Vick, I normally paint both and with this stuff and CA it doesn't seem to matter.
It's been a week since I messed around with the stuff but I have a few more ideas. I was using Rust Oleum for the paint. Since I painted both the tube and blank and still got some pull away resulting in a wet spot looking blank, I'm going to try the Lexan paint I once used and see if that adheres any better. Normally you would rough up the surface for better adhesion. However, with the material being so clear, any roughness can be seen right through the material.
Also, I have found that when i use acrylic and find a snug fit after painting, I usually heat the blank with a hair dryer for a minute or two to get the blank hot. the material expands which allows me to insert the tube easily. I can also guestimate that as the blank shrinks, the tube will be locked into place even better. Anyway, I figured that if I heat the lucite up enough while drilling, the material may be softer, resulting in far less lines while drilling. The blank will be smoother though and may result in less than stellar adhesion.
Anyway, just a few thoughts which I am going to continue trying out.