Invisible mount clip

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Ed McDonnell

Ed McDonnell

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
2,294
Location
Melbourne, FL
I was looking for a quick and easy way to secure the clip in an invisible mounting. Using CA means waiting a long time for it to cure to insure you don't end up with a film deposited on your nib and section. Using epoxy is a hassle because of the potential for it to leak out of the slit for the clip onto the exterior of the cap. Also the potential for it to end up where you don't want it inside the cap as you try to get it down to where the clip is.

I decided to try using poly clay to secure the clip. Dropped little balls of color matched clay into the cap and tamped them down with a close fitting rod. The clip stays where you want it with the clay packed in. Cooked the cap to set the clay.

Worked great the first two times I tried it. On the third, the PR resin on the cap cracked and buckled. I'm pretty sure I used the same temp and time to cook the cap (as close as you can get on a cheap toaster oven). 33% failure rate is too high.

I think my next attempt will be to try some epoxy that I thicken to a putty with a filler and color to match. Use the same process as the clay, but without having to cook the cap.

Ed
 
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You can get epoxy putty. Comes in a log or bi-colour strip. Cut off a piece and knead together. Don't know if you can colour it though.

If you can get Milliput, it comes in a white version. I think it's epoxy mixed with clay. You can paint it once set. They say it is slighty water soluble before it sets due to the clay filler. So a water based paint may tint it. I haven't tried it as mine has dried or set. Probably get it from model train or hobby stores.
 
WildThings said:
Why not something like JB Weld or apoxie clay?
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I had never heard of apoxie clay. Looks really interesting, for a lot of things beyond just fastening the clip. Thanks for the suggestion. I've sent them an email with a couple of questions and depending on the answer I'm going to give it a try.

Ed
 
switch62 said:
You can get epoxy putty. Comes in a log or bi-colour strip. Cut off a piece and knead together. Don't know if you can colour it though.....
Click to expand...

I originally thought epoxy putty would be a great idea. I had tried coloring epoxy putty and it didn't work for me. Not sure why. The colors didn't seem to want to blend. That put me off of epoxy. But now I'm back to thinking about it again.

By using a filler with regular epoxy I think I can make something close in texture to the putty, but that I can color. The filler softens the colors, but it's still better than the pink / grey choices I've seen in the putty sticks / bars. Since the epoxy won't be seen (except for a tiny exposure around the ciip) I don't have to worry about the cosmetic isues of using a filler.

But still, even thickened, epoxy is a mess to work with (for me anyway). The apoxie clay that WildThings suggested might just solve all my problems and be a whole lot easier to work with.

Anybody have any other ideas? All suggestions welcome!

Ed
 
Sounds like the putty would work well. It would just be about finding the right amount so that it doesn't push out of the slit too much or interfere with the nib when the cap is on. I'm going to have to try the epoxy putty. I think a new tutorial for the library for hidden clips with epoxy putty would be nice. Let me know what you experience and I'll give it a try as well and let you know.
 
MartinPens said:
This stuff from Harbor Freight looks like it might be worth a try.
Epoxy Putty Stick
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I used to use the epoxy sticks (but not the steel reinforced HF one you linked) to bond live coral to rocks underwater. It works great, as long as you get the right quantity of the two parts. For the tiny amounts needed for the clip, it might be hard to cut the stick just right to get a good mix. If the mix is off too much, it won't set up right. A really sharp blade, like they use for cutting poly clay canes without crushing them might work.

I also had no luck changing the color of the epoxy stick. If you like the color or can accept it if any is visible around the clip, it might be worth a try.

I'll report back on my next attempts. I tried to contact the apoxie clay folks. They didn't answer their phone and the email I sent failed as "address rejected". That's not real encouraging.

Ed
 
duncsuss said:
Found this link for Apoxie Sculpt -- not sure if it's suitable material but it comes in a dozen colors.
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The link you provided is the manufacturer and they have a much better website than where I was originally looking. BUT, they are really proud of their shipping. I was going to order a $30 sampler pack and they wanted $12.76 in shipping. Gotta be a lot of profit in that shipping. I hate being nicked on shipping at checkout time. Cancelled my order.

I was originally at epoxyclay.com. That's the one with the unanswered phone and dead email. Looks like they have been folded into artplace.com. Tried sending an email with questions to the artplace folks. Got a nice email back answering my questions. Artplace has the same phone number listed on their website as epoxyclay.com. Nobody answered when I called that number a second time either. If you need phone contact, this may not be the place to shop.

I ordered the following, with a slightly less outrageous shipping charge of $10.74 (sheesh!):

epoxy-sculpt-power-pack

You have to really want this stuff though. You can't get to the sampler pack from the artplace.com website. You have to go through the epoxyclay website. Makes you really appreciate the vendors we have here on IAP.

Maybe if this stuff is really useful in pen making some of the IAP vendors will start stocking it.

Ed
 
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