ARGH..I cracked it.

[kenwc]

I was assembling a Gentlemens pen. I had the upper section in the pen press and the top went in slightly askew and before I could back off I heard the little crackle.

There is a hairline crack in the wood now. You can barely see it but you can feel it with a fingernail.

I suppose it will get worse? Would it be worth it to dissasemble it and use thin CA and refinish/polish?

Thanks

 

[JimGo]

Originally posted by kenwc
<br />Would it be worth it to dissasemble it and use thin CA and refinish/polish?

That depends on how happy you are with the otherwise completed pen, the value of your time, and how much pride you want to take in that particular pen. But, generally, my answer would be yes.

 

[wdcav1952]

Ouch! I have to agree with Jim. Disassemble and repair it. Otherwise, you will always know it and also, it likely will get worse as it is exposed to varying temperatures.

 

[Dario]

I agree, if you take pride of your work, don't settle for anything less than perfection. Disassemble, hit with thin CA and re-finish. If you are lucky, the re-work can be very minimal.

"Perfection" BTW is relative and it changes as you get more experience. At least it is to me. []

 

[mrcook4570]

Originally posted by kenwc Would it be worth it to dissasemble it and use thin CA and refinish/polish?

Yes

 

[alparent]

Yes dissasemble it and use thin CA and refinish/polish. And when you reassemble it. Put the clip over the crack if possible.

 

[gerryr]

To avoid this in the future, use a deburring tool on the brass tubes before you start to assemble. I got one at Harbor Freight for maybe $5.00.

 

[webmonk]

Same principle, but I use a little hobby scalpel to clean the glue and dirt out of the inside of the tube before inserting. That also has the side effect of deburring the edges.

 

[wdcav1952]

I put out around $15 for the reloading tool BB sells at ArizonaSilhouette, and find it to be worth every penny for chamfering the ends of the tubes.