STRETCH PEN

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PaulDoug

PaulDoug

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2008
Messages
3,488
Location
Benton City, WA.
I am trying to make a Stretch pen (kit from Lau Lau Woodworks) using pearly white acrylic. I am having trouble getting it done with no brass tube showing. I've painted the tube white, painted the inside of the drilled blank, used fumed silica (white, mixed with my epoxy) but I still find that there is a spot or two where the paint got nicked inserting the tube and I can see brass. My last try the spot is right at the end of the tube. I'm wondering if I could shorten the tube by about 1/16" or 1/8", cut off the spot, would the pen still work?
 
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Cutting the tube by a small amount will not affect the pen since there is a spring in it. A 1/2" might make it a little tight. When you painted the tube did you let it dry sufficiently? I just use rustoleum spray paint and it works fine.
 
You have to let the paint cure for a few days, IME, if you want the paint not to scratch. Keep in mind the epoxy has chemicals that will make it soft until the epoxy cures, and any rubble inside the drilled blank will gore up the paint. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt[B)].


I use Rust-o-leum, and lots of folks claim they can't use the metallics, but I do all the time and it works fine. I just spray the tubes several days before I plan on gluing them.
 
I took the 1/8" inch off and it didn't seem to have any affect on the pen operation. I'm not sure if I was seeing brass tube at the end or maybe some crud that got in there some how. Anyway all is well. Thanks for your input. By the way to take the end off I turned the blank down to the brass tube with my parting tool. Than I held an xacto knife agained the tube while the lathe was turnig at about 300 rpms. Clean cut right through it.
 
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