Sometimes this happens

[qquake]

This would have been a platinum Cigar pen. It happened when I was pressing the tip coupler into the lower body. Very frustrating and disappointing. It was a nice looking blank, too. It was a Woodshed blank called Rusty Rebar. It was the second one I turned, and it was hard and apparently brittle. I probably didn't clean out the brass tube enough before I pressed the coupler in. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.

 

[BW Design Works]

Been there before. I just put it back on the lathe and took that section down to the brass tube. Once it was cleaned up I added some small bands of matching colors then turned it back down to size. Blank saved.

 

[Charlie_W]

Jim,
I usually file/sand the inside of the tube till the parts will press almost all the way in by hand (1/16") as many materials just can't withstand the expansion of the brass when parts are pressed in.

I will use just a touch of epoxy on the fittings to lock them in place. I use a toothpick and place a tiny dot or two of epoxy on the fitting or into the tube before pressing in. This has sure helped eliminate damage.

Hope this helps!

 

[thunderwear]

This would have been a platinum Cigar pen. It happened when I was pressing the tip coupler into the lower body. Very frustrating and disappointing. It was a nice looking blank, too. It was a Woodshed blank called Rusty Rebar. It was the second one I turned, and it was hard and apparently brittle. I probably didn't clean out the brass tube enough before I pressed the coupler in. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.

I just ruined a nice pen the same exact way. Learning experience. Now I use an Xacto knife to clean out the inside of the ends of the tubes before assembling. I saw a post where someone uses dental wax (like the sheets people buy when they have braces) and he plugs the ends of the tubes prior to gluing the tube in the blank. Genius! I think I am going to try that to eliminate problems like this.

 

[thunderwear]

Deleted

 

[WriteON]

Been there before. I just put it back on the lathe and took that section down to the brass tube. Once it was cleaned up I added some small bands of matching colors then turned it back down to size. Blank saved.

That or shorten/face and use for a different kit

 

[WriteON]

This would have been a platinum Cigar pen. It happened when I was pressing the tip coupler into the lower body. Very frustrating and disappointing. It was a nice looking blank, too. It was a Woodshed blank called Rusty Rebar. It was the second one I turned, and it was hard and apparently brittle. I probably didn't clean out the brass tube enough before I pressed the coupler in. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.

I just ruined a nice pen the same exact way. Learning experience. Now I use an Xacto knife to clean out the inside of the ends of the tubes before assembling. I saw a post where someone uses dental wax (like the sheets people buy when they have braces) and he plugs the ends of the tubes prior to gluing the tube in the blank. Genius! I think I am going to try that to eliminate problems like this.

Either pink or yellow soft base plate wax...ask your dentist for sheet or two...or find a local dental lab...maybe they'll give a few sheets for a buck or 2.

 

[mecompco]

This would have been a platinum Cigar pen. It happened when I was pressing the tip coupler into the lower body. Very frustrating and disappointing. It was a nice looking blank, too. It was a Woodshed blank called Rusty Rebar. It was the second one I turned, and it was hard and apparently brittle. I probably didn't clean out the brass tube enough before I pressed the coupler in. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.

I just ruined a nice pen the same exact way. Learning experience. Now I use an Xacto knife to clean out the inside of the ends of the tubes before assembling. I saw a post where someone uses dental wax (like the sheets people buy when they have braces) and he plugs the ends of the tubes prior to gluing the tube in the blank. Genius! I think I am going to try that to eliminate problems like this.

Either pink or yellow soft base plate wax...ask your dentist for sheet or two...or find a local dental lab...maybe they'll give a few sheets for a buck or 2.

I got a 1lb. box of pink dental wax on eBay for about $10.00. Pretty much a lifetime supply.

I will say, though, that you can sometimes still get enough epoxy/CA in the mouth of the tube that you'll need to scrape and/or sand it out.

Having recently had a faux-stone (or whatever Woodturninz sells) split a day after assembly, I'm leaning towards extra sanding of the tubes for a looser fit and plenty of blue Loc-Tite if I'm at all concerned the blank may be on the brittle side.

 

[More4dan]

I use one of these prior to assembly. A couple twist by hand and the glue and any burrs are removed. Works for about all tube sizes and cost $2.99.

Reamer - Save on this T-Handle Hole Reamer

 

[qquake]

Actually, I use non-hardening modeling clay that I get from Michael's to plug the tubes before gluing them in the blanks. I still usually scrape inside the ends before trimming and turning them. I use the awl in a Boy Scout knife to do the scraping. But honestly, I can't remember if I scraped these or not. I do know the bushings fit easily inside the tubes. Regardless, theoretically the clay should have kept epoxy out of the tubes.

 

[qquake]

For a while now, I've wanted to make a pen with one body colored, and the other black. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to try it. I had to get the coupler out of the blank before I could turn it off the tube. Since the body is tapered, I drilled a 1/2" hole in a piece of scrap wood, which allowed the body to only go in about half way then stop. I used a transfer punch to pop the coupler out of it. Easy peasy.

 

[qquake]

When I turned it off, I noticed there wasn't much epoxy on the broken end. I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not.

 

[qquake]

I cleaned the tube with my 1" belt sander. I had a piece of a Rhino Coal Mine blank that was long enough, so I drilled it. Since the Coal Mine blank is opaque, I didn't need to paint the tube or color the epoxy. I made sure I used plenty of epoxy this time, completely coating the inside of the hole.

 

[farmer]

This would have been a platinum Cigar pen. It happened when I was pressing the tip coupler into the lower body. Very frustrating and disappointing. It was a nice looking blank, too. It was a Woodshed blank called Rusty Rebar. It was the second one I turned, and it was hard and apparently brittle. I probably didn't clean out the brass tube enough before I pressed the coupler in. Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet.

Hi
Being direct I think your finish was terrible to begin with and the finish cracking was the best thing that could of happened before it got in some customers hands .....

Its foggy or cloudy ....... CA without activator is flexible.
Is it possible you had issues before the finish cracked ?

Hope that doesn't upset you .
Is your CA going bad ?

 

[qquake]

Hi
Being direct I think your finish was terrible to begin with and the finish cracking was the best thing that could of happened before it got in some customers hands .....

Its foggy or cloudy ....... CA without activator is flexible.
Is it possible you had issues before the finish cracked ?

Hope that doesn't upset you .
Is your CA going bad ?

This is acrylic, it has no finish on it, it's just polished. I would think CA would craze the surface of acrylic. Could it be the "cloudiness" you're seeing is the metallic powders in the blank? In fact, you can tell by the reflections of the lights in the blank how glossy it is.

 

[magpens]

This is acrylic, it has no finish on it, it's just polished. I would think CA would craze the surface of acrylic. Could it be the "cloudiness" you're seeing is the metallic powders in the blank? In fact, you can tell by the reflections of the lights in the blank how glossy it is.

I agree with you, Jim. . The "finish" looks fine ... great in fact ! . (Actually, CA can be applied to acrylic without crazing it.)

 

[qquake]

I agree with you, Jim. . The "finish" looks fine ... great in fact ! . (Actually, CA can be applied to acrylic without crazing it.)
[/SIZE]

Why would you put CA on acrylic when it's not necessary?

 

[farmer]

Acrylic

Hi
Being direct I think your finish was terrible to begin with and the finish cracking was the best thing that could of happened before it got in some customers hands .....

Its foggy or cloudy ....... CA without activator is flexible.
Is it possible you had issues before the finish cracked ?

Hope that doesn't upset you .
Is your CA going bad ?

This is acrylic, it has no finish on it, it's just polished. I would think CA would craze the surface of acrylic. Could it be the "cloudiness" you're seeing is the metallic powders in the blank? In fact, you can tell by the reflections of the lights in the blank how glossy it is.

LOL At first glance it looked like coco or rose wood and the silver streaks looked like cloudy finish ...

Sorry .

 

[mikelsdo]

My guess would be that it wasn't tube expansion because of the way it cracked. I would say you pressed it to hard against the blank. We all live and learn.

 

[magpens]

I agree with you, Jim. . The "finish" looks fine ... great in fact ! . (Actually, CA can be applied to acrylic without crazing it.)
[/size]

Why would you put CA on acrylic when it's not necessary?

You can buy (or make) blanks which are an "amalgam" of wood and acrylics. You *need* the CA to finish the exposed wood and the CA also covers the exposed acrylic. In fact, in that case, you can't finish the acrylic part in any other way because if you tried to do so you would invariably spoil the look of the exposed wood. Such blanks are sometimes called "amalgam-mutt" blanks for reasons I don't understand.

Also, you can use CA to fill any small surface voids (due to casting bubbles) in an acrylic blank, or to "build it up" if you have accidentally turned it down a little too much.

 

[1080Wayne]

As Mal said . And `sometimes` you can seal a small crack invisibly with thin CA .

 

[qquake]

You can buy (or make) blanks which are an "amalgam" of wood and acrylics. You *need* the CA to finish the exposed wood and the CA also covers the exposed acrylic. In fact, in that case, you can't finish the acrylic part in any other way because if you tried to do so you would invariably spoil the look of the exposed wood. Such blanks are sometimes called "amalgam-mutt" blanks for reasons I don't understand.

Also, you can use CA to fill any small surface voids (due to casting bubbles) in an acrylic blank, or to "build it up" if you have accidentally turned it down a little too much.
[/SIZE]

As Mal said . And `sometimes` you can seal a small crack invisibly with thin CA .

Well duh, you guys are right. I didn't think of those situations. I've used CA on acrylic to fill voids before. I don't know why I didn't think of that.

 

[qquake]

LOL At first glance it looked like coco or rose wood and the silver streaks looked like cloudy finish ...

Sorry .

No worries, it is an unusual looking acrylic blank.

 

[mark james]

Such blanks are sometimes called "amalgam-mutt" blanks for reasons I don't understand.

Amalgam = Mixture

Mutt = Mixed Breed

Simply Eugene's name for his line of wood/resin blanks.

Many other blank makers use similar processes and have different names, this is just what ElMostro has labeled some of his products.

 

[qquake]

Got the new lower body finished. I rather like the look.