Help, screwed up the metal finish

[gerryr]

So, I made a Streamline El Grande. You turn the cap without the tubes being glued in, then press the parts into the tubes and glue them in place. I used CA and completely forgot about the fumes it gives off for quite a while. I put the cap on the pen - bad move. I took the cap off today and the gold ti nib and black plastic nib holder now have a film on them. Am I sunk or is there some way to fix them.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Buy another kit, use the parts to make your pen good. Then save the rest of the parts for your next mistake.

 

[Dario]

Frank...he said he CA glued them.

Spoke too soon...can those parts be screwed off? If yes then Frank is right []

 

[gerryr]

Originally posted by Rifleman1776
<br />Then save the rest of the parts for your next mistake.

[:0]Next mistake? Frank, you know there aren't any mistakes, just design opportunities. I have an extra fountain pen nib that will fit this, so the rollerball will be magically transformed into a fountain pen.[] Maybe I'll experiment with White Diamond on the plated part.

 

[ed4copies]

Please DO report back. But, I believe the white diamond will "redesign" it to a nickle plated kit.

 

[ctEaglesc]

If you have any TSW try that.

 

[gerryr]

Originally posted by ctEaglesc
<br />If you have any TSW try that.

HMMMM. I have to weigh the cost of a new kit against the value of my remaining TSW.

 

[Dario]

Originally posted by gerryr
<br />

Originally posted by ctEaglesc
<br />If you have any TSW try that.

HMMMM. I have to weigh the cost of a new kit against the value of my remaining TSW.

.

ROFLMAO .... good one!

 

[bjackman]

Acetone on a cloth will usually wipe off CA fume residue on metal/plated parts. It will further damage any plastic parts, of course.

 

[gerryr]

Bill, I thought acetone would clean up the metal, but I also knew if I got any on the plastic it would ruin it. Since it might be wrecked anyway, I might try to take it apart.

 

[arioux]

Hi,

Try lighter fluid, a very litle drop on a facial tissue. It won't ruin your plastic and should do the job on the metal. Don't tuch your finish ![}]

Alfred

 

[Rudy Vey]

I made several of these, in my opinion one of nicest, i.e. light and well balanced, pens. After the first one went bad the same way yours did, I decided to glue the tubes in with epoxy or CA, (don't use urethane glue - it may push the tubes out!!), before I turn the pen. Never had a problem this way.

 

[gerryr]

Rudy, I came to the same conclusion even before I discovered my "design opportunity." It just doesn't make sense to do it the way the instructions say.

Alfred, thanks for the tip, I'll give that a try and see how it works.

 

[JimGo]

I think I did as Eagle suggested back when I had this problem, and the TSW worked well. IIRC, I used a microfiber cleaning/polishing towel too. It didn't harm the finish, but it did help clean up the CA.

 

[RPM]

A side note about this kit... I made my first one as directed without gluing in the tubes. After completing the pen I thought back through the process and could see no reason for this non-standard approach. I have been gluing my tubes in this pen from then on. The only issue is making sure that you don't seat the tubes in too far (too close together). Too far appart is ok but will result in a longer cap. This represents my experience, others may have run into a reason to follow the directions.
Richard

 

[gerryr]

Depending on the material you're using, there may be an advantage to pressing the metal parts together prior to gluing up the cap. If the material is sensitive to expansion stress, i.e. likely to crack, it's probably best to follow the directions. If that isn't the case, it makes no sense. Most of the materials we use aren't sensitive to expansion stress, but ivory is.