Best way to stick watch parts on a barrel

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drferry

drferry

Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2007
Messages
85
Location
Yucaipa, CA, USA.
I'm venturing into making some steampunk pen blanks and I'm trying to find the best method of attaching watch parts to my black pen barrels. I tried a drop of thin CA, but it ran all over the place, as one might expect, and then I got a big white blob during casting with Alumilite between the parts where the CA had dried. I have been searching the forum, but I have a feeling that this is such an obvious question that no one has to talk about it much. However, I would certainly appreciate some input from you pros out there.

Thanks so much!

David R Ferry
Yucaipa, CA
Wooden candlestick holders, handcrafted turned wood
 
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Very carefully. :) I think you would have better success with Silmar41 or even a casting epoxy. Try med CA. Tougher to do if not adhering to something like carbon fiber. It can be done as evident from many here.
 
Maybe off-topic, but .... your candlestick holders are astoundingly beautiful !!!!!

Now back on topic .... there is a glue named E6000 that might do the trick, but I really don't know.

When/if you start selling watch part pen blanks, please let me know ! :)
 
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I mount the tube to something stable and hold the part with tweesers. Take med. C.A. and put a small amount on a piece of paper or plastic and use a toothpick to transfer the glue on the part one drop at a time. Once the part is stuck to the tube you can use the same method to better secure the part. Also make sure you wait 3 days to let the C.A. outgas or that will cloud up the resin as well.
 
I line up all the parts and make sure they fit. Then I mix epoxy and tweezers to place the parts on, just a small drop on each part and then let them set over night before casting.

When I tried CA, it always turned any areas white on the painted tubes. Never had any problems with the epoxy.

Most likely other ways to do it, this is just how I do it because it works for me.
 
Kenny Durrant said:
I mount the tube to something stable and hold the part with tweesers. Take med. C.A. and put a small amount on a piece of paper or plastic and use a toothpick to transfer the glue on the part one drop at a time. Once the part is stuck to the tube you can use the same method to better secure the part. Also make sure you wait 3 days to let the C.A. outgas or that will cloud up the resin as well.
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I remember when this very statement was made when a member asked this very question. There was a chemistry lesson presented by a member here stating that CA does not outgas, it polymerizes. :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: How dumb things stick in your head. Carry on.:)
 
Akula said:
I line up all the parts and make sure they fit. Then I mix epoxy and tweezers to place the parts on, just a small drop on each part and then let them set over night before casting.

When I tried CA, it always turned any areas white on the painted tubes. Never had any problems with the epoxy.

Most likely other ways to do it, this is just how I do it because it works for me.
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The note here is that you need clear epoxy because most will yellow. that shows up.
 
Hi David - I don't make steampunk pens, but have recently switched from CA or epoxy over to Ranger Glossy Accents clear dimensional medium. Let it dry for 24 hours.

My "Sandman" pens are working out very well - first one here - used Glossy Accents to adhere Jimmy Clewes synthetic sand - see this recent post:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/mr-sandman-142728/

The stuff is inexpensive, precise, and widely available:
Product Detail | Ranger Ink

Hope it works for you.

- Bob
 
Thanks to everyone who has answered so far. Has anyone tried a fine mist of spray-on adhesive?

And thanks for the kind word about Anduril Designs.sgtg
 
drferry said:
Thanks to everyone who has answered so far. Has anyone tried a fine mist of spray-on adhesive?

And thanks for the kind word about Anduril Designs.sgtg
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The problem with that is it will get into all the nooks and crannys of the gears and parts and will whiten when cast.

There is a person here that uses clay and sticks the pieces in a thin layer of clay. Then I think he bakes it or may even just cast that way I am not sure. But what this does is colors the tube, adheres the parts for casting and makes life simple. I will see if i can pull that thread up. I am having a bad vibe about it though because I remember someone doing something similar and they past on. But I will research.

Some people coat the tube with epoxy that does not set up right away and have all their parts bent and layed out so that they can quickly put them on the tube. The epoxy needs to be a clear one such as West System. Many ways of doing things so find your own method and experiment. worth it when you find something that works. those pens can command a go $$$ Good luck.

Here is an older thread that may interest you. Also look at the second page and you will find Neil did this. I do remember other doing it too.

www.penturners.org/forum/f43/casting-watch-parts-94394/index3.html
 
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drferry said:
Thanks to everyone who has answered so far. Has anyone tried a fine mist of spray-on adhesive?

And thanks for the kind word about Anduril Designs.sgtg
Click to expand...

I have used spray -on adhesive for snake skins, but not for small parts. I think the issue may be separation during casting. To get around this, rather than casting, I just build up CA to the final diameter by very slow speed turning.

Another thing to try is clear nail polish. There is a tutorial in the library by Cody Walker for making blanks with beetle wings and/or abalone/mother of pearl where he describes the process. the nail polish does hold up to casting.

+1 on the candlesticks - beautiful
 
I tried spray adhesive on some feathers and the PR Resin disolved the glue and the feather floated before the resin set. I would try any of the other suggestions but not spray glue.
 
Attaching watch parts to pen tube

I had the same problem with using CA. It formed white blobs in the alumilite casting. What si found worked was nail polish. I put on a few layers until the brass was totally covered and then while the last. Pat was wet, I attached the parts one by one using tweezers. I let it dry over night and then cast it. They came out great.
 
I have made a lot of watch parts pens, I probably do between 10-20 a month. I use thick CA to glue on all my parts, and I use a syringe with an 18ga blunt tipped needle to apply it. Do not use any accelerator. It does make white spots some times, the more glue you use the worse it gets. But I cast in epoxy and the white spots always disappear after casting both on carbon fiber and painted. I also use CA to adhere my carbon fiber to the tube and I don't get any white from that either after casting.

Mike
 
I don't use glue at all.
My watch blanks are completely made with resin, from attaching the fiber to the tube to attaching the parts and casting.


Harry
 
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