Glue Question

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Rob183

Rob183

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Dunedin, FL
I've been away for a while and getting back in the shop to turn some Cigar pens for friends. Would CA or epoxy work best for the brass tubes?
 
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Rob183 said:
I've been away for a while and getting back in the shop to turn some Cigar pens for friends. Would CA or epoxy work best for the brass tubes?
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That is a loaded question. Yes and No is the answer. Some people swear by CA and some like me always like epoxy because of CA being a brittle glue and the need to use a med or thick CA to fill in voids when gluing. Others will chime in.
 
CA works until that one time the brittleness of CA and the open cavities (spaces where CA does not bind the tube to the blank) . . . become known as one breaks. More often than not, it is not that the tube comes out, but that the blank shatters and you are able to see just how much the CA attaches the tube to the blank and especially how much is NOT!
 
I'll say maybe. I switched to epoxy, as mentioned, CA is brittle. The positive about CA is you can glue the tubes and turn in a matter of minutes. Took a pen turning class...glued tubes and started turning within five minutes. I now use Devcon Two Ton Epoxy in four ounce bottles from Amazon. I glued one set today and will turn tomorrow.
 
I use BSI 15 minute epoxy. I like the little bit of additional open time. I always let them sit overnight.
 
I've turned pens off and on for about 20 years. I have had a few of them have the bond between the tube and the pen body material fail with CA glue. I have never seen one fail with epoxy.

There's probably a right way to make it last forever with CA, I dunno. But I'm team epoxy 100% of the time now. 5 minute set/1 hour cure epoxy if I'm in a hurry. If not, 30 minute set/24 hour cure. I always scuff my tubes up pretty good before gluing, and make sure the hole I drilled is cleaned out and free of dust. Then coat the tube liberally and rotate a lot while inserting it to make sure I get super good glue coverage all over.
 
FWIW, the Devcon Two Ton epoxy has a work time of 30 minutes. I get organized, set up an assembly line and can do three kits of one of two tubes.
 
Over the years this question has come up hundreds of times and the answers are always the same because many times we speak from experiences. Weather people follow a particular recommendation is on them and results can vary.

But I will change things up a little and give you another choice to use to glue your tubes in and believe me it will work just as good as epoxy and that is construction adhesive. Such as Liquid nails, or PL 2000, or Loctite, or even Gorilla adhesive. All will fill cavitys and will stick to anything. Has flexibility. No mixing. Easy to save by keeping top on. Think about it.
 
Well, I have only made 60 pens, so my experience dataset is small compared to others on IAP. But ... about 20 pens back, I switched over to original gorilla glue. Haven't had a blank blowout since.

I find it a lot easier than epoxy. Drill blank, run warm water through the hole, lightly dry outside of blank, put tube on insertion tool, run a bead of GG along the tube, spread glue evenly with gloved fingers, insert tube with twisting action, scrape away up excess with coffee stirrer and wait 24 hours to turn. Foaming action of the glue does tend to creep into the ends of the tubes, but it is pretty easily removed. Have not yet had the glue push the tube out of the blank, so I don't even tape the ends.

It is nice that I don't have the smell of the epoxy to deal with or have my eyes burning from the CA fumes.

Lots of ways to glue tubes, all have their pros and cons.
 
ccharles said:
Well, I have only made 60 pens, so my experience dataset is small compared to others on IAP. But ... about 20 pens back, I switched over to original gorilla glue. Haven't had a blank blowout since.

I find it a lot easier than epoxy. Drill blank, run warm water through the hole, lightly dry outside of blank, put tube on insertion tool, run a bead of GG along the tube, spread glue evenly with gloved fingers, insert tube with twisting action, scrape away up excess with coffee stirrer and wait 24 hours to turn. Foaming action of the glue does tend to creep into the ends of the tubes, but it is pretty easily removed. Have not yet had the glue push the tube out of the blank, so I don't even tape the ends.

It is nice that I don't have the smell of the epoxy to deal with or have my eyes burning from the CA fumes.

Lots of ways to glue tubes, all have their pros and cons.
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There are 2 things I would do in this set up (original GG) : 1. put some wax or plumber's putty or similar inside the tubes to keep the glue from getting inside; 2. tape the end of the blanks because on some occasion, as the glue expands it can and has for some - pushed the tube out past the end of the blank as it cured. o_O
 
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