# Cyanoacrylate wood finish?



## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

*Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*

I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"

...and I tried it.

The rings have since been through regular everyday wear including dishwashings, handwashings and showers.

END RESULT: This finish is holding up better than both Waterlox and Arm-R-Seal. And, in my opinion, it actually looks better.

CAVEATS: Obviously, this would be difficult to do on anything but very small woodworking projects. It's just right for these wooden rings, but would be difficult to apply for a table finish. LOL!

Here's a pic of a Wenge ring with the cyanoacrylate finish applied:


Golden Koa ring:


I'm curious to know what you guys think about this.


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## woodworkersguide (Mar 7, 2008)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Frank, as I understand it many penturners use a CA finish on their pens for durability. The key is to build successive thin layers instead of one thick layer to aid in drying and offset the chance for it clouding. Also popular is a CA and BLO combination.

btw, the rings look great!


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## SouthpawCA (Jul 19, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


The rings look awesome!!! The CA really pops the grain. I've heard of putting a CA finish on pens which look great. There was a "how to" article doing this same treatment on pens in Woodturning Design in the Spring 2004 issue. I've wanted to try it, just haven't gotten back to the lathe. There are just too many inspirations on this site.


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


TedM: Thank you! Would the clouding be similar to the "blooming" that CA is known for, or would it be comparable to how an epoxy will cloud/go chalky over time? That CA and BLO combination sounds interesting. Does it affect adhesion adversely? I wonder if a CA and Walnut Oil combo would work. ????

SouthpawCA: Thank you! It does pop the grain very well. I'll see if I can find that article or something similar. You are right about the inspirations on this site. I've seen so many wonderful projects from some talented folks. It's where I come to get a nice dose of daily woodworking inspiration!


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## willmego (Mar 27, 2008)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


very cool to see some pics of the finish. I'd read of it before, but never really gotten a chance to see what it would look like. As mentioned above, I'd heard of it on pens and other small projects, but I'm wondering about it's use on a mallet. The difficult part would be the application, but considering how many years I've had gluing amazingly tiny things together as a fencer (very small parts inside the tip assembly) I think applying many coats of a very thin finish of CA glue should be within my grasp..as long as I don't glue said grasp to said tool.


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## woodworkersguide (Mar 7, 2008)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Frank, yes, 'blooming' or 'frosting' is the 'cloudy' look that sometimes occurs during a slower drying process. This effect can be reduced by minimizing the amount of CA applied, or applying a CA accelerator, thereby speeding up the curing time so that it "polymerizes before it can volatize".

Here's a link to one penturner's procedure for applying CA/BLO to a pen in which he also suspects the acceptable use of Walnut Oil:

http://content.penturners.org/articles/2004/ca-blo.pdf


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


I have a dvd of a guy making pens he uses this method I tried it and it didn't work for me maybe I am not doing it right LOL Alistair


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## Hix (Jun 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


I've used it on pens and bottle stoppers for a while now. It is a durable finish and with a little practice, easy to master. The key is practice. If you ask 1000 turners who use a CA finish you will get 1001 replies so if you decide to try it, stick with it for a while because it can be frustrating. You can also glue your fingers together or glue them to the lathe (so I hear).


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


REALLY appreciate all the info, guys!

I think I hit it right with my first attempt, mostly because I only did the outside and it was quite easy to do … small surface area helped too. The inside of the rings is another story. This MXBON 105 cures nearbout instantly, it seems. Have to move blazingly fast. ...or I can rig up something to spin inside the ring… should be easy to come up with.

I'm thinking about trying some Walnut+CA to see how that goes, as opposed to CA first, then buffing over with Walnut.

Will: LOL! I'd be curious to hear back on how that goes if you do it! I bet it would look nice! I find myself thinking about what other projects I could use the CA on. One drawback is the cost… coating these rings is one thing, but bigger projects is another.

TedM: Thanks for the info and that link! I've got it open in another window now, about to read…

Scotsman: From what I've read, it seems to have a high failure/frustration rate. I haven't seen that yet but like I said - I think the small size of these things really helps. I'd say pens would have to be at least 10x more difficult. 

Hix: Ouch! Glued to the lathe? ...while moving?


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## Danation (Aug 13, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


I've actually been doing this for years on my wood rings. As you've experienced, if you do it right, it's an extremely smooth durable, and glossy finish.

I've been wearing two woods rings pretty frequently. One for about 2 years, and one for about 1 year. On the edges, the CA has worn off a little, particularly on the first. But it's pretty easy to refinish them. And 2 years it quite durable for a wood ring's finish.


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


It's great to hear how well yours have held up for that length of time, Danation!

I've started using thicker viscosity for the slower cure time, making things a lot easier than with the thin stuff.

Went swimming in a creek while wearing my ring this past weekend. Never second-guessed it; I just keep it on all the time.


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## Danation (Aug 13, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Yeah, CA is absolutely the way to go for wood rings.

Your rings look quite good. I have to say I was quite shocked to see that somebody else is creating the same type of rings that I've been making (i.e. bending the wood to eliminate the end-grain problem and finishing with CA.)

Sometimes it's a small world after all


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Thanks, Danation!

Yeah, I almost gave up on bentwood style rings. It was the first method I attempted, and it was frustrating. Then I went more for the laminate-cut rings, as they are really easy to mix different layers and achieve an inlay look with.

I eventually moved back to the bentwood style and was finally able to develop a decent workflow. It's certainly not a fast/high-volume kind of deal, but I don't really want/need for it to be… and I'm thinking that's how it is for any bentwood ring maker…

David Finch from Canada ("Touch Wood Rings") has been making them since 1999. His prices start at $400. Gustav Reyes ("Simply Wood Rings"), from Chicago, also makes (or "made"... not sure if he's still into them) some nice bentwood rings. ...around the $250 or so price range.

Do you sell your rings or have an online gallery, Danation?


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## Danation (Aug 13, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


You can tell me Dan 

First, I tried the block method, when I was about 14 years old. Then I tried different laminate-type methods. I pretty much came to the same conclusion you mentioned on your website.

I finally "discovered" the bentwood style a few years ago. I though it was quite original, but it looks like I was mistaken. It makes sense, though. It's the best way to make a strong, beautiful wood ring. I should have realized more people would think of it.

Right now, I'm working right now to get an inventory of rings and set up my website. That's how I discovered this site: I was searching to see if anybody else did CA finish.

At first, I was a little disappointed to know that I'm not alone, but after thinking about it…. there's still a very wide market for this that isn't even close to being saturated, so I'm sure we'll both do fine.

Do you normally do yours by hand or do you lathe them?


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


I agree - there aren't very many doing them this way… it is still very much a wide-open market.

The issue is with all the really inexpensive, cheaply-made wooden rings people see on Ebay and elsewhere. ...one reason I'm trying to educate about "bentwood" rings on my website.

Mine are all crafted totally by hand; No lathe or drill press. The first ones (laminate-cut) were done with a hand drill, but I no longer offer those.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


unique Idea looks super


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## Danation (Aug 13, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Mine are lathed. I'll post pictures when I make some more… currently most of my creations are being worn by various people.

I'm very impressed with the precision of your hand-crafting. How long have you been doing this?


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Thanks, Dan!

I've been making rings in a commercial capacity since around the beginning of this year. A few months prior to that was lots of experimentation, giving rings to family and friends (my test subjects - ha ha!) refining my techniques, trial-and-error, etc.

We'd like to see those pics when you do make some more, Dan!


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## Danation (Aug 13, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


I just moved, so I'm still setting up, put I'll certainly post some pictures soon. I'm not very familiar with this website. Should I post them here or add another entry?


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Hi, Dan!

You may just want to do a New Project (click Projects tab, then click Add New Project).

That way you can add up to six photos, as well as a description, and fellow LJ's can check out your work.


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## Danation (Aug 13, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Alrighty, I'll do that.

I've misplaced some of my equipment during my move, so it may be a little while, haha.


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## therunner (Jan 23, 2011)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Just tried this using your laminating method. Works extremely well! Much better than the sanding sealer, epoxy, and varnish i tried earlier. Looks great now! I've just made some springs out of wire to hold them in place while hanging and was able to dip the entire ring into the MXBON, but there are the holes where the wire touched the ring. Ideas on how to fix that? Maybe I could just brush a little on (using a regular paintbrush?) the interior after it sets initially?

To get this straight, you put the MXBON on, buff the ring, then you finish it with walnut oil?


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## rainwater (Feb 6, 2011)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Hey Frank, I have been looking into a lot of your work and have been incredibly inspired by your capacity for making these bentwood rings. I am trying to find something to do on my free time from college and being that I love woodwork and crafts of this sort, I find that making bentwood rings may be the best and most enjoyable opportunity. However, I am curious about whether or not prior to using the cyanoacrylate glue to finish the ring, you additionally use a finish such as Waterlox?


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## boardbeyondbelief (Nov 26, 2011)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Hi Everybody,

I know this is an old post, but I just found it. I want to make wooden rings for myself and my girlfriend from a piece of wood my grandfather cut off his land before he died as wedding rings. I am intrigued by the bend wood method. Can anyone tell me once you bend the wood, how do you joint the 2 end rings together? I hope I am not asking for any trade secrets. It is really only meant to be a one time use for me. Any help would be very appreciated!

Thank you,

Sean

boardbeyondbelief.etsy.com


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## lavell (Feb 2, 2015)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Hey Frank… I've been playing with wood rings for about 3 years now… My dad still has the first one I made… Iy was finished with ca glue… though it's getting pretty rough… he never takes it off and he is also a woodworker and hobbyist… Here's a link to my little instructable on my methods.. I still need to update it with more tips I've thought of since making it… I ran into your website while doing a little research into selling my own rings… so far I've just given them away as gifts. You are an inspiration, I hope I can get up and running with this sometime soon also. Your rings look wonderful. One thing I'm wondering though, is the type of finish wax you include in with your orders? most of my rings are finished with CA glue… do you also still do this? and do you send buffing wax to all the customers reguardless of what finish the ring has?


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Hi Lavell!

We do still use CA finish for our rings and have also been experimenting for some months with a penetrating finish to use either on its own, or in conjunction with an outer membrane/CA finish.

The wax (which is simply a mixture of walnut oil and natural beeswax) is sent out with each ring. I equate this to waxing a car: It's nowhere near as resilient as the original hard finish, but it prolongs the finish and encourages overall maintenance and care of the ring.


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## lavell (Feb 2, 2015)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


thanks! It's great to see such fine work. you are an inspiration. Hopefully I can get some rings going and out there in the near future. Another question… do you cut your own wood or do you use veneers? and do you have a preference? most of the rings I've made are from strips I cut myself.


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## lavell (Feb 2, 2015)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Hey guys! I've been doing some building lately, and started my etsy shop finally! put a link to it here…thanks for the feedback frank!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/naturalbentwoodrings?ref=hdr_shop_menu


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## FrankLad (May 4, 2009)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Lavell, I use both: wood that I've cut, as well as thin stock. Some of the most interesting pieces (grain/figuring, little feature knots, etc.) came from pieces I cut on a bandsaw from wood I had laying around or found around our property. We've also had folks send in special pieces to be cut and used in a ring.

Thank you for the kind words!


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## CalebGJG (Dec 4, 2013)

FrankLad said:


> *Cyanoacrylate wood finish?*
> 
> I thought "What if I coated the whole ring in cyanoacrylate finish?"
> 
> ...


Very cool! It appears that we both started in a very similar fashion (without a lathe, with bored timber).

I'm wondering if you've switched finishes at all? Your work looks great!


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