Blackening Tubes Revisited

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knottyharry

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I have read the article on Blackening Tubes, and some of the posts.
However, here is my question to all of you.
Do you use black on everything? Or do you use some other color on various colors of acrylics, etc.
I ordered some of the Lucite rods from the pipe making place. And one of the colors is Cream....would you use black on it also. Or how about Fire.
I tried a pen made out of the Zebra rod. And was not happy with the outcome. But I didn't blacken the tube either...my mistake. I thought it was dark enough I wouldn't need to....Wrong.
Any suggestions.
Thanks
Harry
 
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DWK5150

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It all depends on the blank for me. Some I paint some I use permanent markers. Im sure someone else will have more insight as Ive only just started using lucite.
 

JimGo

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My color choice would depend on the effect I want, and whether I remembered that I needed to do it in the first place (usually a bigger issue for me!). I'm thinking of mixing some of the powdered dyes, like the pearlescent dyes used in PR casting (though maybe not always with the pearl in it), into epoxy from now on when I glue up my castings. This way I can pick the color, and I can get different effects. My only reservation is that it may not completely mask the tube; if not, I'll probably blacken the tube most of the time, and then use the coloring agents as previously described.
 

gerryr

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I have some of the Zebra and so far have only made one pen, a Jr. Statesman, but I didn't blacken the tubes and they certainly didn't show. I bought when Andrea first advertised here, then I know it was out of stock for a while. I wonder if the supplier formulated it differently on the last run?
 

its_virgil

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The amount of transparency depends on the final thickness of the pen. While some of these lucite rods, acrylic blanks and even home cast PR look solid or appear to have very little transparency, once tuirned into a pen become very transparent. I always color the tubes to lessen the transparency. And, yes, other colors than black have various dramatic effects. I wonder if clear PR would look solid color if the tube were painted a color, or would it look like clear PR over a colored tube. Of course, I know the answer and probably others do, but for those who don't, it is a thought question...Didn't you just hate those when you were in school? Or, it is really more fun to find out than to just be told.[:D][}:)]
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by knottyharry
<br />I have read the article on Blackening Tubes, and some of the posts.
However, here is my question to all of you.
Do you use black on everything? Or do you use some other color on various colors of acrylics, etc.
I ordered some of the Lucite rods from the pipe making place. And one of the colors is Cream....would you use black on it also. Or how about Fire.
I tried a pen made out of the Zebra rod. And was not happy with the outcome. But I didn't blacken the tube either...my mistake. I thought it was dark enough I wouldn't need to....Wrong.
Any suggestions.
Thanks
Harry
 

knottyharry

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Don, what kind of paint do you use?
Gerry, This is a new batch of Zebra, because Andrea was out of stock when I ordered it. As for the formula changing...I don't know.
I have read about using markers, and such to color the tubes, and the inside of the rods. Is the need there to do both, or will the glue show through the rod?
One of the things mentioned was cleaning the oils, etc off of the tubes before doing anything to them.
I use mainly CA and I know some say it reacts to the paint.
Is it reacting to the paint, or oils left on the tube.Some say glue doesn't matter....I don't know. Just searching for answers.
Harry
 

LanceD

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Use Krylon matte black spray paint. Spray paint the tubes and spray some on a piece of cardboard then use a Q tip to paint the inside of the blank. Wait at least three hours or overnight if you prefer as the matte paint dries a lot faster than glossy paint. Use 5 min. or 30 min. EPOXY as CA will surely react with the paint. Doing it this way will not leave any glue lines showing through your finished pen.
 

its_virgil

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Harry,
I've used markers of all kinds and don't like them. I'm currently trying acrylic and spray paint and I think will be using spray paint...Whatever walmart or lowes or home depot sells. I've have trouble with glue dissolving markers such as sharpies, etc.
Do a good turn daily!
Don



Originally posted by knottyharry
<br />Don, what kind of paint do you use?
 

DWK5150

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Harry,

I have used acrylic model paints like you get from the hobby store. I have noticed also that on certain blanks even with painting the tubes and even painting the blanks where the glue touches the blank when you glue the tube in it leaves a smudge on the inside that you can see after the blank is turned.
 

RussFairfield

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For what it's worth, I use several different coatings for the brass tubes - flat paint in black, white, yellow, red, and orange, and sometimes gun bluing. I keep one brass tube of each color on hand and slide it into the blank to see what it looks like before making a decision on which color tubes to use. I don't paint the inside of the blank because I haven't had good luck with adhesion when gluing paint to plastic or paint to paint.

If in doubt, I will turn the drilled tubes to round and 1/2" diameter between centers before selecting the color of the tube.

I glue the painted tubes into the plastic with CA glue because it is transparent when it is dry. Epoxy is an amber color, and polyurethane is opaque.
 

PatLawson

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Originally posted by its_virgil
<br />...I wonder if clear PR would look solid color if the tube were painted a color, or would it look like clear PR over a colored tube. Of course, I know the answer and probably others do, but for those who don't, it is a thought question...

Well I know the answer to what clear PR would look like over an unpainted brass tube! Jay Pickens showed us a couple of years ago. Here's some of those wonderful experiments, (the brass tube pen is the one in the middle):
http://www.turtlewoodworks.com/pmggallery/pickensj/pickensj13.jpg

Pat

Laguna Beach, CA
http://pensbypatricia.com/NewPens
 

PatLawson

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Originally posted by JimGo
<br />Pat, you cheater!

Lol. Nope, didn't cheat! Don said it was a "THOUGHT QUESTION", so I thought and thought and thought, (I'm old - got a slow brain), and finally remembered that Jay Pickens did something like that a couple of years ago. Then I packed myself off to the PMG library to research the subject, and after hours of intensive study - voila! (or as Don would say - walla!), I found the answer. Now what more could you ask of a student? (And I certainly AM a student of Don's and Jay's wonderful creativity.) [:)]

Anyway, what I was thinking when I was looking at Jay's great pen, was that it sure would be nice if we didn't have to use glue at all on tubes for acrylic blanks. Because even when you paint the tubes and/or use colored epoxy, etc. there are still times when you can see the glue itself squished up against the translucent material. Painting the inside of the barrels is about the only thing that helps somewhat with that, but I wish there was a better way.

Pat
 

JimGo

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Pat,
If you cast the blanks yourself, you can always cast the tubes into the resin. You're stuck making the corresponding type of pen, but you don't have the glue issue. It's a tough trade-off.
 

Draken

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I use the cheap spray paint from Wal-Mart, less than $1 a spray can. For light plastics, I use white, for dark, I use black. I only paint the inside of the blanks, and I use 15 minute epoxy to glue them up. I have the trigger gun attachment that clips on to the top of the spray can, and, using gloves, just spray it into both ends of the blank until well coated. Let the excess drip/run out, and dry overnight. This is what works for me, your mileage may vary. [;)]

Cheers,
Draken
 

Draken

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Forgot to mention that I do a transparancy test on the blanks. After drilled, but before glueing, I hold it up to a light and look inside the drill hole. If I can see the shadow of my finger on top of the blank, closest to the light, then it needs paint. No shadow, no paint. So far this has worked well for me.

Cheers,
Draken
 

Johnathan

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With my home PR, I use plenty of powder and don't have that problem. I do think that the lighter pens would require a white or something inside, for the deeper and darker pens black would be perfect.[:p]
 
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Originally posted by LanceD
<br />Use Krylon matte black spray paint. Spray paint the tubes and spray some on a piece of cardboard then use a Q tip to paint the inside of the blank. Wait at least three hours or overnight if you prefer as the matte paint dries a lot faster than glossy paint. Use 5 min. or 30 min. EPOXY as CA will surely react with the paint. Doing it this way will not leave any glue lines showing through your finished pen.

Thanks Lance...I think that I will try this myself!![:D][:D]
 
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