broken bkanks

[awgarland]

I very new to penturning and tend to make quite a few mistakes. I was wondering about gluing the pieces of blanks back if/when they break ib half whule turning. I was turning. I was attempting to turn a pen last night out of snakewood when it made a clean break in the middle and left me with 2 halves. Is it possible to glue the halves back together and finish the pen? If so, what type of CA glue do i need and what are the steps in the process, and how long should i let the glue set and cure? Thanks for your help.


Allen W. Garland

 

[Hendu3270]

I very new to penturning and tend to make quite a few mistakes. I was wondering about gluing the pieces of blanks back if/when they break ib half whule turning. I was turning. I was attempting to turn a pen last night out of snakewood when it made a clean break in the middle and left me with 2 halves. Is it possible to glue the halves back together and finish the pen? If so, what type of CA glue do i need and what are the steps in the process, and how long should i let the glue set and cure? Thanks for your help.


Allen W. Garland

Welcome Allen. What kind of kit are you trying to make? I'm assuming since it left you with two halfs, you were rounding off to drill for tubes and not yet gotten past that stage? If you're making a slimline type kit and started out with a full size blank, you may just have the two pieces you need for the kit. Need a little more info. To blindly answer your question, yes, you can use CA to glue the blank back together. I would use medium. Just go slow from there on so you don't stress the joint. Spray a little accelerator on it and you're back in business pretty quick.

 

[awgarland]

I very new to penturning and tend to make quite a few mistakes. I was wondering about gluing the pieces of blanks back if/when they break ib half whule turning. I was turning. I was attempting to turn a pen last night out of snakewood when it made a clean break in the middle and left me with 2 halves. Is it possible to glue the halves back together and finish the pen? If so, what type of CA glue do i need and what are the steps in the process, and how long should i let the glue set and cure? Thanks for your help.


Allen W. Garland

Welcome Allen. What kind of kit are you trying to make? I'm assuming since it left you with two halfs, you were rounding off to drill for tubes and not yet gotten past that stage? If you're making a slimline type kit and started out with a full size blank, you may just have the two pieces you need for the kit. Need a little more info. To blindly answer your question, yes, you can use CA to glue the blank back together. I would use medium. Just go slow from there on so you don't stress the joint. Spray a little accelerator on it and you're back in business pretty quick.

I am making a 7mm slimline pen. I was in the process of getting the blanks down to the correct size so i could sand and finish. The blanks are already cut, drilled, tubes inserted, and mounted to the mandrel. One blank is at the proper size. The broken one still needs to be rounded down another 1/4 inch or so.

 

[Hendu3270]

Yes, you should be able to glue it back onto the tube and up against the piece that broke using medium CA glue. Be sure to get additional glue on the exposed tube as well. You may still be able to see the break though. Just make sure you press them together to allow the glue to set it in place. Or....you could use your parting tools and square up the break, and segment in another species of wood to add some contrast. Or even a thin peice of aluminum and more of the same. Maybe use this as a design opertunity and get creative.

 

[kovalcik]

You might be able to glue it, but unless it is really something special I would start fresh with a new piece of wood. Since you are already having difficulties, I would not introduce the added complication of having to go carefully so the glue joint does not blow up from a catch. Chalk it up to a learning experience. You can save the good blank and use it with a complementary wood or acrylic if you want, or turn the wood off of both tubes and start over. I have a jar where I toss pens that have issues like this. Every once in a while I dig through them and salvage one or two. As you gain experience, the jar does not fill up as fast. :wink:

 

[Cmiles1985]

If you're having difficulties as mentioned above, make sure your tools are sharp and that you're not applying too much pressure to the piece you're turning. As expensive as snakewood is, I'd recommend practicing on something else and saving the snakewood for a few pens down the road (after you figure out and correct the breakage issue).

JMHO

 

[Falcon1220]

I very new to penturning and tend to make quite a few mistakes. I was wondering about gluing the pieces of blanks back if/when they break ib half whule turning. I was turning. I was attempting to turn a pen last night out of snakewood when it made a clean break in the middle and left me with 2 halves. Is it possible to glue the halves back together and finish the pen? If so, what type of CA glue do i need and what are the steps in the process, and how long should i let the glue set and cure? Thanks for your help.


Allen W. Garland

Welcome Allen
Can you submit a photo so wee can see the two break?
Yes, normally it can be glued back together. Use medium CA. Apply pressure to hold the the sections together. Lat them sit for a day before going back on the lathe.
Use sharp tools
Take light cuts
Lathe speed as high as you feel comfortable

 

[low_48]

You guys forgot to tell him it would probably have cracked anyway. Do a search on snakewood cracking. That'll keep you busy for days.

 

[Jim Burr]

Glue as you any other piece of wood...it is after all...just wood. Glue, clamp, set, try again. Then fix all the cracks that snake wood is famous for.

 

[kingkeyman]

since you are a newbie, repair the blank. Keep gluing it and repairing it no matter how long it takes or how frustrated you become. It will make you a much better pen turner. If it turns out nice, give it to mom for mothers day. If it looks like doo-doo, well,you got a new pen for the shop.

 

[rblakemore]

Caution with Snakewood

Welcome to the club; it is fun and enjoyable; rewarding can be questioned.
Caution with Snakewood though; I love the wood and effect; but, it splits easily. I have a nice 7mm European in Snakewood, and several months after making it; both the upper barrel and lower barrel spit lengthwise. I am going to have to remove the wood and create something else. I will probably not use Snakewood again. Glue and try again; but, it may spit again also.

 

[ossaguy]

Just a thought,but If you can't fix the broken blank,and the other one is nice,you can always make a Coventry pen out of it.

That kit uses just 1 slimline tube,and the other one is the engraved metal clip-end.They work good for those orphan slims.


Steve

 

[WriteON]

Mistakes are how we learn. I try to understand what happened and look for it next time.