Poly Glue for Tubes Tip

[JRowan]

I have been using Titebond Poly Glue for gluing the tubes into the blanks. As anyone who has used this or Gorilla Glue knows this stuff foams everywhere. When you go to trim the ends of the blanks with your mill, the foam inside makes it a bear to get the guide for the mill to go into.

I found that if you push an awl through the tube to open it up a little bit the best thing to clean up any foam that is stuck inside is a bronze bore cleaning brush for a rifle. I happened to have one for a 243 and if fit just right and cleaned up everything easily when chucked into a cordless drill.

Hope this helps.

 

[DCBluesman]

A short addition to JR's post...don't over do the cleaning with the brush. Just enough to clear the tube or else the compression fittings may become loose. Also, with poly-type glues, they are water soluble when wet. Clean the excess glue off right after inserting the tubes and you will have less foaming outside the blank.

 

[thostorey]

I use a chainsaw file for the same purpose. The O end of the file is ground to create a burr. The diameter of the file is less that that of the tube's inside so when the file is inserted into the tube from the end opposite to the glue build up, I am able to angle the file enough to scrape the glue off with the burr. The file is also useful to take the burr off the end of the tube. fwiw...Tom

 

[Rudy Vey]

I think the best way to remove glue from the inside of the tubes is to run a drill bit through it. For the 8 mm tubes a "L" bit will do a great job; for the 7 mm tubes I think the "D" bit is the right one!
Rudy

 

[bnosie]

Does anybody use the baseplate wax that Bill Baumbeck sells? I love it, NO glue in the tubes.

 

[Gary Max]

I had to order more wax sheets from Bill last week. I bought 20 sheets this time so I aint going to run out anytime soon.
It's hard to break a habit that works.

 

[Scott]

Hi Bill,

Yes, I use the base plate wax from Bill too! Excellent stuff!

Scott.

 

[dougle40]

I to use Tightbond glue almost exclusively for all my glue-ups .
Just recently the pilot on my pen mill snapped off and I took a 15/64" drill bit and ground down the end to fit the mill section and re-assembled it . Then I ground off most of the sharp edge of the drill , leaving about 1/4" at the end sharp . Now when I use it ,
it not only mills the end but also cleans the inside of the tube .
See the attached picture.

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[vick]

Scott,
Instead of bees wax I use plumbers putty to cap the tubes. If is dirt cheap and does the job.

 

[dougle40]

Scott,

An even cheaper method is to use a 1/4" slice of potato and push the tube into it , cutting a plug out and into the tube end .

 

[bnosie]

The baseplate wax is only 25 cents a sheet from BB.

 

[Gary Max]

You can get a bunch of pens from one sheet of Baseplate wax.
I think i got 35 or 40 pens out of one sheet that cost 25 cents.

 

[elliottce]

I tried the PolyGlue and decided to coat the interior of the pen blanks using a cotton swab. I can only use one swab per blank but it does a good job in spreading the glue around and does limit the excess glue seeping out when I slide the tube into the blank. The PolyGlue is supposed to be strong and takes high temps, so the glue should take the friction polishing.

 

[Guest]

I use parafin and "pack" the tube with a bolt or mandrel.
Parafin is cheap.