Hi

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Cherene

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2022
Messages
8
Location
South Africa
I was wondering if I could get some advise. I am new to pen turning, about 2 months now and I am loving it! I made a fountain pen yesterday using a hybrid blank and when I pushed the clip into the cap, it cracked. I felt like crying. Are there any tips on how to avoid this? Thank you in advance
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

Kenny Durrant

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2012
Messages
2,480
Location
Sachse Tx. 75048
The first thing is to do as Alan suggested. To do that and make sure there's not a burr on the inside of the tube I use a rat tailed file to make sure it's clean and straight. Another problem I had was pressing the parts. When I first started I used a small bar clamp. I didn't want to spend the money for a pen press. That was a problem trying to hold the clamp and the pen parts straight at the same time. That was a pain and it caused a few to break. I'm on my second press because I wanted a nicer one and this one will disassemble as well. Now I break very few. It's always easier to glue a loose fitting part than to fix a crack or start over.
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2010
Messages
1,798
Location
webberville, mi
There's a simple tool that is usually available at places like Home Depot that is used to remove the burr on copper pipe before soldering. They're cheap and effective, esp on the larger tubes.
 

sorcerertd

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,657
Location
North Carolina, USA
Been there, done that. It's so disappointing! I've learned to use a metal bristle bottle brush to clean them out before pressing. A rattail file can get really stubborn stuff out of the ends (like epoxy).
 

randyrls

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
4,821
Location
Harrisburg, PA 17112
To join the thread; The suggestions above are good ones. Make sure there is no glue inside the brass tube. You can use Play Dough to block the inside of the brass tube to keep much of the glue out. Clean any glue out with an Exacto knife or file.

Some materials are inherently brittle and can break under stress.

PS. Scuff your brass tubes with sand paper to make the bond between the brass and blank stronger.
 

Cherene

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2022
Messages
8
Location
South Africa
To join the thread; The suggestions above are good ones. Make sure there is no glue inside the brass tube. You can use Play Dough to block the inside of the brass tube to keep much of the glue out. Clean any glue out with an Exacto knife or file.

Some materials are inherently brittle and can break under stress.

PS. Scuff your brass tubes with sand paper to make the bond between the brass and blank stronger.
Thank you
 

tomtedesco

Member
Joined
Jan 7, 2015
Messages
3,276
Location
Centennial, CO
Welcome from Colorado. My suggestion is to be sure the parts are lined up as you press together. I have ruined blanks because the piece was not straight as I was assembling.
 
Top Bottom