Messed Up Tubes

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super8mm

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Well I have ventured into bigger pens and have hit a snag. I have epoxy in the barrels and I am looking for a way to clean them up now.

I have barrel trimmer works great on smaller barrels as it has 5 arbors that work like reamers. The kits come with bushings for barrel trimmers but now I cant get the bushings in.

One that was not to bad I got the bushing in and used a vice to push it through and one I had a drill bit that was close and then pressed the bushing through but now I have some that I am having a real problem with.

Should I just get some new tubes and just make new ones?

What is the best way to keep the epoxy out of the barrel?

Thanks :eek:
 
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Before glueing in tubes I plug the ends of the tubes with play doh; polk a small hole on one end. Any glue/epoxy that ends up in the tube I clean out with a drum sanding attachment on a Drexel.
 
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As mentioned an ounce of prevention goes a long way when gluing tubes in or working with any type of glues. I like to tape areas off when gluing because it saves so much work later.

Anyway if the epoxy has not cured than denatured alcohol should soften it up and remove it. If cured than acetone should do the trick you may need to leave soak for 24 hours. Now what it does to the blank may ruin it especially if it is acrylic. If wood it will soften the glue but once cleaned it should cure again or you may be able to take off and start all over. :smile::smile::smile:
 
Thanks Guys, I will have to start using protection when glueing things.

I will go pick up some Dremial cylinder disk tomorrow and a couple of round files.
 
I use a T-reamer from harbor freight...so far its worked great for removing epoxy from tubes...it costs under $3.00 ....sku# 66936

1shootist
 
I use a regular twist drill bit that fits the inside of the tubes. Sometimes if there is a lot of glue, I will have to use two progressively larger bits. I have a big set of drill bits that have most every size.
 
When i use CA glue to fasten the tube, i just run a small center punch at an angle and the CA chips right out. For epoxy (acrylics & painted tubes), i have a Q-Tip with wax at the bench and do a quick wipe at the end of the tube before putting in the dental wax--again the small center punch pops any excess right off.
If using the waxed cotton swab--just make sure you only get the wax on the inside of the tube!!
earl
 
Steve; Once the glue is inside the brass, there are several ways to remove it. The Brass tube has a lubricant on it (Drawing lube). So glue doesn't stick well to the tube. A section of threaded rod or round file works to remove the glue.

NB: MAKE SURE YOU GET ALL THE GLUE OUT OF THE BRASS TUBE! If there is any glue inside the tube, you will split the blank when pressing in the fittings.
 
Never have that problem using Play Doh.

Les
 

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I use dental sheet wax to plug the tube ends. Still, some epoxy sometimes gets in. I wrap a transfer punch (everyone needs a set) with 220 grit and chuck it in my hand drill. A few seconds nicely cleans everything out. I also do this to tubes with blanks that I'm afraid might crack during assembly so the components are more-or-less a slip fit (then secure with Loc-Tite).
 
I have tried using potatoes in the tubes twice....had more problems than using nothing at all. The potato soaked up the CA and I had hardened potato chunks glued to my tubes.
 
Anyone used modeling clay or Play-Doh? You could wipe out the tube with a foam make-up swab. Acetone might cause some problems, though. Cotton swabs would leave fuzzies.
 
The first batch of a few pens I made left me depressed and it was a couple years before I ventured into the water again. Think I saw somewhere on a video use of a reamer to clean the insides of tubes of excess glue, and I must have used the reamer to excess. The nib, center band, and finial all pot in and out, probably I removed metal from the ends of the tubes and increased the inner diameters. Now I use base wax and clean out the insides of the tubes, carefully, with the pen mill inserts.
 
Like Sharon I use drill bits. Experiment for the proper size that doesn't destroy the inside of the tube. I also use a small wire plumbers brush, depending on the tube. Just be careful not to push it in too far.
 
Unless completely blocked with glue, a properly sized pen mill reamer does the trick.

That's why we designed 12 different diameters for the Woodpeckers Pen Mill Ci.


Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley
 
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pturley said:
Unless completely blocked with glue, a properly sized pen mill reamer does the trick.

That's why we designed 12 different diameters for the Woodpeckers Pen Mill Ci.


Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley
Click to expand...

Still waiting for mine. Ordered last month and just notified that shipping would be delayed a month. Bummer.
 
BURLMAN said:
pturley said:
Unless completely blocked with glue, a properly sized pen mill reamer does the trick.

That's why we designed 12 different diameters for the Woodpeckers Pen Mill Ci.


Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley
Click to expand...

Still waiting for mine. Ordered last month and just notified that shipping would be delayed a month. Bummer.
Click to expand...

We are making these now (enough to catch up on the back-order). Hopefully, your's will be shipping soon.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley
 
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