Brass Tube - Glue or Press

Hey

How do you secure the brass tube

Glue it in

or

Press it in

Cheers

Dazzler

G'day Dazzler,
I glue the tubes into the pen blank, but sometimes I have to press them in as well, especially when the Five Minute Araldite starts to set,:o or when the tube O/D is slightly larger that the hole in the pen blank. I've found that some timbers seem to expand whilst drilling & then collapse once the hole is drilled & the drill bit removed.:confused: It may have something to do with the moisture content of the pen blank timber. ( ? )
Regards,
Barry.

Always glue. I wouldn't trust a press fit. After all, you press fit the fittings, thus, a press fit tube could easily come out during the later pressing...

I haven't heard very many people recommend press fitting tubes - maybe one.

Cam

i always glue
i use the cheap 2 dollar stuff for most timbers and that works well
and i use locktite with acrylics etc and that works well too

I glue for several reasons:

1. Press fitting exerts a force on the inside of the blank. When turning thinly, this will increase chances the wood will split/crack/shatter/delaminate/screw up.

2. On the other hand, gluing onto a keyed tube (ie lightly sanding the tube first) decreases the likelihood of the above. Even if the wood splits, it's still stuck to the tube and you can "hide" the crack with a bit of luck & practice. :rolleyes:

3. If, for some reason, the hole's drilled slightly oversize or ovalled, the right glue (like an epoxy) makes a GREAT gap-filler. You really don't want voids under the wood... when sanding the air can heat, creating pressure and (again) cause the timber to self-destruct.

4. When using the right glue, I don't really care how the pen comes out. https://www.ubeaut.biz/fly2.gif

:D

I have had a blank spin on the tube when the gluing hasn't been right.
I would not expect a press fit to hold much past the first bite of the roughing gouge

when you consider how much timber is left after turning, you need all the help you can get. Meduim viscosity brand name CA I've found works best

cheers

Always glue. I first drill the blanks, let them cool for a bit and coat the inside of the drilled hole with thin CA, give it a spray of accelerator after a few seconds. This will seal any fine cracks from drilling clean the hole out once CA has set, this will also allow the medium CA to ahear to the blank. Rough up the brass tude creating a key for the CA to adhear to the tube a let dry. Using this method I have not had a blank fail yet.
Cheers
Darren

I've yet to see instructions for any kit that recommends press fitting. Always glue. Superglue if in a hurry to turn, otherwise Weldbond if willing to wait 24 hours.

Cheers

Buzz I personally would stick to medium CA or to part epoxy like Rapid Cure or Techniglue. I prefer Rapid Cure as it is an even mix of epoxy and hardner. Weldbond is a top glue but the cure time is a bit to long.

Medium/gapfilling CA is quick, but you need to use a good quality brand like Hotstuff - stay well clear of the cheap & nasty Bunnies $2 special. But even the good stuff is suspect - CA will eventually become brittle and fail, and nobody seems to know how long this time to failure is, although it seems that exposure to heat has a role to play.

WeldBond is my personal favourite - it is an excellent product for all woodworking, easy to use / clean up, and worth the wait for it to cure. I understand the Canadians (who invented it) even use it for joining PVC water pipes to concrete drains.

Speaking of concrete - I have a colleague who swears by BondCrete as a pen glue. As my American cousins say - go figure!

BTW - always remember to twirl the brass tubes in some fine wet & dry before gluing, to remove any lacquer or oxidation and "key" the surface for the glue to grip better.