Barrel Trimmer Woes

[dweir]

Okay, Here Goes.
I have had a problem with the tubes coming out/spinning when using a barrel trimmer to square my blanks. I am using CA glue (thick), letting it sit overnight. I hook up the trimmer to my cordless drill and it seems to grab the tube and spin it right out of the blank. I have sanded/scuffed the blanks around the circumference of the tube and the barrel trimmer is the right size.
Is it my technique or CA not strong enough?. I have not tried this yet with 5 min epoxy.
Right now, I am using my belt/disc sander to square the blanks, and using the barrel trimmer by hand to clean out the tube. What do you guys use or any helpful tips?

Thanks,
Dave

 

[jhs494]

I use epoxy. I have tried the CA and I don't care for it, I am always afraid of it sticking short. I rough my tubes with a course sand paper first.
I am in no hurry, I am turning for the hobby, and letting the epoxy cure all night doesn't bother me.
I coat the tube really good and spin it slightly as I am inserting the tube into the blank. I then use a toothpick and place a small amount of epoxy at the ends of the tubes, trying to seal the ends well.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

Is your CA old? Maybe it's not adhering well...

Are you using thick, medium, or thin CA? My first few pens, I used thin CA, and it didn't work all that well...then I used thick, and it stuck very well (and made a big mess)...I've ordered some Medium, in hopes that that will be the be-all and end-all!

Andrew

 

[dweir]

I have a couple of blanks sitting with epoxy holding the tubes in and am going to let them sit overnight. I still prefer to use the disk sander as I have a lot more control over getting the blanks square, but like to use the barrel trimmer to clean out the glue from the tubes. The trimmer mandrel seems to like to grab the glue glob and spin the tube out of the blank using CA. I have reverted to making a handle for the trimmer and cleaning out by hand. I will try the drill or drill press with the epoxy on a test blank and see if it spins out. Thanks for the advice.

Dave

 

[THarvey]

I had a similar problem recently. I took a little sand paper to the center pen of my trimmer. I assumed I have a little glue built up on the trimmer that I could not see and that was thick enough to close the gap in the tube.

 

[dweir]

Maxwell,
I am using medium (balsa USA) and it was a new bottle. I am now converted to epoxy as it is cheaper and seems to be stronger. I will use the CA for finishing now. CA seems to work great for that and for tacking blanks together.

Dave

 

[Firefyter-emt]

FWIW, I don't really think the best way to clean out the tubes is with the trimmer. I use a fine round file. I also use Groilla Glue and any glue that foams inside the tubes pops out like butter. I have seen CA inside a cactus blank and just how many large air pockets are inside the tube. The GG will foam up and fully glue the tube in the blank. I do not seal my tubes and I think this may be the reason I never have tubes push out. This happend just once on me with some corian that was a "loose fit" to strat with.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Depending on the blank we will use either CA or Gorilla Glue. When we use CA to glue the tube in the blank, we squeeze out a liberal amount of "thick" on a plastic baggie. Everyone should have plenty of these. Next we will use a chop stick to apply the glue on the inside of the blank. Our tubes have dental wax covering the ends so avoid CA inside of the tube. We will then roll the scuffed tube in CA then slide and twist it into the blank. Once about to where we cannot hold the tube anymore we pull it out and insert from the other end. We let the tube settle to just below the surface and pop it with accelerator. At this point we set the glued blank to the side to cure.

If for some reason your trimmer is heating up the tube inside the blank and it gets hotter than say 165 degrees then your CA will break down and begin to soften.

Both glues have their purposes. The CA is great for punky woods such as palm to help stablize it from the inside out. The CA will wick into the wood pretty far if you give it a chance.

Mike

 

[CHICAGOHAND]

Hey Lee they say that gorilla glue needs moisture to start the curing process.
Are you doing anything about that?

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Oh, I forgot, I have a bottle with water that I place one finger over the hole on one end, give it a shot, shake and drain. Works perfect and the bottle last so long it's not funny.

I have only had one blank push a tube out and it's all I have ever used. The only wood that I have ever seen crack is snakewood. It cleans off the tubes faster than CA or epoxy, it's cheaper and there is no mixing!

What may help with my tubes is when I put them in. I apply the GG on half the tube and starting at the outside end hole, I twirl it as I put it in the blank, twirl and in and out. Then I reapply the GG to the same end and then put it in from the other end doing the same. I finish it off with a drift punch to slipe the tube in the rest of the way. I then place it on a post it note to foam out and dry. I use the newer faster stuff, but I normaly let it sit over night. I hate CA for blanks and after seeing how much air was left in a cactus blank and the blank was not glued to the tube I don't think I will use it again.

 

[dweir]

I have used Gorilla Glue for a few blanks, but now after reading a bunch of posts on this board, I have changed to 5 min epoxy. Using GG, I just dipped the blank in water before gluing in the tube. I would let it dry overnight. Seemed to work okay.
On another note, saw a video on you tube from Rockler, where they scuffed the tube lengthwise, instead of around the circumfrence. I was told to always spin the tube in 80-120 grit around the circumfrence. Your thoughts?

Thanks,
Dave[]

 

[Rmartin]

I use the barrel trimmer on a drill press, so a hand held may be your problem. Also, I recommend picking up a small tub of plumbers putty. Use it to seal the ends of the tube. No glue inside the tube makes the whole process easier.

 

[JWW]

I had a similar problem BUT it started when I was using walnut. I was using medium CA, rough the tube, q-tip the inside with glue then roll the tube and twist while inserting. Worked great on many woods before but on the walnut it would not stick. The problem wasn't realizes until after 10 blanks had been glued, trimmed and were on the lathe. I switched to titebond poly and had no trouble.

I'm glad you found your's early (earlier).

 

[fernhills]

Hi, i use a disc sander,(calipers handy to check length) i through that barrel trimmer in a box some place in shop.I used to use play dough to seal ends of tube so glue doesn`t get in,that became a hassle,so now i have the correct size bolt for each inside tube dia and scrape it in out a few times and i`m good to go.that trimmer is one nasty tool..Carl

 

[jhs494]

Lee,
with the GG if it is needed, do you paint the tube or paint the inside of the blank?

 

[great12b4ever]

Dave, I still use the thick CA glue for my tubes. I also use a hand held drill for my barrel trimmer, and I have found out that when I use it at a high speed, the trimmer seems to heat up and expand just a little and any glue that has found it's way into the tube starts melting and trying to stick to the trimmer. I have since slowed way down on my initial passes to remove the built up glue, especially near the ends and I also occassionally make sure to clean the shaft of trimmer with fine grit sandpaper so I don't get a build-up of glue and things on it. I have found this has eliminated my problems. Oh I hold the blank flat on my work bench with a wood clamp that is also clamped down to the bench. It works well for me anyway. I primarily use the trimmer to clean the tubes and remove the buildup of CA on the ends of the blanks. I then take the blank to my jig on the 12" disc sander and finish truing up the ends that way. Hope this helps

 

[stoneman]

The Penturner's Workbook (Barry Gross) suggests coating the inside of the wood blank with thin CA, letting it dry, then using medium CA to glue in the tubes. I've used this method successfully on 15-20 wood pens (I am new at this). PW says coating with the thin CA gives the glue a better surface to adhere to. Just tilt the blank and spin it while dribbling in the thin stuff. FWIW

 

[TBone]

Originally posted by stoneman

The Penturner's Workbook (Barry Gross) suggests coating the inside of the wood blank with thin CA, letting it dry, then using medium CA to glue in the tubes. I've used this method successfully on 15-20 wood pens (I am new at this). PW says coating with the thin CA gives the glue a better surface to adhere to. Just tilt the blank and spin it while dribbling in the thin stuff. FWIW

This technique has been used and posted before by folks here and if I remember correctly, everyone that used it had very good success with it. For people having problems with CA rt may be a problem with adhesion for certain types or species of wood. I use GG unless I need a blank right away. I usually plug the end of the tube that I insert into the blank and have never had a tube push out of the blank. But I leave the blank a little long and trim on band saw before squaring the end.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

On a translucent blank, you really have to do the blank, not the tube. I also use a powder-coated tube now that I can, but that's just for a little extra. I CA glued a black powder-coated tube in a Leigonere blank and there is one spot you can clearly see the bubbles of air. A soon as CSUSA sends me my back ordered tubes I plan to re-do the blanks.

Originally posted by jhs494

Lee,
with the GG if it is needed, do you paint the tube or paint the inside of the blank?

 

[GBusardo]

Dave, My first thought was that the CA must be old. I use the thick CA from sales@hinkleymall.com and have never had a problem with my tubes spinning out. I do use a file to clean out any glue that may have gotten into the tube. Then I use my barrel trimmer. It's not rocket science. Maybe you will have better luck with the thick stuff. I am not sure if there are differences in the strength of the different brabds of CA glues, but there are some bummer epoxies out there.

 

[GBusardo]

Oh, another thought, is your tube fully coated? Twisting the tube in will help with coverage.

 

[CHICAGOHAND]

I sometimes run a small file on the inside of the tube but most of the time i grag the 1/8 " threaded rod right next to the file instead.
I think I like the plumbers putty idea, heck I have enough of that sittin around doing nothing. God knows I cant stop a leak to save my life without spending $1000.00 and watching a guy use his own.

 

[dweir]

I tried the PW method this morning on some maple blanks. Using thin CA on the inside of the blank first, then using a medium CA on the tube. It holds pretty danged good. I have given up on the barrel trimmer. The idea of using Plumbers putty ( I have two tubs of that on my shelf), and using my belt/disk sander to square up the blanks seems to work the best for me. The trimmer came in one of those starter kits. Sometimes I use epoxy to glue in the tubes and have found that an X-Acto knife works pretty good to clean out the epoxy from the tubes when I have fogotten to plug the tubes first.[|)]