Simple Question RE; Painting tube for acrylic blanks

[Tn-Steve]

I've read all the posts on how to paint the tube, painting the tube vs painting the hole in the blank, CA vs Epoxy, tinting the epoxy but still have a very basic question that I can't find the answer for....

WHAT COLOR DO YOU PAINT THE TUBE? White, black, the primary color of the blank? I've done one acrylic so far, but it was a very opaque blank, now I've got an "azurite" blank. (a bonus in a order), Blue with green swirls, and seems to have a bit of translucent character to it.

So, what color would you recommend, and for 5 bonus points, Why?

Thanks in Advance,

Steve

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

If it's very translucent than I would go black, giving the finished product a darker or deeper affect, for some thing just slightly translucent white because all your trying to do is hide the brass tube especially at the nib where the blank is the thinest.

 

[Tn-Steve]

Thank ya much Roy. That makes sense, sometimes it's the really simple things that trip me up. (ok, along with the really complex things, and things of only moderate difficulty that also cause me trouble at times.)

Steve
Who is waiting for his student to finish her labs so he can go play hookie today.

 

[thewishman]

Sometimes the brass is a pretty color to show through. The silver marble celluloid blanks from CSUSA look best (to me anyway) with the brass showing. Their carribean swirl looks best with white tubes. Try 'sperimenting with them.

 

[j_b_fischer]

Sometimes I paint with a 'matching' color to one of the colors in the blank. However, I get very good results from using a completely different color on some blanks. For example, acrylics such as 'snow', 'sugar', 'opal', and 'coconut' are all two-white blanks. That is, two different whites where one stays opaque and the other is semi-transparent. Using a rich color (like ruby red, royal blue, etc.) looks great. Even two pens (same kind of kit) using the same blank, look completely different with a different inner-paint job.

BTW, when I paint, I paint both the inside of the blank, and the brass. That way there's a layer of paint on top of the glue which helps hide bubbles in the glue. This means that if I want a brass color, I'll paint the inside of the tube brass. Of course, having two layers of paint (and sometimes, nail polish) means I occasionally use a slightly oversized drill bit.

Have fun!

 

[jkeithrussell]

Be wary of painting with black until you've seen how it looks. You can really change the way a blank looks by painting the inside of the hole or the tube black. Put black paint inside a red acrylic blank and you'll see what I mean. Same with white, although to a lesser degree. You really just have to experiment and see what you like. I have started using a mixture of paint and epoxy to try to get a color that is lighter than the secondary color of the blank so that it covers the tube without changing the look of the blank.

 

[fiferb]

WHAT COLOR DO YOU PAINT THE TUBE? White, black, the primary color of the blank? I've done one acrylic so far, but it was a very opaque blank, now I've got an "azurite" blank. (a bonus in a order), Blue with green swirls, and seems to have a bit of translucent character to it.

So, what color would you recommend, and for 5 bonus points, Why?

Thanks in Advance,

Steve

I have to say it depends. As some have said, experiment. Painting the insides will change the overall look. Take your azurite blank and paint the inside white and it will probably lighten and brighten the overall pen. Paint it black and it will probably darken and deepen the color. I've used blue under the blue/green ocean blank and made the ocean part look even deeper.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I normally paint blank inside and the outside of the tube with a matching color.

 

[MobilMan]

Gotta kid J B a little. Quote "This means that if I want a brass color, I'll paint the inside of the tube brass. Of course, having two layers of paint (and sometimes, nail polish) means I occasionally use a slightly oversized drill bit." Don't help ta paint the 'inside' of the tube.

 

[BruceA]

Color of tubes and blanks

Great question. I have spent the last few weeks experimenting with this very topic.

I have focused on using the Sierra kits for experimenting, because I can get two pens out of one blank. I've painted one blank/tube combo as white/white, and the other blank black/black. Also tried blanks with paint colors that match the blank colors (like orange/orange). It's amazing how the paint can change the final look of the blank.

For example, I took a Purple Haze acrylic from Woodcraft and the white/white blank turned out a gorgeous light lilac, but the purple/purple blank was a deeper, less refined...purple!

This is a fertile area for experimentation.

I'm definitely in the camp of painting both tube and inside of the blank.

On the white/white combinations, I started using the Gorilla Glue in the new "white" dried color, and it makes it easier than using Epoxy - it's more controllable coming out of the bottle, and I don't have to worry about the epoxy getting stiff before I've done 5 or so blanks at a mixing.

Still using epoxy for the colored or black/black blanks.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

I always paint both and I also tint the epoxy the same color I paint.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

As others said, color affects appearance. Here are two toothpick holders, one with a black tube and the other with a white tube, same resin.

 

[Tn-Steve]

As others said, color affects appearance. Here are two toothpick holders, one with a black tube and the other with a white tube, same resin.

WOW. Talk about a picture being worth a 1000 words. You would almost think that those were two different blanks to start with. Totally different feel.

Thanks,

Steve