Thread: Drilling Blanks

what glue are you using ?? have tried CA in the past had a few let go on me i know some guys only use CA and it doesnt let go i now only use 5 min araldite if im gluing 2 or 3 pens only or if doing bulk its super strenght araldite

Need a bit more info

1. What glue did you use?
2. How did you apply it?
3. How long did you leave it to dry?
4. What were the blanks made out of?
5. Were your tools sharp?

Russell.

I'm with Russell,
What were the blanks, acrylic or wood, and if wood, what type?
What kind of glue, CA(super glue) epoxy or wood glue?
and you said the hole were "tight"...the brass tubes should slide in easy, the drill bit recommended for all these kits is usually about a thousandth of an inch or more over sized to allow somewhere for the glue to go...if the fit is tight, then the glue simply is scrapped off the tube when you insert it...so are you using the reccommended bits or are you measuring the tube OD and using that size bit?

The way I read your thread is that you are putting the glue into the blank and then sliding the tube in I do it the other way round I put the glue on the tube and then slide it into the blank
I agree with what everyone else has said, a little thing I do that does not get mentioned is twist/spin the tube as you put it into the blank this IMHO gets rid of any air bubbles.
To give you the best advice you really need to say step by step what you do this will give the experienced turners the best chance of picking up what might be wrong

Hi Argurion

I have only ever used CA for gluing pens. There are a few tricks at need to be followed to get a good strong grip.
* Always rough the tube (which you are doing)
* Always test fit the tube in the blank before gluing, the tube shouldnt be tight
* Alot of timbers and plastics have a oily smooth residue after being drilled and need to be degreased this can be done with a cotton bud with turps or metho wiped in the blank. The way i found to work the best is spraying our GPW accelerator in the blank. It is important that you let the accelerator dry fully before inserting the tube.
* I insert the tube in a couple of mm then apply CA to the tube and rotate around to get even coverage then insert fully
* This step is optional but I always do it spray accelerator at both ends of the tube after is has been inserted. It good to start turning in 10 min

The Mrs Beaton system works First Slaughter you ox.

Drilling the hole if it is for a Slimline I use a 7mm bit. The one of my choice is DeWalt
Extreme 2 with a small drillpoint in the tip. This drill leaves a good clearance.

Choose your glue I prefer to use a simple pack glue that I open at the top,not squeeze and using a bamboo kebab stick with the blunt end forward liberally apply the glue in the blank first all round inside then insert the brass having prepared it with sand paper and inserting a plug of a potato slice in one end and again liberally coating the brass in glued for the first two thirds of its length. Then slowly twisting the brass in using the clean end insert the tube with the final push using a paper towel or tissue wiping around not pushing in any glue. The excess glue on the brass is pushed out front and back from within the blank and back from the brass. I then wipe the front of the blank same way and pop the plug of potato using a clean stick..

Glue to use look for suggestions I dont know what is readily available up your way, the creamy ones are very satisfactory, never lost a blank through glue.

Have fun, I do and when I cut the slice of potatoe I clean dry the brass from the outside, being scrupulous in cleanliness and every blank will succeed.

PS I often do one or two hundred at a time so I have developed systems for the roughing of the brass etc doing them in batches. Most nail punches will hold the brass for roughing I do one half and turn the brass around to do the other half. Boring as but worth the bother, no comebacks. I leave the blanks for a while to set properly.

Have fun Peter

As per your advice (and in future I will be more descriptive)

1. Drill bit was purchased at same place as pen kits, so I assumed (don't bag me out) that the size was the correct one. Having read the posts I now believe that it may be a fraction too small.
2. Glue I used was yellow glue. Left it to dry for a couple of days (didn't have time to turn them any sooner).
3. Timber was Jarrah.
4. Tools were sharp (pedantic on this one)

I turned a couple of slim pen kits without issue, only the larger fountain pens caused me trouble.

If by yellow glue you mean yellow woodwork glue then it's probably not the best. I use full strength Araldite. If these are El Grande/Churchill pens then the 33/64 bit for the cap is too small. You need to file out the blank a bit, or get a (very slightly) larger bit. Some use 13.3mm, but I have found that too large. I have just got a 13.2 mm bit but haven't tried it yet.

Peter

Peter is on the money if the kits were the Churchill/El Grande/Cambridge. The recommended bit for the cap is too tight, and if tubes are forced in, the blank soon cracks when getting them thinned down. The finished timber on these pens is very thin compared to some other kits.

As recommended, use CA (Superglue) or Epoxy. WeldBond glue from Timbecon also works well with timber blanks.

Looks like the question has been pretty much answered but thought I would add a bit. I use polyurathane glue which reacts with water and foams up. This fills any voids in the blank. It can be used in four hours or so with straight grained woods but best results are gained if left for 24 hours. I only use CA if I want to finish a pen quickly.

Originally Posted by corbs

Looks like the question has been pretty much answered but thought I would add a bit. I use polyurathane glue which reacts with water and foams up. This fills any voids in the blank. It can be used in four hours or so with straight grained woods but best results are gained if left for 24 hours. I only use CA if I want to finish a pen quickly.

I've had mixed experience with the polyurethane glues. Sumo foams less than Gorilla, but both expand. When working with soft woods like untreated burls (especially BEB), as the wall of the pen gets thinner, the stress of the expanded glue can crack the wood. I stick to 2-part 5-minute epoxy. Medium or Thick CA works great too, but I usually make a mess with it. I think there's an art to using it, whereby you don't make a mess or glue your fingers together. Evidently I have no artistic ability.

Originally Posted by Alan Scrivner

...soft woods like untreated burls (especially BEB)...

Can't think of anything we have down here that could be called a soft burl, you do make a valid point with the BEB though. Had mixed success turning some I got from the states and that could have been part of my problem.

The only other thing i can think of is to line the drilled hole with CA to fill any micro cracks caused by the heat from drill. No mater how slow you drill there will be heat checking from drilling, This seals them and then just ream the blank out with the drill by hand so the tube slides in.
Darren

I've tried a few different glues, If I want to turn a pen quickly I use Thick CA, But if I have plently of time, and I want to limit the chance of a blow out I use Polyurethane Glue, the brand I use is called "Vice", and I've never had any problems.

I usally rough the tube then use a bamboo skewer to spread some glue inside the blank, put spud plugs in the tube (Both ends)then spread a little glue on a scrap piece of wood/paper then roll the tube in the glue, I then insert the tube into the blank twisting it as it's inserted, when the tube is level with the edge of the blank I then push it in about 1mm with the end of the skewer (just incase it moves slightly as the glue expands), I then wipe off the excess glue, Then put the blanks aside ready for turning the next day .

I use pretty much the same method for applying CA, except once ive inserted the tube I give the ends a quick spray with accelerator and try and put it aside for about an hour before I turn them - Just to be sure -