Originally posted by keithz
<br />Thanks for all the replies. You have each given me something to ponder. I'm going to try using GG and CA again.
When I said I did everything "right", I meant the way the tutorials show or describe. There is no way I have the right to insinuate that the process I used is the one and only way to apply glue. I'm just trying to learn how to make a pen.
keithz
Keith-
In case you haven't guessed, I am a smart a$$(there are a few others on this forum I might add).
Some of my remarks in my reply were tongue in cheek.In truth I do use CA more than anything else, but that is because I am in a hurry normally.(I think one of the toughest thngs to learn it this art is patience and that can also be said for other areas of woodworking.
There are some here who can turn and finish a pen without the tubes glued in at all and don't even use them for assembly. they glue the components in.
I am not of that school, but it does prove the tubes are not necessary.
Russ Fairfield made an interesting post about the usage of glue (and tubes) or the lack of it.If I could find it I would post the link.
MY point is I normally do not turn solid blanks, that is to say most of mine are glue ups of one kind or another.
When
I am cutting and fitting pieces together I am POSITIVE I have perfect glue joints, I am POSITIVE I have complete glue coverage and yet I ahve had my share of blow outs.
I will say though I have taken steps that are NOT in the instructions as to do something as basic as gluing in a tube.
The next time you drill a blank, look inside it and note what the inside surface looks like.
It isn't a smooth round cylindrical hole, especially if you continually back it out repeatedly while drilling.
I take the time to "plasticize' the inside of the blank with thin CA.This may not be necessary if you use GG but what harm can it do?
My theory is the thin CA "wicks" into the wood and hardens it.It also gives a like surface to bond to.
When I first started doing this on some woods I was amazed to find the CA would "wick" its was out the sides of the blank and stick to my fingers.It depended of how dense the wood was.
I do redrill the blank after the CA has set but I do that by holding the blank in my hand and just running the bit through it.No vice or clamp, just a piece of sandpaper wrapped around the blank coarse side in to give me a better grip.
When gluing up the tubes I also noticed that I would have most of the glue build up on the end of the blank I inserted the tube from.The end of the blank acted like a squeegee.I wasn't getting the glue in the blank I was getting most of it on the END of the blank.
It was then I Started plugging the tube with parafin wax and putting glue IN the hole.This way as I inserted the lpugged tube into the hole it would force glue inside as the tube went in. Yes it takes a litte longer to unplug the tube and clean it out if neccesary but it is cheap insurance based the amount of time we put into our work and the espectations we have for the finished piece.
The bottom line is I do everything I can to make sure I don't get any surprises along the way(or dissapointments).
YOUr experience was probably a quirk and you won't have any more problems.
I think the biggest clue you mentioned was there was no glue on the tube.I am guessing if you find out the casue for that(even if it is operator error) and solve that problem you'll be able to move onto other problems, really.
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