Hi, I would like to know how do you guys use to paint the inside of the tubes when the acrylic became translucent after drilling it. I mean, I usually paint them with waterbased acrylic paint, applied with a soft brush, and sometimes I have used synthetic lacquer, but I don´t find any of the two methods appropiate to get the best finish. So, is there any way to do it to get a perfect and uniform layer avoiding the spots that sometimes appear as the result of an uneven layer of paint? Thanks so much in advance
Need some advice painting tubes
- Thread starter javier75
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jttheclockman
Member
The best thing to do is concentrate on reverse painting as it is called. You paint the inside of the blank after you drilled it. It is a good idea to take some sandpaper and roll it around a dowel and insert in the hole and sand the drill marks. Be careful not to sand too much or you will be enlarging the hole and you will be back here asking how to correct this. 
Then some people use spray paint and spray lightlt in both ends of the blank. Some people such as myself use Testors acrylic paints and use a Q-tip and dip and paint. Some times it takes 2 light coats of paint. Make sure the paint is dry at least 24 hours and then test the tube to see if it fits. If it does not you have to make adjustments. I am sure you can figure out what those are.
Good luck. If you need more info do a search in the archieves or even the library here.
Then some people use spray paint and spray lightlt in both ends of the blank. Some people such as myself use Testors acrylic paints and use a Q-tip and dip and paint. Some times it takes 2 light coats of paint. Make sure the paint is dry at least 24 hours and then test the tube to see if it fits. If it does not you have to make adjustments. I am sure you can figure out what those are.
Good luck. If you need more info do a search in the archieves or even the library here.
Jim Smith
Member
I use spray paint for both painting the tubes and inside the blanks. It only takes me about 60 seconds to paint both tube and blank and I have had very few failures over the years.
Jim Smith
Jim Smith
jimm1
Member
Paint both the inside of the blanks and the outside of the tubes. It adds to the consistency.
KenV
Member
Depends on the blank material for me.
I like to make pens of lucite - poly carbonite - most of which have the clarity of clear polyester resin casts. Lucite shows the texture of the drilled hole as well as the color of the coating applied. Scrapes and scratches show.
Polishing the inside of the drilled hole to achieve the desired texture can range from a scrstch free frosted appearance to a clear window glass surface.
Cheap dull drill bits show up as more work with lucite blanks to get a uniform appearance.
Less transparent blanks are substantially less effort to obtain a uniform appearance.
I like to make pens of lucite - poly carbonite - most of which have the clarity of clear polyester resin casts. Lucite shows the texture of the drilled hole as well as the color of the coating applied. Scrapes and scratches show.
Polishing the inside of the drilled hole to achieve the desired texture can range from a scrstch free frosted appearance to a clear window glass surface.
Cheap dull drill bits show up as more work with lucite blanks to get a uniform appearance.
Less transparent blanks are substantially less effort to obtain a uniform appearance.
mark james
IAP Collection, Curator
In addition to all the above comments; I use 2 part epoxy and put a single drop of paint in the epoxy mix.
I have never detected any diminished strength, and I do let set overnight before continuing.
I have never detected any diminished strength, and I do let set overnight before continuing.
Thank you very much for your advices. I think that maybe I did not consider the importance of the inside polish, and I think I will try your suggestions. I´ll prove what you say and let´s see what happens. Anyway I will tell you what I get