Gluing Problem

[dankc908]

Hi All --

I started using Clear Gorilla Glue for gluing pen tubes into the blanks. After a session where I lost several blanks due to the glue pushing the tube out during drying I switched to Medium CA. Yesterday I decided to go back to the Gorilla Glue because I saw where someone used clamps to avoid said problem. That worked fine until I began squaring the ends of the blanks with my barrel trimming kit. On 1 piece of goncolo and 2 pieces of acrylic the tube came out of the blank. :crying: Does anyone have any ideas as to how this might have happened? I am thinking that the goncolo and the acrylic didn't absorb much (if any) of the gorilla glue therefore I didn't get a good bond. Right now I am gluing the three pieces and tubes with Medium CA but I'm wondering what others might think. I'd appreciate any feedback and/or ideas!

TIA

 

[VisExp]

I use Gorilla Glue and have never had any problems. Don't know about the Clear GG though as I've never used it. I rough the brass tubes with some coarse sandpaper and seal the ends with dental wax. Apply the glue to the inside of the blank with a q tip, dip the tube in some water and then push it in the blank with a twisting action. Then I clamp it so the expansion of the glue doesn't force the tube out. I also allow it at least 3 to 4 hours, preferably 24 to cure.

Polyurethane glues like GG require water to cure. It says so, right on the label, and I started getting better results after I read the label. :redface: :biggrin: There may be some moisture in a wood blank but there is no moisture in a PR blank or the brass tube, so you need to dip the tube in some water.

 

[GouletPens]

I've never used GG in any form, but I have never once had a problem of ANY kind using 2-part epoxy. It's the best of all glues for this purpose, IMHO.

 

[omb76]

I use 2 part epoxy for everything... wood, acrylic, trustone, etc. It holds the best, withstands some heat, and is the easiest to work with. I scuff up the brass tubes with sand paper, then put the blanks on an insertion tool spread the glue on with some plastic wedges that I got when I put my hardwood floor in the kitchen (used as spacers between the wall and first board) then insert into the blank. I typically use a 5 min epoxy that can be handled in 15min, but usually let the blanks set overnight before trimming and turning.

I didn't know I could ramble on so much about glue!!

 

[KenV]

I have used them all -- and for production glueups, the polyethylene glues (Gorilla, Sumo, etc) and a bag of rubber bands has never failed. dental wax seals the ends - some days one end, and some days both ends. Q-Tip of water is essentail. I recently ran a run of 30 pens including several closed end Barons with zero failures.

The rubber bands go over the ends and approximatly split the hole so the tubes are restrained.

When I started doing this, I cut a blank into slices on the scroll saw to assure that I had good coverage and bonding --

Short runs I use epoxy because it is faster setting -- Lowest cost is the GG --

I'm with Keith on positive experiences -- and make sure I do not starve joints.

 

[jfoh]

Acrylics have no moisture in them so you need to swab the bore with a wet q-tip to get the strongest bond with GG. I add die to GG to hide the tube in acrylics. It does weaken the bond slightly I think but still have no failure yet.

Just like finishing a pen, what ever works well for you, be it GG, CG, Epoxy or whatever they all can work.