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Question for pen turners. Which type of glue?

Tom Baugues

Tom Baugues

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Lafayette, Indiana
I've gotten my lathe out of storage and am getting back to making some projects. It's been a few years since I've made anything and wanted to ask what type of glue you all use nowdays. I used to use a two part epoxy but that always seemed to be a mess and always got inside the tubes and was hard to remove. Is there a better way nowdays? I tried CA also but it didn't seem to hold as well as epoxy. How do you keep it from getting inside the tubes? I was told once that if I put the glue on the tube first then it would not coat the inside of the block evenly. So...what is the answer?

Tom
 
I don't have any answers Tom, but I can tell you what gets me by. Rough your blank up a bit with some sandpaper, who cares what grit. I use thick CA, smear a little on the inside of the blank and then on the tube. After I insert the tube and recess it, it gets shot with some accelerator. I use a barrel trimmer in my hand drill and that cleans out the tube and gives you flush ends. Hope that helps :wave::eek:
 
This has to be the most asked, discussed and cussed subject on the pen turning forums.
CA, epoxy and Gorilla glue are the top three. Those who prefer one hate the others.
I prefer and use two-part epoxy. I prefer for several reasons: easier to store, has long enough working time, not really messy to use, doesn't foam and probably more.
Of course, rough up the tube and apply to the tubes, not the inside of the blank. If a little gets inside the tube it is not a big deal. I just pick it out with a knife point after it hardens.
My 'technique' is to mix, with a toothpick, what I will need onto a sheet of printer paper. The toothpick is used to apply to the tube.
Very easy. I see no reason to change to another glue or method.
BTW, I couldn't operate my shop without round toothpicks. In addition to using for glue, I use them as small dowels and tons of other things as the need arises.
 
I also use the two part epoxy. I use the 30 minute kind and let it cure 24 hours. I have had too many problems with ca on glueing in the tubes. You can flatten out play-do and plug the ends of the tube with that, just wipe down the outside of the tube to get rid of any residue. Sticking the tube through a slice of potato also works to keep glue out. Again, clean the outside of the tube. If any glue gets inside the tube, do like Frank says, clean it out with a knife after it sets. I also run a gun cleaning brush through the tube after they are glued and cured.
 
Another epoxy user here. Like Dale, I like the 30 minute version for the longer working time, and I let it sit overnight. I put the glue on the tube only, but work it in and out of the blank to get glue distributed on the inside of the blank. I clean the bulk of the glue from the inside of the tube while it's still wet. I use a Q-tip dipped in acetone to wipe the inside of the tube clean.
 
Another user of 30 min. epoxy. I got some thin wax from Bill at Arizona Silhouette that I plug the one end of the brass tube. I use a dowel that fits the end of the tube after I sand it and twist it as I go in. The wax on the end keeps the glue out of the tube.
 
I've tried ALL OF THECA glues thin, med & thick the bond wasn't good to me I kept blowing up blanks. I now use Gorilla glue it fills all of the voids & makes a good bond. I add approx 1/8" more wood then you need past the tubes so I'm sure to get a excellent bond.
 
Hay Chuck, can't you see this is an "epoxy only" thread? Take your new-fangled monkey glue and stick it.








To some pen blanks, of course. :rofl:

I haven't tried the urethane glues like Gorilla, but my experiences with CA were similar to yours. :doh:
 
I use the "Jelly" Ca glue and have had no problems at all, you guys need to learn how to sharpen your skews and make nice gentle clean cuts....... stop using them round nosed scrapers on pens...................

.........as Stu runs for the hills.....:wave:
:D

(just kidding fellas..... ;) )
 
Stuart Ablett said:
... stop using them round nosed scrapers on pens...................
Click to expand...

I start with a chainsaw, and do my finishing cuts with the backside of a spoon. :p

Actually, pens are one of the things I can do halfway decent with a skew. (I can still do a pen as good or better with a 5/8" bowl gouge, though.) :D
 
Tom,
I don't do as many pens as I used to, but have always use the thick CA for gluing in the tubes... I scratch the tubes diagonally on 60 grit sand paper attached to a block, then put a liberal amount of thick CA, I inset the tubes with a twisting motion and usually draw it out and reverse the blank the re-insert the tube... this spreads the glue evenly through out the tube/blank. I rarely have a failure using this method. I also grip the edge of the tube lightly with a pair of needle nose pliers to insert.. one side of the pliers inside the tube, gently so I don't flatten the tube any. You may get a small amount of glue inside the tube, but a quick scrape with a sharp blade will pop it out. Or as has been suggested a wire gun cleaning brush will work too.
 
Well...it sounds like I continue to do it the way I have always done it....two part epoxy. I too have used Q-tips to clean out the glue from inside the tubes. I was just hoping for a new fresh idea.

Thanks all,
Tom
 
O.K. I'll break the mold............I use all 3 glues depending on the material.. I mostly use 30 min, epoxy. If I am in a big hurry I'll use CA glue. And I use urethane glue because it foams when I want to fill voids in a pen blank tube hole. I use this when the wood is particularly brittle like cross cut blood wood.
The way I sand the pen tubes is with a piece of 3/16 copper wire bent at 90 degrees with a slight bow in it. I put the tube on the bent section of wire and sand on a belt sander. The tube spins on the wire and the slight bow allows me to get complete contact with the sanding belt. I can sand tubes for a hundred pens in a matter of a few minuets. The copper wire looks a little like a big paper clip with one wire bent out @ 90 degrees.
 
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