Advice on back painting

[jttheclockman]

Just be aware if you are using any type of polish inside it needs to be stripped before back painting or it will not stick well. I have had luck with starting with 220 grit paper and then 320 and 400 and then 600 wet sanding paper. Just like the outside of a blank, remember to sand lengthwise not with the spirals of the drill bits.

 

[Xel]

Do you have any photos of your blank, especially before and after?

Not of the drilled hole since I didn't take a picture, but I can get you close. The blank on the left shows a similar "haze" to the one I was working with: just imagine it in the center surrounding a hole. Right was chemically polished, backpainted black, and the tube pushed in VERY carefully (again, paint adhesion problem when it's that smooth) with multi-stage CA flooding. I'm pleased with how it turned out, though perhaps I'll try John's suggestion of scuffing the inside next time.

 

[qquake]

The black painted blank looks great. I thought about back painting mine black, but I think it has too much black in it already.

 

[randyrls]

That blank is lovely, the brass isn't... So omit the tube. I've seen and never made pens that were transparent so the mechanism showed thru mostly on fountain pens.

 

[pshrynk]

Not of the drilled hole since I didn't take a picture, but I can get you close. The blank on the left shows a similar "haze" to the one I was working with: just imagine it in the center surrounding a hole. Right was chemically polished, backpainted black, and the tube pushed in VERY carefully (again, paint adhesion problem when it's that smooth) with multi-stage CA flooding. I'm pleased with how it turned out, though perhaps I'll try John's suggestion of scuffing the inside next time.

Is that gold leaf? Dear Lord, how much do you charge for those pens?

 

[mick]

I suppose to the uninitiated they might look like part of the design. But I still think they're ugly.

I've not done many pens using a clear blank, but enough that I mentioned the inside sanding. It's been my experiencethat, like you said, nothing I did looked good. I've since begun thinking of transparent blanks as only good for kitless fountain pens that use no tube and polished the same inside and out.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[woodenbuffalo27]

Drill and turn between centers with or without the tube. If you use the tube do not glue it in place but the ends will need to be milled. Yes, the blank can be turned without the tube or with the tube inserted but not glued in place.

Paint several colors of paint on a dowel rod and insert it into the blank moving the blank to the different colors. Pick the one you like best. Keep the stick, or sticks, for use next time.

Do a good turn daily! Don

I'm turning pens for my seniors, need to have them done by Monday. Using Pen Makers Choice Crocus blanks from Craft Supplies USA on Aero kits. I turned my one extra just on the brass to see how I liked it, didn't like it. I've been trying to reason out the different colors to paint the insides with, while keeping them all the same, and without screwing up, you had the solution! Turning without the brass tube inserted and the painted rod is perfection. Just what I needed!