expand the jaws inside the knot hole and apply the finish that way. that's how i do it on my lathe.

 

[Trenton]

just to offer an alternative solution, if you have an expanding jaw chuck for that metal lathe, you can just expand the jaws inside the knot hole and apply the finish that way. that's how i do it on my lathe.

Andrew I have a 3 and 4 jaw chuck but they are a little large about an 1" dia closed. I have to go through the boxes of tooling that came with the lathe tonight, I might have just what i need. I bought this from a friend and put it in the shop and have never used it.

 

[Hex]

just to offer an alternative solution, if you have an expanding jaw chuck for that metal lathe, you can just expand the jaws inside the knot hole and apply the finish that way. that's how i do it on my lathe.

This is very interesting to me.

I am trying to build my 1st brush without a lathe and using a drill press only.

Is there such a critter as an expanding jaws chuck for a drill press, or what would you suggest.
Also, I have seen suggestions to use a hanger bolt. Would they work better ?

thanks

 

[cooncatbob]

Andrew I have a 3 and 4 jaw chuck but they are a little large about an 1" dia closed. I have to go through the boxes of tooling that came with the lathe tonight, I might have just what i need. I bought this from a friend and put it in the shop and have never used it.

Darl:
Since you have a Machine lathe you can easily make any fixtures you need.
The specialty chuck made for wood lathes typically are threaded to fit 1 inch by 8 tpi spindles, your South Bend probably has a 1 1/2 by 8 spindle.
I use this small 3 jaw chuck on my wood lathe for almost everything.
http://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/mer...e=LCM18X&Store_Code=PS&showreviews=1#prodtabs

 

[Trenton]

This is very interesting to me.

I am trying to build my 1st brush without a lathe and using a drill press only.

Is there such a critter as an expanding jaws chuck for a drill press, or what would you suggest.
Also, I have seen suggestions to use a hanger bolt. Would they work better ?

thanks

I did one sort of on the drill press. It worked okay I used a 3/8" bolt, but when it took it out to look at it i could not get it back it the drill press with out it wobbling. So that was a bit frustrating, I have been looking on Kijiji and the are a number of lathes with tools selling real cheap. There was a nice midi lathe with most of the extras i would want plus a nice top of the line set of chisels for $300.00. If this was a business I would of bought it a the drop of a hat, but since it is a hobby I thinking how many vintage brushes or new knots I could buy for the $300.00.

The drill press does kind of work but I would not remove the work until you are absolutely finished. I used files and handmade scrapers for the shaping I didn't get the sharpest detail. YMMV

 

[Trenton]

Darl:
Since you have a Machine lathe you can easily make any fixtures you need.
The specialty chuck made for wood lathes typically are threaded to fit 1 inch by 8 tpi spindles, your South Bend probably has a 1 1/2 by 8 spindle.
I use this small 3 jaw chuck on my wood lathe for almost everything.
http://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/mer...e=LCM18X&Store_Code=PS&showreviews=1#prodtabs

What I was kind of concerned about was the torque on the machine lathe, maybe this is nothing to be worried about. I thought maybe a spur and a live center would be the way to go. I could then go to the 3 jaw after I got thing rounded up. I would think my spindle is 1 1/2" by 8 by looking at it.

 

[cooncatbob]

What I was kind of concerned about was the torque on the machine lathe, maybe this is nothing to be worried about. I thought maybe a spur and a live center would be the way to go. I could then go to the 3 jaw after I got thing rounded up. I would think my spindle is 1 1/2" by 8 by looking at it.

I don't turn my handles on the machine lathe but I use it with the 4 jaw chuck to turn the the square banks round.
Now I know I can do this on the wood lathe, but I turn a lot of burl wood which has a lot of short grain in it and this makes it less likely to snapping an expensive blank in half.
I also use it with the 3 jaw chuck to bore the brush head socket with a forstner bit.
Most wood turning lathe spin too fast for boring the large holes and you'll burn up your expensive forstner bits.
You could easily make up a screw center which would be held by your 3 jaw chuck.

 

[jkingrph]

For you guys usiing CA as a finish, how do you apply it?

I just made a handle from a piece of redwood burl and apply some CA by slowing my lathe down to the slowest possible speed ( double step pullys? and apply the CA by buffing it on with a piece of wadded up wax paper.

This was my first try and have not read anything. I was just thinking about not getting my fingers glued to anything or glueing anything to my handle.

It worked well enough, barring any better suggestions I will go this route again.