Epoxy and Pen Failure

[siric]

Hi,

When I first started I used to use either medium or thick CA and accelerator - mainly because I always seemed to be in a rush to get a pen started and completed.

I have now decided that patience is key and have started using Stick Fast 5 min epoxy. I use Play-Doh to plug the tubes when I glue, but still get a little epoxy on the inside edge sometimes - which I remove.

I have seen in some posts that advise that all epoxy should be removed completed from the tube to avoid pen failure.

I am just curious about what type of pen failure occurs if any epoxy is left. Does it come off over time and affect the mechanism?

Thanks

Steve

 

[Cloven]

I scrape around the inside of the tube with a knife to remove any glue because the parts that fit inside are such a tight fit, that anything that interfered with that fit could make it more difficult. I think that's the kind of failure you're hearing about. The gothica kit I did was a ridiculously tight fit that they even suggest using sandpaper to ream the hole out a little more so it'll go in. I think maybe if there was glue left inside the tube then you try to push the hardware in, there's a chance it'll push the tube outwards and break the material.

 

[KenV]

All is a tough absolute word.


Unless you are really sloppy, stuck glue is at the ends. If left there the residue glue has an effect on the fit of mandrels, bushings, and the pen fittings.

Poor fits during turning is reflected in fit. It is a cause of thick/thin walls with bushings not straight.

And it is pretty easy to be sure it is gone as part of a quality assurance process.

 

[turncrazy43]

If you have epoxy glue left inside the tube after it has cured you can use a small round "rat tail" file to clean the inside of the tube out. That way when you press your parts into the tube it will go in nicely with no snags and will not result in cracks or other breakage at the end of the finished tubes. I got a couple awhile back from Hut products for about $2.00 ea. and they have worked well.
____________________________________________________
Everyday I'm vertical is a great day

 

[low_48]

I prefer a piece of 1/4" all thread rod to knock out any residue. I don't want to change the fit by taking a chance of removing brass. Some of the failures are with brittle acrylics that can't take the pressure from forcing fittings into a tube with epoxy residue left inside.

 

[smik]

I took a hint from others in the forum and use gun bore cleaning brushes. Works well for me.

 

[orlandopens]

Steve, I use paraffin (canning wax) to seal the ends of my tubes. Works much better than Play Doh. Bought a box of Gulf paraffin at Wally World for a buck or two. I shave a few chunks into a metal lid from a mayo jar and heat it on the cook top to melt. Should be no thicker than 1/4" of wax on the bottom. When I need to seal a tube I press it into the wax, give it a twist, lift and voila! Sealed end.

When the wax is used up just carve a few more chunks into the lid and stat over. No waste.

Just be careful when melting the wax. You don't want it to ignite. Just enough heat to melt into a level puddle. And wipe away any wax residue on the outside of the tube.

Never had one fail and its quick, easy and cheap.

 

[Wingdoctor]

The dental wax from Arizona Silhouette works great to plug the ends of the tube so that glue does not enter the tubes. This is a 1/16" approx. thick sheet that you use the tubes like a cookie cutter to cut and apply the wax. After the glue is set, push out the wax with a dowel and use an Exacto knife to remove the glue from the inside of the overlong blank end. Use a squaring tool to cut the blanks flush with the tube end, or any other method you prefer, and the blank is ready to turn.

 

[Dave Turner]

The dental wax from Arizona Silhouette works great to plug the ends of the tube so that glue does not enter the tubes. This is a 1/16" approx. thick sheet that you use the tubes like a cookie cutter to cut and apply the wax. After the glue is set, push out the wax with a dowel and use an Exacto knife to remove the glue from the inside of the overlong blank end. Use a squaring tool to cut the blanks flush with the tube end, or any other method you prefer, and the blank is ready to turn.

I second Bruce. Once I tried dental wax, I was hooked. It works great.

 

[nativewooder]

If you have a "dental appliance" office near you, a gift of a custom hand made pen can usually get enough dental wax to last you a long, long time.


Dental Appliance: False Teeth!

 

[dartman]

I know I'm late to the party but I use a small tapered hand reamer
and give all mt blanks just touch and have no problems.The reamer
I use is like 4.00 at harbor freight.

 

[dtswebb]

Definitely recommend the dental wax. Either from Arizona Silhouette or another source of your choice. If you use the dental wax, the files, brushes, knives and other tools aren't necessary.

 

[studioseven]

I have never tried this, but I had watched a video on U-tube where the turner used a potato to seal the ends of the blank.

Seven

 

[Jim Smith]

I've gotten "fairly" good at not getting epoxy inside the tubes when gluing up blanks. That said, it still does happen on occasion. To take care of it, I took a 3/4 inch dowel and screwed a 3 inch sheetrock type screw through it so I have a T-handle with the screw threads sticking out. A couple of swipes with this "tool" and the epoxy is gone. If the threads get dull, I simply replace the screw and it new again. It's worked very well for me for several years. Just one more solution for those of us that don't take the time to put dental wax in the ends of the tubes when gluing.

Jim Smith

 

[MarkD]

I use inexpensive plumbers putty to fill ends of the tube before using 5 minute epoxy to glue the tubes in. If I get a little epoxy in the tube I use an exacto knife to clean it up.
You want to be sure that the tube is clean so that the bushing fit into the tube properly ( if you use bushings ). You also don't want epoxy in the tube when you press the fittings into the tube or you may get cracking and a poor fitment.

 

[79spitfire]

I'm lucky, I have an old aircraft drill that happens to be .248". It reams the glue out exactly to the brass with no loss of brass at all. Larger pens I simply peel it out with a small penknife.