A Segmenters Dilemma

[jttheclockman]

I know all you segmenters know what I am about to say because you too have probably been there. Today I made it back in the shop and decided to put some of these blanks I have spread out all over the workbench, together. I started with a complex acrylic/ aluminum, many piece blank. Got my epoxy mixed up. Planned my moves and laid everything out. I thought I mixed enough epoxy to glue entire group of segments together. Well after about 3/4 of the way done I noticed that was not going to happen. Then I look down and find I have more epoxy on my hands and clothes than I have on the blank. So involved in how things were going together I leaned against the glue. Every little piece had to be glued and placed and 2 more things came to light. My fingers are too fat and my eye sight is not what it use to be. Will complete tomorrow.

So put that aside and decided to mix some epoxy casting resin and throw a couple blanks in the pot. OK got scale out poured the resin and hardener and pour in molds. Go to put in pot and add pressure. Had compressor going and going and noticed my pot gauges were not going up. OK checked tank and I had left the petcock open when I drained tank last time used and usually always tighten. OK still pressure not going up and then looked at gauges on compressor and remembered I lowered that to use pin nailer on another job. The point of all this is stay away from the shop for a period of time and all hell breaks loose when you return. You have no one to blame but yourself. Be careful out there folks. Gremlins creap in at times.

 

[KenB259]

I know all you segmenters know what I am about to say because you too have probably been there. Today I made it back in the shop and decided to put some of these blanks I have spread out all over the workbench, together. I started with a complex acrylic/ aluminum, many piece blank. Got my epoxy mixed up. Planned my moves and laid everything out. I thought I mixed enough epoxy to glue entire group of segments together. Well after about 3/4 of the way done I noticed that was not going to happen. Then I look down and find I have more epoxy on my hands and clothes than I have on the blank. So involved in how things were going together I leaned against the glue. Every little piece had to be glued and placed and 2 more things came to light. My fingers are too fat and my eye sight is not what it use to be. Will complete tomorrow.

So put that aside and decided to mix some epoxy casting resin and throw a couple blanks in the pot. OK got scale out poured the resin and hardener and pour in molds. Go to put in pot and add pressure. Had compressor going and going and noticed my pot gauges were not going up. OK checked tank and I had left the petcock open when I drained tank last time used and usually always tighten. OK still pressure not going up and then looked at gauges on compressor and remembered I lowered that to use pin nailer on another job. The point of all this is stay away from the shop for a period of time and all hell breaks loose when you return. You have no one to blame but yourself. Be careful out there folks. Gremlins creap in at times.

Oh yeah, days like that I just quietly head upstairs, get a cup of coffee and try it again another day. Somedays nothing works out and other days things go together like magic.

 

[jttheclockman]

Oh yeah, days like that I just quietly head upstairs, get a cup of coffee and try it again another day. Somedays nothing works out and other days things go together like magic.

Oh after I got those blanks in the pot, I immediately headed out out of shop and back upstairs.

 

[wood128]

John , for what it is worth , you don't need to use epoxy for gluing wood to wood joints. I have been using Titebond Translucent for many years ........no problems ......the joints are stronger than the wood !!! However, gluing other materials requires epoxy ,or I have been using DAP Rapid Fuse All Purpose Adhesive ( sets in 30 seconds ) with excellent results ......just don't get it on your fingers !!! Available from Home Depot or Ace Hardware. Another point ....I usually don't glue all pieces together at the same time ........they just slip and slide all other the place....just a few at a time , glue and clamp for maybe 45 min . ........then proceed . Take care.

 

[Jans husband]

OK OK

If it's confession time, I have been turning a piano inlay pen for a good friend today. She is a music teacher.

As I turned it (extremely carefully ) yes, yes you know- it all broke off the tube- beyond redemption.!!

My wife brought the swear box out immediately

Expensive mistake!

Come on, don't be shy- there are plenty more out there.

Mike

 

[leehljp]

John, I know the feeling, when doing flat work, working on the car, fixing something in the house, it is a 10 step process with nothing related to each other except that I need that one tool to fix something else so that I can complete that job I forgot about yesterday so I can to go to the next job and complete it in order to be able to do what I want to do today!

Repeat monthly!

 

[jttheclockman]

John , for what it is worth , you don't need to use epoxy for gluing wood to wood joints. I have been using Titebond Translucent for many years ........no problems ......the joints are stronger than the wood !!! However, gluing other materials requires epoxy ,or I have been using DAP Rapid Fuse All Purpose Adhesive ( sets in 30 seconds ) with excellent results ......just don't get it on your fingers !!! Available from Home Depot or Ace Hardware. Another point ....I usually don't glue all pieces together at the same time ........they just slip and slide all other the place....just a few at a time , glue and clamp for maybe 45 min . ........then proceed . Take care.

Joseph, I hear you and being an old segmenter I usually do the same as you when working with wood but rarely do I use just wood as segments so mostly need epoxy. As you may have read this blank I am working on is all acrylic and aluminum so epoxy is a must and need a long open time so I use my all time favorite System3 T88. Depending on the blank and if what I like to do is build a simple jig to hold parts together to glue as much as I can. Of course there are many times it has to be done in steps. I have an all wood segmented simple blank I used titebond II on and all held well. I will show many of these pens as a group when I get a few done.

 

[Micky D]

I am an expert at screwing things up. Not too long ago I was using ca glue and unknowingly spilled some on my shirt. Long story short. I glued my shirt to the button on my pants. Went to go to the rest room and had to tear my shirt to get my pants off. Only I could do that. My wife got a big laugh out of that.

 

[jttheclockman]

This thread I started when I was making a segmented blank of acrylic and aluminum. Well as it stands this is the blank that blew up on me the other day. So I think I may have come up with a way to drill these finicky blanks out better without the blow up from this stage of the process. Now turning may be another problem but at least I will have the epoxy inside the blank holding the tube in to help strengthen it. This blank is one tough sun of a gun for sure. I did another pen today using th kit I wanted to use on this blank and it made me think I may want to revist that choice. Need a little more meat left on the blank to survive I believe. The problem with that is the pattern is thrown off and not sure I can save it. But as the great Eagle use to say, It is only a blank. Destroy it just make another.

 

[Stephen]

My method when segmenting wood, acrylic and metal. Drill square sheet metal parts
(pen blank size). Next select wood and acrylic blanks that are 1 inch or longer and drill. After drilling cut them to the widths desired, and sand them. Assemble the parts on the brass tube with epoxy and you are ready to go. Drilling after gluing the parts especially with metal is touch and go. This works for me.

 

[jttheclockman]

My method when segmenting wood, acrylic and metal. Drill square sheet metal parts
(pen blank size). Next select wood and acrylic blanks that are 1 inch or longer and drill. After drilling cut them to the widths desired, and sand them. Assemble the parts on the brass tube with epoxy and you are ready to go. Drilling after gluing the parts especially with metal is touch and go. This works for me.

Cant always do that but yes I have used that method too. With this blank have to build blank first and then drill. I make alot of blanks like this. I will see how my method works in the long run and if it does I will probably use it more often.