Painting tubes

[Mike Powell]

Okay guys Im having some issues with tubes after painting them. I dont have any pictures, because I have already cut the blank off. But, after painting, I let it dry, glue in the tube with gorrilla glue, and when turned to size there are bubbles in the paint, what am I doing wrong here?

 

[ed4copies]

You are probably seeing bubbles in the glue. This is why we use "reverse painting" (paint the inside of the hole), to hide the glue.

 

[Mike Powell]

Thanks Ed, Ill give it a shot.

 

[its_virgil]

Different colors will often change the look of the same blank.
Don

 

[TonyL]

What Ed said. It is worth the wait. You won't see glue markings. I paint both the tubes and inside of the barrel.

 

[chartle]

Also gorilla glue by design bubbles more like foams. I would use epoxy and reverse painting.

 

[Mike Powell]

Thanks guys, I was unaware that GG bubbled. What is a decent epoxy to use, I have never used any? Something I can get at Home Depot or do I need to order it?

 

[mecompco]

I use whatever 5 minute epoxy I happen upon. Being paranoid, I paint the tubes, the inside of the blank, and add paint to the epoxy. Hey, nothing succeeds like excess!

Regards,
Michael

 

[alphageek]

Thanks guys, I was unaware that GG bubbled. What is a decent epoxy to use, I have never used any? Something I can get at Home Depot or do I need to order it?

I personally use CA (epoxy may be better, but too much work for me when CA does fine for me, but it doesn't for everyone).

That being said - any epoxy should work just fine. Just make sure to not rush things... Give the paint a day to dry before gluing and give the glue a good amount to time to fully cure (hours to a day) and you will have much less stress.

The wait can be annoying, but once you get past the first set, every time you hit the shop prep something in advance and you'll get ahead of the curve!

 

[edstreet]

Gorilla glue can foam. Expansion by a factor of 4 in the presence of water. If you see gorilla glue foam then your drilling and clamping is fail that it was excessive gaps and the foam provides no structural support or strength what so ever.

A proper gorilla glue bond dictates the gap is almost non existent and sufficient clamping occurs to eliminate shifting.

 

[randyrls]

Different colors will often change the look of the same blank.
Don

Don; To demonstrate the point; These two pens were made from the same White Pearescent blanks. One hole painted blue, one painted pink.

View in Gallery

 

[csr67]

Gorilla glue can foam. Expansion by a factor of 4 in the presence of water. If you see gorilla glue foam then your drilling and clamping is fail that it was excessive gaps and the foam provides no structural support or strength what so ever.

A proper gorilla glue bond dictates the gap is almost non existent and sufficient clamping occurs to eliminate shifting.

Not can, it DOES foam. I just finished 20 pens using gorilla glue with excellent results. The only foaming was at the tube ends, and I clamp everything in place with a couple wraps of blue tape after inserting tube. Zero blowouts and no issues at all. I give each blank a quick dunk in water prior to glue up.

I find the GG much quicker and easier than 5 min epoxy, but to each his own.

 

[Dale Lynch]

Jeff, try gorilla glue white.It dries to a white uniform color,no bubbles to be seen on a transparent blank.If you need a dark backround then disregard what I said.

 

[Mike Powell]

I use the GG clear. I never have any foaming outside of the blank, and rarely a failed blank where one comes loose from the tube. The only time I have issues is with the painted tubes.

 

[Dale Lynch]

How transparent is the blank?Your useing the GG that comes in a syringe dispenser correct?You might just be seeing the glue itself.GG white foams to fill all the tool marks left by drilling and fills the sanding scratches on brass tubes.

 

[qquake]

I've been using Loctite epoxy from Home Depot with good results. The bottles are cheaper in the long run than the syringes.

Loctite 8 fl.-oz. Professional Job Size Epoxy-1365736 - The Home Depot

 

[alphageek]

I've been using Loctite epoxy from Home Depot with good results. The bottles are cheaper in the long run than the syringes.

Loctite 8 fl.-oz. Professional Job Size Epoxy-1365736 - The Home Depot

Larger sizes are definitely a good idea. However if you're looking for cost savings - you're still paying a bit for the "name brand". (about $15 for 8 oz) Good epoxies can be found other ways for less. Two examples:

1) If you have a hobby shop (or an amazon prime membership), look for "great planes" brand. I used it all the time when building model planes. (about $12 for 8 or 9 oz).

2) If you're ordering from exotic blanks, they sell a couple brands for about $10 for 8 or 9 oz. Yes, you have to add shipping in this option, but if you're ordering something else, its a logical add to your order.

If you don't go through it fast, pay attention to the good notes that exotic blanks has about storage. CA and epoxy have different storage "rules" for best storage.

 

[ladycop322]

Are you using spray paint? That's what I use and never had that problem

 

[qquake]

I've been using Loctite epoxy from Home Depot with good results. The bottles are cheaper in the long run than the syringes.

Loctite 8 fl.-oz. Professional Job Size Epoxy-1365736 - The Home Depot

Larger sizes are definitely a good idea. However if you're looking for cost savings - you're still paying a bit for the "name brand". (about $15 for 8 oz) Good epoxies can be found other ways for less. Two examples:

1) If you have a hobby shop (or an amazon prime membership), look for "great planes" brand. I used it all the time when building model planes. (about $12 for 8 or 9 oz).

2) If you're ordering from exotic blanks, they sell a couple brands for about $10 for 8 or 9 oz. Yes, you have to add shipping in this option, but if you're ordering something else, its a logical add to your order.

If you don't go through it fast, pay attention to the good notes that exotic blanks has about storage. CA and epoxy have different storage "rules" for best storage.

I usually use less expensive epoxy. I've used Great Planes and Bob Smith (BSI) a lot for building high power rockets. But I recently had a blowout, where the inside of the blank obviously had epoxy on it. I don't know why it didn't adhere to the tube, but I thought I'd try a name brand epoxy. And besides, the OP asked for epoxy that could be purchased at Home Depot, which is where I got the Loctite.