Help with Tube and Blank Painting

[egnald]

Greetings from Nebraska:

I am trying to develop a regimen for painting tubes and reverse painting blanks.
What is your go-to for painting tubes and reverse painting?
I have used Testors enamel (traditional plastic model paint), but I hate how long it takes to dry.
I have used spray Lacquer, but it doesn't seem to adhere very well to tubes and scratches off easily.
Do the water based "Acrylic" hobby paints work?

Best Regards,
Dave

 

[Monty]

I use Rustolium or Krylon spray paint both on the tubes and inside the blank. Let them dry overnight before gluing the tubes in.

 

[jttheclockman]

Greetings from Nebraska:

I am trying to develop a regimen for painting tubes and reverse painting blanks.
What is your go-to for painting tubes and reverse painting?
I have used Testors enamel (traditional plastic model paint), but I hate how long it takes to dry.
I have used spray Lacquer, but it doesn't seem to adhere very well to tubes and scratches off easily.
Do the water based "Acrylic" hobby paints work?

Best Regards,
Dave

So Sorry but I am calling you out. Have to do it. I believe you are new at pen turning or at least I hope you are for asking this question. In red is your problem and it is with most newbie pen turners and some vets but they already should have figured it out. PEN TURNING IS NOT FOR THE IMPATIENT. find another hobby. I am doing this with some levity so please take it that way.

No matter what brand of paint you use, no matter what type glue you use for gluing tubes in or finishing, no matter how long it takes for blanks to dry out before being able to turn and the list goes on and on. This is a hobby now if you want to be good at it and make decent product time is what is a key ingredient and should be included in pricing if you are selling. No 2 ways around it. Now you will get the people here I do this and do that and turn pen in a couple hours. I say they are lucky people because i do not believe they should be doing it. Now with that said so this does not sound as a bashing, there are so many ways to do production work. Have a system where one day you paint all tubes, one day you spin many blanks and so on. This is what people who are serious and do sell their their work at many venues. They need to be efficient but also have a decent product.

OK off my soap box and please do not take this as a bashing of your question or anything else. But at times truth needs to be heard. I use Testors all the time enamel is the best. I also use their spray paints. Either way I always leave at least 24 hours dry time before I insert tube. I never paint tubes that to me is a waste of time. I have said this many times. Break down what a blank is Outside acrylic where you see. The next layer is the inside of that acrylic where you drilled the hole, The next layer is the glue and finally the last layer is the tube. There are those that paint the blank, tint the glue and paint the tube. Overkill in my book. You do a good job of back painting the blank and careful inserting tube there is no need to paint the tube. I do tint my epoxy adhesive at times. But it is also important to drill that hole to proper diameter. so that when you paint you allow room for it. Your eye is drawn to that inside second layer first. So why not do the best job there. That other stuff is like wearing suspenders and a belt at the same time. There are other choices for paints and am sure you will get a list. Because as with every phase of pen turning there is more than one way to get it done. Good luck and allow time for the paint to dry and set up an assembly line if you want to be efficient and do more product. But do not let your product suffer shoddy workmanship.

 

[ramaroodle]

That other stuff is like wearing suspenders and a belt at the same time.

+1

What glue you are using also seems to matter. I find Gorilla Glue to be the least "solvent like" (vs CA or epoxy) and that painting the inside of the blank to be the most effective. I use q-tips and apply one coat and wait 10-15 minutes then apply another as it's hard to tell what kind of coverage you got by just staring into the hole in the blank. Some people don't like q tips as they say it leaves cotton fibers in there. Your mileage may vary. Yes, waiting overnight is the best idea but I find this combination is good after an hour or so. Doing as Monty said and painting both the tube and the blank certainly can't hurt and is an easy and quick insurance policy.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

To avoid controversy I'm not saying this is the best, ok or mediocre way to do it. It's the way I do it and I have no issues with it casting. If I'm gluing acrylic blanks then I'm more in line with some of the others. First off the only paint I use is the water based acrylic sold at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. It's cheap and comes in more colors than you could ask for. With most of the things I cast I'm trying to change the tint of something or enhance the color. When it's dry it's cured. In can set up a tube in the morning and cast it the next day. Same paint for back painting blanks. The issue is letting the glue set. I use CA and Epoxy for wood but only epoxy for acrylics. I let the epoxy set overnight before turning.

 

[studioseven]

I am on the paint-the-blank bandwagon. I use Kyron spray paint, and will apply at least three coats with ample drying time between coats. After the final coat, I always wait until the next day (sometimes longer due to temperature, humidity or the amount of coats) to glue in the tube. To echo JT's message, I always try to plan ahead. Whenever I turn a blank, all of the prep work was done at least the night before. I even allow my glue to dry overnight, waiting until the next day before I turn. A final note, I have seen some turners use nail polish to paint their tube. I would

 

[studioseven]

Sorry, hit the wrong button. I would think the nail polish will dry quicker but not be cost effective and you are limited to fewer colors to choose from.

Seven

 

[TonyL]

I use Rustolium or Krylon spray paint both on the tubes and inside the blank. Let them dry overnight before gluing the tubes in.

Same as above^ (I use epoxy for gluing but don't tint it...you can, i just don't)

 

[qquake]

I use Rustoleum 2X spray paint for both the blanks and tubes. It usually takes a few hours to dry, depending on the weather. Overnight is generally safe. For coloring epoxy, which I always do if I'm painting the blanks and tubes, I use artists' acrylic paint. It mixes well with epoxy (all I use), but can make it take longer to set.

 

[Jarod888]

I prefer to paint the tube with testors spray paint, paint the inside of the tube with testors enamel and tint the glue. I've gone to using the gorilla clear, or jbweld 2 part clear epoxy. I tint with either alumilite dyes or mica powder. I vary the colors a bit, I think you can get a deeper 3-d look with a little variation in color.

 

[randyrls]

Dave; I process pens in a line. Cut, Drill and Spray the inside of the blanks. Set aside. Take the pens I drilled and sprayed yesterday and glue in the tubes. Set aside. Take the pens I glued in yesterday and turn and assemble. Repeat tomorrow.

I am trying to develop a regimen for painting tubes and reverse painting blanks.
What is your go-to for painting tubes and reverse painting?

 

[leehljp]

As mentioned by others above but in list form:

1. If the inside of the blank is painted, that is all that is needed. The only need of painting the tube is because the inside of the blank has not been painted properly - in which case, it can turn out blotchy to a trained eye.

2. From experience, Paint TIME to cure is a NECESSITY. 12 to 24 hours. One may get lucky with less hours, but it will bite sooner or later.

3. Polyurethane (expanding foam) glue interacts with the paint the least (if the paint has cured first). And poly glue holds the BEST by far. Caveat: it requires several hours to cure.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

If I need to color it white, grey, or red I like to use Rustoleum or Krylon spray primers and do the tubes and a light shot down the inside of the blank. If I want a different color same brands. The other trick is to make sure the hole is big enough to make sure the end of the tube doesn't scratch the paint off the inside of the blank as you push it in. For glue I use 5 min epoxy with a bit of paint mixed in.
I would also encourage you to try different colors than the main color of the blank. If I have a mostly black blank with a bit of green, I'll paint the inside green.

 

[DrD]

Since I am also a model railroader, I usually have a lot of paint in my railroad room. I typically use either Testor's Model Paint or PolyScale Water Base Model Train paint; apply with a Q-Tip, let dry, undisturbed 24 hours. Using a Q-Tip there is no messy clean-up of overspray or brushes.

 

[ramaroodle]

3. Polyurethane (expanding foam) glue interacts with the paint the least (if the paint has cured first). And poly glue holds the BEST by far. Caveat: it requires several hours to cure.

+1 Gorilla Glue is poly glue which is my first choice also.

 

[leehljp]

+1 Gorilla Glue is poly glue which is my first choice also.

That USED to be true, but is not anymore. "Gorilla" is a brand name now, but not synonymous with "poly" only - anymore. Gorilla makes super glue, white glue, poly glue, clear glue and others. You and I know what to look for in glues, but the newbies might not know the difference and pick up Gorilla super glue or white glue and think they have poly. This world is changing!

Look at the different kinds of "Gorilla" glue in this link:

Amazon.com : Gorilla glue

 

[More4dan]

I have found the acrylic based paints scratch easier than any others I've tried. The color availability and low cost are tempting but I've only had bad experiences. Work great at coloring epoxy castings though. I use rattle can spray paints for best results with overnight drying.

Another tip helps regardless of the paint you use. Immediately after painting, mount the blank in your lathe and spin at max RPM. It will smooth out the paint leaving a smooth consistent coating. Thick spots will many times get scraped by the tube. Remember the tube will be glued to the paint not the blank, so what you use for paint and letting it cure matters.

Danny


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[ramaroodle]

That USED to be true, but is not anymore. "Gorilla" is a brand name now, but not synonymous with "poly" only - anymore. Gorilla makes super glue, white glue, poly glue, clear glue and others. You and I know what to look for in glues, but the newbies might not know the difference and pick up Gorilla super glue or white glue and think they have poly. This world is changing!

Look at the different kinds of "Gorilla" glue in this link:

Amazon.com : Gorilla glue

Very true. I guess I should have been more specific. Gorilla brand poly is what I use but there are many other options.

 

[qquake]

I stand the blanks on end immediately after spray painting them. This seems to let the paint smooth itself out. I stand them on a piece of aluminum mesh, so air can get in the bottom, too.

 

[ramaroodle]

So many ways to skin that cat!