Thread: Tube show-through. Very frustrating

Russel,

I havn't tried but I suspect Powder coating will fix it.

I have had troubel with glues 'eating the paint and the brass showing through.

I an going to get a few powder coated soon and see what happens.

Mike

Originally Posted by mag

Russel,

I havn't tried but I suspect Powder coating will fix it.

I have had troubel with glues 'eating the paint and the brass showing through.

I an going to get a few powder coated soon and see what happens.

Mike

Yeah that may work, although I'm still worried about air/light capture in the glue outside of the tube. The other problems with powdercoating

1. Expensive
2. Time-lag - needs planning to get it done. What colours and styles of pen do you get done to have something for a custom order in a reasonable amount of time?

Russell.

Russell, perhaps the black is the problem? It absorbs the light coming in through the translucent blank thereby showing a definite edge of the tube.

By using a colour that reflects more light, ie silver, white or light blue even, you will reflect more light back in to the blank and diffuse the difference between the tube and blank. I have in the past used this technique to add different effects to the same blank.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

Russell, perhaps the black is the problem? It absorbs the light coming in through the translucent blank thereby showing a definite edge of the tube.

By using a colour that reflects more light, ie silver, white or light blue even, you will reflect more light back in to the blank and diffuse the difference between the tube and blank. I have in the past used this technique to add different effects to the same blank.

Hmm, not sure. I usually try and match the paint colour to the blank colour. Guess it couldn't hurt to try, but even with white, I think there's still a problem with the paint being removed from the tube and the brass peaking out.

Russell.

Originally Posted by BoomerangInfo

Hmm, not sure. I usually try and match the paint colour to the blank colour. Guess it couldn't hurt to try, but even with white, I think there's still a problem with the paint being removed from the tube and the brass peaking out.

Russell.

I usually bake the tubes in my little toaster oven, which I also use to post-cure my blanks.

I have found whenever painting both the tube and the blank you need to step up the drilled hole one size. To allow for the paint and the epoxy. I am thinking you need to use a better paint when painting the tubes. I have used Rustoleum high heat barbaque paint. It takes awhile for it to dry but the epoxy does not eat through it. I spray it on the tube and in the blank. It is the paint on the blank that is going to hide the tube. Not sure what is available over there.

Russell, I use a brass darkening solution, sold by antique dealers. You dip the tubes in the solution for a few minutes and the brass turns black.

Terry

Originally Posted by schaf

Russell, I use a brass darkening solution, sold by antique dealers. You dip the tubes in the solution for a few minutes and the brass turns black.

Terry

forgot about that, except I use Black Patina (I pinch it from SWMBO who does leadlight) Works in a flash, still use the toaster oven to dry them though.

Originally Posted by Big Shed

forgot about that, except I use Black Patina (I pinch it from SWMBO who does leadlight) Works in a flash, still use the toaster oven to dry them though.

Actually a toaster oven sounds very useful for several thing. I'm currently setting fire to tin of metho in the shed to melt wax for my moulds too

I've seen the oxidising stuff mentioned on IAP, but it doesn't work for everyone. So using that, you still have no problem with the glue itself catching air bubbles or light and causing refraction effects?

I guess looking looking for a better paint might be the best place to start. I seem to remember the people we got our fireplace from offering some paint to put on the flue. That'd probably work for the black, would still need a white from somewhere else.

Thanks for the ideas. The pain with this problem is you basically don't know until you're ready for assembly, so all the time is wasted, as well as the blank and the tube. Recovering the tube if youw ant to spend the extra time is the only thing you could get back.

Russell.

Can't add anything more to the colour problem Russell, But I have a suggestion for the tube being hard to remove after a dry run prior to glueing. Don't know the proper name, but a piece of that crinkly rubber sheeting (I used it on the dash board of my boat so the beer cans wouldn't slide about) helps get a grip on the tube. Pliers always ruin it.
Crow

Originally Posted by crow400

Don't know the proper name, but a piece of that crinkly rubber sheeting (I used it on the dash board of my boat so the beer cans wouldn't slide about) helps get a grip on the tube. Pliers always ruin it.
Crow

Good idea. I have a router mat that I should have tried. I thought if I just grabbed it gently with the pliers and pulled, it would come out. When it didn't without thinking, I decided to try and twist the tube with the pliers. Well, the grip was stronger than the metal, and it tore a chuck off. In the end I had to clamp the blank in the vice, and pull really hard with the pliers. Was a right mess when I was done.

Russell.

I rarely need to paint. Try using more Pearl-x to make the blank opaque. You can test to see if the mix is opaque enough by using a scrap piece of brass dipped in the mixture. After a few times of this, you can get a better feel for the amount of Pearl-x needed. Just my $.02.

Originally Posted by Resination

I rarely need to paint. Try using more Pearl-x to make the blank opaque. You can test to see if the mix is opaque enough by using a scrap piece of brass dipped in the mixture. After a few times of this, you can get a better feel for the amount of Pearl-x needed. Just my $.02.

I did actually put in 2 - 3x more pearlex than usual this time, as I thought that may help, but it didn't seem so. I used about 1/4 teaspoon to a cup. Is that not enough? I'm worried about putting too much in, as the resin supplier said too much pigment and the resin integrity would be destroyed.

Russell.

I'm not sure how big your cup is, but I have accidently dumped 1/2 oz. of pigment in 2 oz. of resin. Turned out just fine. Everyone has different results on the integrity of the blank depending on what resin you use, the pigment used, temp., humidity, etc.. Just try using enough pigment to make the scrap brass disappear and see how it works for you. You will hear stories about the more catalyst used, the more brittle the blank will be. I have used 20 drops per oz. and have never had a problem, but as stated earlier, everyone has differing results. I think if you try more pigment, you will be very satisfied.