Needing specific advice re; painting tubes & blanks?

[Mack C.]

I have asked this question of the vendor of these blanks, but have not received an answer as yet!

I have an order of 4 pens to be turned from Golden Dawn, Bronze Fire, Ancient Mars, and Burnt Copper blanks. I have turned blanks identical to these for pens previously, but can't recall whether I painted the tubes or blanks or both.

It seems to me these blanks are opaque enough to not require tube painting. Right or wrong?

I know I could paint them and be done with it, but.............:laugh:

 

[ed4copies]

No one has ever called me to complain that they painted and did not need to.

ALL handpoured blanks are somewhat inconsistent. AND we have not offered those blanks in over a year, so I'm not certain which "batch" you have.

It was always our intention to make them the same each time, but the resin did not always co-operate.

I would paint.

 

[Whaler]

Mack, I have used all of those colors and never painted with no problem.

 

[ssajn]

I have turned all of these blanks and never had a need to paint the tube or blank. If in doubt why not paint to be on the safe side. Can't hurt anything.

 

[EricJS]

Mack, I had a "Golden Dawn" that bled through on a Jr. Gent tube. The turning was level - not overturned or underturned. The copper tube was visible to me, but hardly noticible to others - It still made a beautiful pen.

 

[jttheclockman]

I would paint the blank. Can't go wrong then. Hate to go through the trouble and have the tube or glue show through. Just my opinion.

 

[plantman]

Mark; Sometimes I will go in the other direction and polish the tube to give the pen more depth. As Ed says, it's a crap shoot as to what you are going to get when you turn it, all blanks are net equal. If in dought paint. I also have used all these blanks without painting tubes or blanks with no problems. Jim S

 

[Mack C.]

Thanks to all for your comments!

I'll be using black tubes for the GD, BF, and the BC.
I blacken the tubes using the liquid pictured here.

A reply from Dawn has convinced me to paint the tubes blue for the Ancient Mars blank. That's a suggestion I would never have thought of myself!

Thanks again everybody!

 

[edicehouse]

I have found any acrylic / resin I back paint. Because it always seems you get that one spot.

 

[BSea]

I have found any acrylic / resin I back paint. Because it always seems you get that one spot.

That is so true. I reverse paint every resin blank. Medium grey/silver seems to work the best over all for me. Or try to match the color you think is the clearest.