Painting tubes

[pentex]

When you paint the tubes, what type paint do you use? Does the glue cause problems with the paint? Thanks.

 

[winpooh498]

We use Cheap rattle can from Wally World. We used to use sharpies, but the glue seemed to eat/dissolve the ink [}]. When we paint our tubes we also shoot paint into the blank (one squirt in each end).
Hope this helps!

Have a wonderful day
Dawn

 

[GaryMGg]

I've been using Testor's model paint; I paint the inside of the blank with a generic brand Q-tip. Inexpensive, disposable & so far, reliable.

Gary

 

[pentex]

Thanks, I made a Sierra with acrylic today and it is the nicest pen I've made, but you can see the color of the tubes right at each end. No one but me or another pen turner would know what it is. Kinda blends in with the color of the acrylic. Thanks again.

 

[Jim in Oakville]

I use Krylon spray paint, dries ready for glue in less than 15 minutes.

 

[Milpaul]

Kind of funny, I was ready to take one of the first pens I made out of "rotation" because you could see the tube in one spot. That was until I had a customer tell me he really like the gold streak in the acrylic! You never know [?][?]

 

[bkc]

Excuse a dumb question.... but why do you paint the tubes?

 

[Milpaul]

some acrylics are transparent in spots so you can either paint the tubes or inside of the blanks to keep the brass from showing.

 

[leehljp]

Going deeper into Paul's response, some blanks are totally clear cast acrylic to show up certain items within it, but they get the color from the background paint. Curtis Seebeck sells cactus blanks and here is a link to a clear one that gets it color from the tube/inside the blank paint color: http://builtbydoc.com/clearpens.htm

 

[thewishman]

I use some leftover house paint primer. White under a Caribbean Swirl celluloid realy makes them pretty. Pink (or any other color) nail polish under a white satin blank glows.

Chris

 

[gwilki]

Harold

I started with magic marker, then tried a couple of different spray paints. All of them were removed to one degree or another by the CA. Now I used a blackener. You can find it at jewellery suppliers. It blackens the brass by chemical reaction. It's safe, very quick, and does not react to either CA, epoxy or Gorilla.

 

[bkc]

Thanks for the answer to my question. I've just started turning pens and didn't know. That's really neat []

 

[Rudy Vey]

Used to use Sharpie or Paintmarkers, but now I use Testor model paints in the color of the blank and also paint the inside of the blank. I found it beneficial to drill the holes a smidgen larger - both the paint on tubes and blanks add thickness and the recommended hole size will be too small in most cases.
I have now tried the new Chameleon tubes from CSUSA and I like them!!
They comes in either black or nickel color for a variety of pens.

 

[lwalden]

An additional consideration for painting inside the blanks, as well as the tubes..... if you're working with a fairly clear blank like the Cactus blanks mentioned, You can get some visible "ghosting" of bubbles or voids where the glue is not uniform when you're painting the tubes only. I use ovesized q-tips to paint inside the blanks.

 

[johncrane]

l have been using a clear plastic undercoat that comes in a spray pack can, l spray on the undercoat in side the blank let it dry then l spray on 2 top coats to finish. Also it can be brushed on. Before spraying the blanks l did some tests with the 2 pack glue and CA and it worked out good no problems.l got the paint from a auto supplier. The paint is made for use on plastic's as a touch up paint l originally bought the paint too spray my daughters plastic grill on her car. The guy at the auto store told me if you are painting plastic you need to first paint on a plastic undercoat which l did. Any way l had some leftovers which l have been using on my clear cast pen blanks' and it has work out great also being a car paint it has a good UV factor which should be good for clear cast blanks and light colored acrylics l am doing a clear cast pen at the moment so when l get time l will post it.[]

 

[stevers]

Milpaul, sounds like LOML. She says, "I like the gold showing". Of course I can't have it. Nothing but perfection leaves my possession.

I'm glad I caught this topic post. I have a cactus blank from Mesquiteman,(won in a raffle). I've been waiting to turn it till I new I could get it right. Thanks to all for the great responses.

 

[pentex]

Thanks all. I guess I will get all this down in another couple of years.

 

[DaveM]

I tie flies, so I have a lot of different colors of nail polish for my streamer heads and eyes. I use them to paint the unsides of my blanks. I started painting the tubes with a sharpie, but I noticed on really thin sectionsof light colored blanks, the ca showed bubbles, and the epoxy would be even worse. (I have a really nice Flattop in Berea's Tequilla Sunrise that looks blistered) Now, the only problem I have is deciding which color to paint multicolored blanks.

Dave