using expoxy to glue tubes in

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penmaker1967

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hi guys i want to start using expoxy to glue my pen tubes in but not sure how to go abouty it. i have never used expoxy for anything what is the best kind to use as far as setting time and how long does it take before u can start turning the blanks. any help would be helpful
thanks
 
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lorbay

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There are many kinds of epoxy from 5 min to 1 hr and more. I use the 20 min kind that I buy from a vendor on here + I always leave my blanks to set up over night. Tried some to turn some after an 1hr or 2 and it let go, so now I leave them over night.

Lin.
 

Wingdoctor

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I use the 5 minute epoxy from Woodenwonders http://woodenwonderstx.com he is a member here and has great service and products. I plug the ends of the tubes with dental wax to prevent the epoxy from entering the tube. I scuff the tube and drill the blank. I use a wooden q-tip or a 1/16" dowel with epoxy rolled on the end for about an inch, and put the epoxy on the dowel in each end of the blank hole and turn it in my hand to apply the epoxy to the hole. I then apply epoxy to about an inch of the tube and insert the tube into the blank with a twisting motion. You should have enough epoxy to have it build up on the end of the blank against the tube all the way until the tube is fully seated. Scrape off the excess epoxy from the blank ends with the dowel and set it aside. I use an Exacto knife after 20 minutes or so to remove the dental wax and epoxy from the tube ends. You can then trim the ends of the blank. I usually wait a half hour or more before I turn the blank and I have not yet had a loose tube or blowup.
 
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plantman

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hi guys i want to start using expoxy to glue my pen tubes in but not sure how to go abouty it. i have never used expoxy for anything what is the best kind to use as far as setting time and how long does it take before u can start turning the blanks. any help would be helpful
thanks

:confused::confused: My first question is why on earth would you want to use expoxy in the first place ? Mixing, setup time, messy, not worth the hassel. If you must use expoxy, buy it in the two tube one plunger package this will give you an even mixture and more controll. Get the 5 minute mixture unless you are glueing a lot of tubes. Make sure you rough up your tubes and wipe them well. Also make sure that your blanks are free of dust. Expoxy doesn't flow well so twist your tubes as you insert them and pull them up and down also. CA will wick into cracks and voids, Expoxy needs pressure to do the same. Jim S
 
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I have used the quick set 5 minute epoxy for over a year and it has worked great. I scuff up the tube with sandpaper and plug the end of the tube with dental wax. Then I take a 1/8 inch dowell and coat the inside of the blank from both ends to make sure the epoxy is on the walls of the hole. Next coat one end of the tube with epoxy and twist it in the blank making sure there is a bead of glue arount the hole as the tube goes in. I take the dowell and scrape the excess off the blank at the end the stube was inserted then push tge tube into the blank a 1/16 or so then remove the excess glue from the other end using the dowell. I then take a paper towell and wipe off both ends of the blank and set aside for about 3-4 minutes. I found that if you take a dental pick and remove the epoxy and dental wax from the tube befor it dries completely, it is a lot easier it than waiting for it to dry completely. I can usually turn the blank in 20 minutes if I need to and have not had any failures or returns from any glue failure.
 

Kretzky

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I use the 15 minute epoxy, always have & no failures to date. This works for me others may disagree. I mix the epoxy on an old ceramic tile, (scrape/ clean the tile when finished & it's ready for use next time) scuff the tube then roll it on the mixed epoxy to get a good coating on it, (sometimes I plug the end of the tube with baseplate (dental) wax, sometimes I don't). Then insert the tube into the hole whilst turning it at the same time. Occasionally I will remove the tube & insert from the opposite end. The idea is to get a good coating on both the tube & inside the hole. be careful not to get epoxy inside the tube, it can be a beggar to get out! The reason for inserting a couple of times is that much of the epoxy scrapes of when you insert it, just gives a better chance of getting a good overall coating. Like I said this works for me ymmv.
I like epoxy because it fills gaps, sets reasonably quickly, withstands heat, holds well & I've always been happy with the results.
Hope that helps
David
 
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BSea

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:confused::confused: My first question is why on earth would you want to use expoxy in the first place ?
I use 5 minute epoxy exclusively. I've had CA set before the tube was all the way in a blank, or wasn't where I wanted it to be. Another reason is that you can tint epoxy a color to help hide the tube.

Now I'm only a hobbyist turner. I don't do any production turning, and I can see why someone who makes 30 or 40 pens a week might use something faster than epoxy. I can also see the benefit of using something with a longer work time.
 

brownsfn2

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I use epoxy for the following reasons:

1. I can tint it for translucent blanks.
2. 5-min epoxy sets in 15-30 min.
3. I can actually clean it up before it drys
4. It has a long working time (3-5 min)
5. Easier to clean dried epoxy from inside tube.

Why I don't use thick CA any longer:
1. Harder to clean up off hands and bench
2. I have found some woods to accelerate curing and tube gets stuck half way in
3. Not enough working time
4. Can't tint it for translucent blanks
5. Seems brittle at times

Just my 2 cents. :)
 

moke

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Cedar Rapids, Iowa
I use epoxy for the following reasons:

1. I can tint it for translucent blanks.
2. 5-min epoxy sets in 15-30 min.
3. I can actually clean it up before it drys
4. It has a long working time (3-5 min)
5. Easier to clean dried epoxy from inside tube.

Why I don't use thick CA any longer:
1. Harder to clean up off hands and bench
2. I have found some woods to accelerate curing and tube gets stuck half way in
3. Not enough working time
4. Can't tint it for translucent blanks
5. Seems brittle at times

Just my 2 cents. :)

Ron,
IMHO I don't think you could have hit the nail on the head any more. The only thing I might add is, as a "pro" for epoxy, the tubes slide in easier, almost like they are lubricated. If the tube is tight, this is a real asset, if the tube is slightly loose it will act as a kind of a filler. I tint my epoxy a lot...you can never do that with CA.

Also, don't be in a real hurry. This will get you nothing but increased problems. When I first started, I would take the blank off the lathe and glue with CA right away...heat is an accelorant..I had more than one tube get stuck half way in. I do multiple pens at once...8 to 10 and I stagger them so I can finish a pen or two at every turning session, so it feels like I am accomplishing something. I have others with reverse paint drying, epoxy setting up, CA finishing hardening overnight...etc. Take your time...you will be surprised at how any issues will decrease.
Just my opinion
 

plantman

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Green Bay, Wi
I use epoxy for the following reasons:

1. I can tint it for translucent blanks.
2. 5-min epoxy sets in 15-30 min.
3. I can actually clean it up before it drys
4. It has a long working time (3-5 min)
5. Easier to clean dried epoxy from inside tube.

Why I don't use thick CA any longer:
1. Harder to clean up off hands and bench
2. I have found some woods to accelerate curing and tube gets stuck half way in
3. Not enough working time
4. Can't tint it for translucent blanks
5. Seems brittle at times

Just my 2 cents. :)

Ron,
IMHO I don't think you could have hit the nail on the head any more. The only thing I might add is, as a "pro" for epoxy, the tubes slide in easier, almost like they are lubricated. If the tube is tight, this is a real asset, if the tube is slightly loose it will act as a kind of a filler. I tint my epoxy a lot...you can never do that with CA.

Also, don't be in a real hurry. This will get you nothing but increased problems. When I first started, I would take the blank off the lathe and glue with CA right away...heat is an accelorant..I had more than one tube get stuck half way in. I do multiple pens at once...8 to 10 and I stagger them so I can finish a pen or two at every turning session, so it feels like I am accomplishing something. I have others with reverse paint drying, epoxy setting up, CA finishing hardening overnight...etc. Take your time...you will be surprised at how any issues will decrease.
Just my opinion

:wink::wink: Mike; You and Ron have great points on why you use epoxy and not CA. I guess I am a little to old to wait for glue to dry. My question should have been "Why do you use epoxy rather than CA" ? Thanks to everyone for their answers. Here are some of the things I do to correct CA problems.
1. Always keep an open bottle of debonder and paper towling within reach when glueing. Clean CA off your bench with a Stanley Knife blade. Use it like a scraper.
2. I keep a vice on one of my benches open to 2". If the tube sticks, I press it in.
3. I work fast. Using thick gap filling CA gives you a little more time.
4. If you take debonder and mix it with color, then add CA you can use it. Don't try this one unless you have a lot of time on your hands !!
5. Only found CA to get brittle if the surface underneath is not cured.
There is nothing wrong with using epoxy, just seems like to much of a hassel for me. I agree with your statements about taking your time when starting something new of different. You are going to learn some lessons the hard way. Different strokes for different folks !! Jim S
 
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Lenny

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Searsport, Maine
I keep hearing about tinting epozy.Exactly what is used for this?Thanks again.

Charles

It's another method to help prevent the brass tube from showing through the blank with polyresins and acrylics etc., along with painting the inside of the blank and the brass tubes themselves.

I agree with everyone who uses 5 minute epoxy and for all the same reasons given already. I have had fewer problems since switching to epoxy for gluing tubes in. I usually work several blanks at a time ... By the time I'm done the first one is ready to turn. 10 minutes is pretty much "instant" as far as I'm concerned.
 

Kretzky

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lorbay

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I wondered too thanks JD anything else used for tinting epoxy?
David
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Alumilite tints, Pearl-ex powders, oil based wood stain and Testors paint.
 
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juteck

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Charlotte, NC
I wondered too thanks JD anything else used for tinting epoxy?
David
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Alumilite tints, Pearl-ex powders, oil based wood stain and Testors paint.

I use India ink - black and white usually.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 

brownsfn2

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Plain City, OH
I wondered too thanks JD anything else used for tinting epoxy?
David
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Alumilite tints, Pearl-ex powders, oil based wood stain and Testors paint.

I use the same testors paint that I paint the tube with. Sometimes I mix colors to get the shade I want. I reserve some of that mixed paint to tint the epoxy before gluing in the tube. Works really well. It is an extra precaution for me just in case my reverse painting was not thorough (It has happened).
 
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