Mesa Pen delaminating on the ends

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MaxPen93

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Joined
Jan 5, 2013
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11
Location
Mississippi
Any suggestions on prevent delaminating on the ends? My favorite current model is the Mesa style. I am currently experiment sand on the ends with a buffer or a fine grit paper sanding towards the center..

Usually unsticks while pressing the cap in from the top. Thought about making a cone to have on the other end and let the pressure reside on the tube inside and not risk the pressure being to outside...

Also, I am wondering why the CA glue does not stick on better on the ends.....I sand the barrel at 220 grit prior to starting the CA finish...thought maybe I need to "rough up" the wood a little to give the glue a better grip during the first couple of layers of CA....

Thanks for any thoughts...
 
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I'll keep my Mesa comments to myself. Be that as it may, I no longer use these kits due to repeat failure of several items.
 
I don't know about anyone else but I have no idea what you are asking or telling us. I am sure I and more people would like to help you but could you either give us a photo or be more discriptive in what it is you are after???

Delamination means alot of different things. Are you talking about a CA finish on the ends of the blank and if so when does this happen??? Or are you talking about the tube coming loose???

Sanding to 220 is not giving the wood any tooth and none is needed when applying CA. I like to start at 400 or 600 grit and that is it. No need to go any higher. I might start with 220 if I feel the wood needs abit of shaping from a dent or something and jump to 600. Then 2 or 3 coats of thin CA and about 6 to 8 coats of med CA. MM and polish.
 
I had a blank fail (de-lamination of the wood from the tube) at the end of turning due to aggressive turning and poorly drilled holes. Both obviously were my fault and I have corrected both now. Very gentle, slow drilling of the blank with frequent chip clearing steps to make sure the hole is exactly right was the ticket along with more patience and smaller lighter passes while turning. I like the kit and it may be one I do a lot in the future.
 
Here is my Mesa with kind of finicky leopardwood which tears out easily.

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I found a reply about reverse the pen mill and using a sticky sand paper to flush the ends smooth. Finishing bushing sound like the way to go. Thanks for the info ....will post how it goes....
 
Guys would like report the finishing bushings work great.....that should be added to the "must have list", have moved on to other issues now....will order a couple of more sets to have for spares...Penturner Products definitely a winner in my book....
 
TBC is also a great way to eliminate the CA lifting caused by breaking from the bushings, and offers lots of advantages including being much more simple.

BTW, CA sticks to glass without it having to be "roughed up". Oily woods or green woods do tend to have more of the "lifting". That lifting was what drove me to TBC several years ago.
 
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When I used CA I would always take 600 grit just before I put a pen together and put it on a flat surface (I used a piece of corian glued to double thickness) and just resquare the ends of the blank. I used finishing bushings also but if you get just a little variation in the ends and then press those parts in there is a tremendous pressure on the high spots or in this case glue. I think you will find this could be your problem.

BTW you can make your own finishing bushings very easily!
 
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