Splitting blanks during assembly

[Ankrom Exotics]

I've just recently ventured into the land of the "upscale" pen kit and have stumbled across a problem. I recently purchased six "Majestic" pen kits from PSI and have tried turning and assembling two thus far. Even though they are a bit more complex than the kits I've been cutting my teeth on I haven't been intimidated. My problem with both pens that I've assembled has been the center band and plastic tube assembly that presses into the upper half of the blank. The plastic tube that contains the threads in the cap is a very snug fit after pressing about halfway into the tube. On pen #1 I applied more pressure with the press (I was really having to put my weight into it) and the blank split. On pen #2 the same situation occured, only this time the center band cracked.

Has anyone else run into this situation? Are the parts supposed to be that tight of a fit? Am I missing a step preparing the plastic tube for insertion that I'm unaware of?

I've been thinking about just sanding a bit of the plastic down to slightly narrow the diameter. Is this an acceptable solution or will I somehow be opening another can of worms?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Pat

 

[leehljp]

Is there ANY glue residue on the inside of the brass tubing. Missing this causes some "fit" problems that often do what you are experiencing. There are probably some other ideas out there for others to note.

 

[turned_for_good]

Glue inside the tube could be a very good culprit here.

What glue are you using to glue the tubes to the wood? If its expanding (like polyurethane type) that could be slightly altering the inside diameter of the tube and causing this. And yes, they are usually a tight fit, but not as tight as you have described.

 

[Fred]

Try drilling ONE drill bit size larger hole in your blank. Sand your tubes a bit and keep the brass clean of fingerprints. Then use Gorilla glue to fix the tube in place. Gorilla glue will expand to seal the tube in place. Then larger hole will allow the brass tube to expand a bit and hopefully not crack the blank. It's an idea!

You will possibly had a bit of a mess on your hands after using the Gorilla glue but that can be fixed by using a pen mill to square your blanks. Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you wear gloves as the Gorilla glue will turn your skin black night and it will take forever for you to get it off. The skin actually will need to wear off to get you back to normal. Be darned sure that the insides of your brass tubes are absolutely clean of any crud ... VERY IMPORTANT! Good luck!

 

[livertrans]

I use brass bore cleaning brushes that shooters use for cleaning the barrels on their guns. They come in different sizes and I attach it to my drill and run it through the tube after glueing and it does a good job of cleaning all the excess glue from the tubes.

 

[redfishsc]

Originally posted by Fred_erick

Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you wear gloves as the Gorilla glue will turn your skin black night and it will take forever for you to get it off. The skin actually will need to wear off to get you back to normal.

I mix up a squirt of muriatic acid with some water (10-1 ratio I'd reckon, water-acid) and rub my hands down with that. Cleans the black off just fine--- wood or glue, doesn't matter. Then wash hands with normal hand soap--- soap is naturally mildly caustic, which neutralizes the small amount of acid you are using.

Disclaimer:
Anyone that uses muriatic acid full strength on their hands might well suffer and get what's coming to them! Dilute it!

But it works.

 

[Aderhammer]

Originally posted by redfishsc

Originally posted by Fred_erick

Also, I HIGHLY recommend that you wear gloves as the Gorilla glue will turn your skin black night and it will take forever for you to get it off. The skin actually will need to wear off to get you back to normal.

I mix up a squirt of muriatic acid with some water (10-1 ratio I'd reckon, water-acid) and rub my hands down with that. Cleans the black off just fine--- wood or glue, doesn't matter. Then wash hands with normal hand soap--- soap is naturally mildly caustic, which neutralizes the small amount of acid you are using.

Disclaimer:
Anyone that uses muriatic acid full strength on their hands might well suffer and get what's coming to them! Dilute it!

But it works.

*cough* remember to add acid to the water not water to acid

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

Ok...... the concensus seems to be that glue or glue residue in the tube is likely to be what's causing my problems. I've been using epoxy as my adhesive and have been fairly cautious about cleaning the excess from the tubes. My barrel trimmer sleeves pass through effortlessly during trimming.

At this time I don't have the luxury of stepping up one size in my drill bit as my selection is limited.

I will be certain to be even more vigilant about cleaning my tubes and see how things go.

Thanks all,
Pat

 

[turned_for_good]

I personally wouldn't reccomend stepping up a bit size on that pen. The section your reffering to takes a 27/64th and the next bit up is a 15mm. That would be a .0125" bigger hole. Doesn't sound like much but with a pen with a wall that thin your outcome may not be welcomed. I haven't tried it on this pen yet, so if anyone has please chime in.

 

[IPD_Mrs]

Here is another option for you to consider. Next time your order from AS pick up a couple sheets of the dental wax. The stuff is like .30 a sheet. This creates a barrier so that the CA cannot get into the tube. If you have to use that kind of fource to press the fitting in then there is something making in I.D. of the tube smaller. Another thing to consider is the chamfering tool from AS as well.

Mike

 

[ed4copies]

Originally posted by buzz7164

Ok...... the concensus seems to be that glue or glue residue in the tube is likely to be what's causing my problems. I've been using epoxy as my adhesive and have been fairly cautious about cleaning the excess from the tubes. My barrel trimmer sleeves pass through effortlessly during trimming.

At this time I don't have the luxury of stepping up one size in my drill bit as my selection is limited.

I will be certain to be even more vigilant about cleaning my tubes and see how things go.

Thanks all,
Pat

You're using epoxy and cleaning the tubes, I would look to a different culprit. If you have a dial or digital caliper, measure the outside of the plastic piece you are inserting. Then measure the INSIDE of the brass tube. NOW, adjust. MY adjustment would be to sand down the outside of the plastic and, while inserting, put glue on the top of the insert, so it lubricates your insertion, then when it dries, it will hold the plastic in place. Do NOT use thin CA, as it will dry WHILE you are inserting. If you like epoxy, that would be a fine choice, in my opinion.

Expensive kits mean FIND a SOLUTION, don't goof around. Every one you crack is an expensive failure. Experiment with cheap kits.

 

[gerryr]

I suspect the problem is caused by the epoxy. When epoxy dries it is hard. If the press-in part is a larger diameter than the inside of the tube(often the case with CSUSA kits), when you press them together the tube is forced to expand. The expansion force is transmitted directly to the wood or whatever material you used. I've had this problem and have found that Sumo glue or GG, are better than epoxy or CA. They both foam and create tiny air pockets and therefore has a lot more ability to compress than epoxy or CA.

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

Thanks again everyone for your time and consideration in helping out a hapless, wet behind the ears beginner. It's nice to have the support of so many accomplished craftsmen.

Thanks Gerry, I visited your website. very nice. I will be in Billings next month to visit friends. I spent the past couple of decades in Cody, WY where I built exhibits for the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. Do you have a brick and mortar store that I can visit while I'm in the neighborhood or strictly web sales?

Thanks again,
Pat

 

[GBusardo]

Pat, One thing no one mentioned and it is probably not the cause here. Quite a while back I ordered 5 of one particular chrome kit from a reseller. Every one of them cracked my wood while installing the nib. No, it was not the glue, the dang plating was a little too thick. Lesson learned!

 

[gerryr]

Nope, no store, just the web and some juried art shows.

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

SUCCESS!!!

I sanded a bit of plastic from the center band assembly and it pressed into the upper blank like a charm. After reading the thread about some of the problems that people have encountered with some of the PSI kits I have to wonder if there was possibly a quality control issue with these kits?
The blank was one of my dyed and stabilized maple burl jumbos (smoky grey) that I produce in my shop. Finished with 3 coats of C/A and buffed with the Beall wood-buff system. All in all, I'm very pleased with this pen.

 

[Munsterlander]

Sounds like you found a solution - just thought I'd mention another alternative to the dental wax several have mentioned in the past is plain old playdough - cheap and mostly reusable. I use it always now, even for el cheapo bullets or whatever - leaves almost nothing to clean and ultimately saves me time. And the chamfering tool is great.