PR and painted tubes

[Tim'sTurnings]

I have just started making some PR blanks and I painted some tubes because I have read that painted tubes would look better through the semi-transluscent PR blanks. My brother-in-law stopped by today and saw them and asked me if I needed to use a larger drill bit for the blank because of the larger diameter of the painted tubes. I told him I did not know. Right now I am going to make slimline pens/pencils, Big Ben Cigar pens and Designer/Euro pens, to name a few. Do I need to figure out what size bigger drill bit I need to use????

I also used one of those vacuum doo dads for sucking the air out of freezer bags. It seemed to have a fairly decent vacuum. I'll see if it works to remove some of the bubbles from the casted blank. (It did enlarge a marshmellow on a first trial).


Thanks for any comments/suggestions.

Tim.

 

[ed4copies]

Tim,

Can't give you ONE answer. I use a caliper and decide when I need to drill larger for painting. Consider this, if the hole is a little large, Epoxy will fill it. If it's too small, the tube won't fit, so there is no perfect answer. BTW, paint the inside of the hole, so you cover the glue bubbles that will, likely develop.

 

[alphageek]

I havn't needed to change drill bits. However, I agree with Ed 100% - I started out painting the tubes, now I paint the blank (whenever I need to)..

I also avoid painting by using different tubes. I now have brass, chrome and black chrome tubes for 'most' of the kits I use.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Agree with both Ed and Dean, altho I haven't had to change bits yet but 90% of my pens are Jr.'s that need painted tubes, Also be sure to paint inside of blank and do NOT use CA to glue the tubes use Epoxy for 2 reasons, 1- CA will remove paint from tubes and blank 2-you can tint the epoxy and hide all glue residue.

 

[jttheclockman]

Interesting point and I have yet to go down this road but am in the process of getting things together. This brings up the question, if you are getting the different colored tubes are these tubes compatible to all other kits that use those size tubes???? I thought I read somewhere here there was differences between tubes from different manufactoers. Second question being these tubes are powdercoated and powdercoating adds some thickness do you have to increase the size of the hole to accomindate these tubes??? Seems like paint might be a bit thinner.

 

[alphageek]

Are they powdercoated?? I havn't had size problems yet (knock on wood). I thought they were just a different metal combination. I'm going to have to look at them closer.

 

[jttheclockman]

The ones I have are powdercoated. I only have black and white so the silver maybe adifferent metal. Easy to do on that one.

 

[rherrell]

I only use two colors of spray, black and white. I spray the inside of the blank and let it dry overnight before gluing. I don't color the tubes and I use epoxy, not CA. I clean the inside of the blank with a chainsaw file prior to painting and have not had to go to a bigger bit.

 

[Constant Laubscher]

Have any of you tried to use patina for brass. I uses some patina formulas for some of my copper work/art and here is a link to some formulas.

http://www.sciencecompany.com/patinas/patinaformulas.htm

 

[RichAldrich]

Rick: Do you use regular spray paint for the inside of the blank? Does it run alot? How far away from it are you and what do you hold the blank with?
Rich