Blanks

[Giospro]

how or what do you use to make those coffee/cereal type blanks to make pens out of? Epoxy resin or?

Thanks.

 

[ed4copies]

They can be cast with Alumilite or Polyresin. In either case, you will need to pressurize the casting. So, with the cost of pressure pots and experimentation, you will probably learn it was much cheaper to buy them from El Mostro or others.

Just a FWIW

 

[workinforwood]

I can't dissagree with that. You have to hold them buggers down and figure out how to pour them at the same time too so they don't float to the top and all the resin at the bottom. It can be messy and cost you even more money if you spill resin all over the place.

 

[RussFairfield]

You can make them with CA glue.
Give the brass tube a liberal coating of Medium CA glue, and roll it in the whatever you are using. Let it cure. Then saturate it with Thin CA glue. Repeat as necessary until the build-up on the tube is enough to turn a pen. Do not use accelerator. Allow the glue to cure by itself.

 

[PenTurnerfromMaine]

You can make them with CA glue.
Give the brass tube a liberal coating of Medium CA glue, and roll it in the whatever you are using. Let it cure. Then saturate it with Thin CA glue. Repeat as necessary until the build-up on the tube is enough to turn a pen. Do not use accelerator. Allow the glue to cure by itself.

Interesting................do you have any pictures of your finished pens from this technique?? I'm thinking that it could be worthy of a try.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I find that my glue always turns white if allowed to cure without accelerator...perhaps that's just the high humidity in my shop...

 

[Fred]

Russ has not and would not ever steer you wrong. His procedures are proven over time and definitely worthy of a try as you state.

Russ may not have added that it is often best to paint the tubes prior to casting unless you just want the brass color to possibly shine through.

Maxwell, it IS the humidity that is causing the white in the CA, Just take the blanks to a warm and drier place and let it cure completely ... Nevada about this time of year is good from what I am being told! :laugh:

 

[wdcav1952]

Andrew, do NOT take your blanks to Tucker, GA! There is a LOT of hot air there which will make your glue set too fast!!!

 

[David M]

if you have any of the small plastic tubes for display / shipping . you can put in about 1/3 resin in it , then drop the beans in , push them down so resin will push up around them . push beans all the way till they get to the bottom . put the cap on, leave standing up .... when it dries cut
the top and bottom off , drill for tube a then turn . turn the plastic tube off . your out a $ .60 cent tube

 

[hewunch]

You can use the ice tray tubes too then and they are cheaper than the shipping tubes.