Not much glue

[lwalper]

It always amazes me when I take a pen apart for rebuilding (did one today - just didn't like the first time around), so turned the original wood off and discovered that only about 10% of the wood was stuck to the brass. That seems pretty typical of tubes glued in with CA -- not much of the glue actually gets into the hole and sticks to the blank.

 

[Lucky2]

What type of CA glue are you using, thin, medium, or, thick? Have you ever tried polyurethane glue, the type that foams and fills voids? Or, have you ever tried an epoxy type of glue. How do you apply your glue to the tube and blank? Answer these questions, and maybe we can figure something out.
Len

 

[plantman]

Something is not correct in your method of application. These are the steps that I use to glue my tubes in. First I have the HF 115 piece drill bit set with the referance chart for drill sizes in standard, letter, and number bits. I measure my tubes whith a degital calapers (all tubes are not the same) Next find a drill that is the next size larger than your tube and use it to drill your holes. Work the bit in and out several times in case the blank distorts from the heat of drilling. I take my tubes over to the ginding wheel that has a medium brass wire wheel in it and clean and slightly rough up the tubes by turning them against te brush as opposed to sliding them lengthwise. This will put small groves in the tube to give you a better surface to glue to. Alway let your blanks cool before glueing the tubes in. Heat makes the glue set faster. I use thick or gap filling CA on my tubes, it gives you a little longer setup time. Check the fit of the tube in the hole to make sure it will slide easily, if not, run your drill in again or take a round rat tailed file and remove enough material to fit. I do not put glue on the inside end of the blank, only on the tube itself. I dont want any glue on the inside of the tube if I can help it. Put a circle of glue around the end of your tube, several lines down the length of the tube, and a small amount on the trailing end of the tube. If you are matching grains in the center of your pen, mark these pionts and run your tubes flush with this end so you won't have to trim to much off later when you square the ends. Insert your glued up tube into your blank with the propper tool and twist the tube as you insert it while moving it up and down at the same time. Take any glue that squeezes out the top and push it into any gap between the tube and the blank. If I do get any glue on the inside of the tube, I use a tapered reamer to remove it and taper the end of the tube a little to make the fittings go in a little easier. If I do have a blank that I have to take off the tube. I turn it off on the lathe, but still have to remove the glue with the wire wheel. Hope this helps anyone having problems. Jim S

 

[fantasticalwoodworks]

I only use gorilla glue just my choice because it expands to fill all voids and if the tube goes in a bit off center when you square off the end all is forgiven but it takes a bit longer to cure than ca glue Good Luck

 

[lwalper]

I generally just use the recommended drill for the tube size. Then I insert the tube just a smidge into the blank (so I don;t get CA on my fingers), apply a bead of medium thick CA around the tube and a couple of strips up the tube; then rotate and plunge the tube in and out of the blank several times making sure there is always a small mound of glue on the tube as it enters the blank -- there's always excess glue, but it never seems to work all the way down through the blank.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I generally just use the recommended drill for the tube size. Then I insert the tube just a smidge into the blank (so I don;t get CA on my fingers), apply a bead of medium thick CA around the tube and a couple of strips up the tube; then rotate and plunge the tube in and out of the blank several times making sure there is always a small mound of glue on the tube as it enters the blank -- there's always excess glue, but it never seems to work all the way down through the blank.

Les,
I have the required drill bits for all of the pen kits I do, and use them to drill... I always drill on the lathe so I don't get sloppy or oval holes as I sometimes did on my drill press -- it's a cheap HF desk top and has a little wobble in the spindle -- to insert the tubes, I've found that if I use a pair of needle nose pliers to lightly hold the edge of the tube... only one wall, not across the tube as you could bend the tube... hold just tight enough to maintain control... then smear with thick CA... push the tube in 1/2 way, pull out and reverse the blank and insert all the way, with a slight twist as you insert... you should get good coverage and a tight fit. You'll have some glue squeeze out on the ends.. just wipe away with either a cloth or papertowel... you'll turn away any that isn't wiped off, so not to worry... this has worked for me for 12-13 years of pen making...

 

[lwalper]

To be quite honest I've really not noticed any particular trouble with wood flying off the brass. There have been a couple of catches which destroyed a blank, peeling chunks from the tube, but I'm still amazed at how little actual adhesion there has been. If I now use CA at all for securing the tube I also turn the blank over and drip a little thin stuff in the opposite end hoping to let it run down into any small space remaining.

I've now gone pretty much entirely to 5 min epoxy, doping the inside of the blank before sliding in the roughened brass. So far I've not needed to take anything apart that has been glued with the epoxy, but am assuming the whole thing is pretty well stuck in there.

Still working on the basics:wink:. I really admire the skill of some of the pen makers here. I've got a long way to go and lots to learn. Actually, the reason I pulled this last one apart is that (and I'll need to blame everyone here) as I looked at it, I didn't even want to use it. It wasn't horrible, just not up to snuff. Practice, practice ...