Painting blanks?

[Woodchipper]

I checked the forum and found most went with acrylic paints. I used acrylic paint for four sets of blanks for Slimline pens. How long do you recommend to let the paint dry before I insert the tubes?

 

[d_bondi]

Overnight.

EDIT: I use Acrylic just like Mark (@mg_dreyer) shows in his video below. I also, like Ed (@ed4copies) notes, use epoxy to glue in the tube.

 

[JohnU]

I use spray paint. I feel it's quicker to paint and a thinner layer, for both the tubes and the holes.
I also let it cure over night.

 

[Woodchipper]

Thanks, JohnU.

 

[mg_dreyer]

Here is a quick video I did on the topic.

10 Minutes To Better Penmaking

 

[ed4copies]

I also wait overnight--then use epoxy.
If you use CA, it is highly likely to smear your paint.

 

[Woodchipper]

JohnU, what colors do you use? I have gloss white, flat black, red and orange.

 

[Woodchipper]

Bringing this to the top. Got too much paint in the tubes, using a craft brush. Tubes scrape off the paint. Paint is water based so it's being cleaned out and spray paint applied. Back to spray paint for a while.

 

[KMCloonan]

I have been using gorilla clear glue to glue in my tubes for one specific reason: I can mix acrylic craft paints (which are water-based) with the Gorilla Glue - water activates the glue). I just take a toothpick full of paint of whatever color I want to use, and I stir it into the glue. I then apply the colored glue onto the tubes and insert them. I twist/rotate the tubes as they are inserted to help spread the glue evenly. I then wipe off any excess glue and let it sit overnight. This has worked flawlessly for me for several years now. I used to use epoxy or thick CA, and I always had issues with blotchy colors inside the blank.