epoxy instead of PR?

[rick_lindsey]

Hello! I'm contemplating a segmented pen, and I don't believe my tools (or is it my skills?) are up to the task of fitting the most delicate bits of the pen, so I was thinking why not make the cutout and then instead of trying to exactly match a piece of wood to it, fill it with tinted epoxy? I don't have any PR, nor experience with PR, but I do have epoxy!

Would this work out, or should I start reading up on PR (or start practicing making tiny wooden diamonds)? FWIW it would only be a small diamond in the upper barrel of the pen (well, there would be 4 diamond shapes on the surface, all in the same plane... two diamond shaped holes all the way through the blank).

thanks!

-Rick

 

[BRobbins629]

Epoxy will work. Most epoxies are a little softer than PR and will probably not polish quite as bright, but will definitely work. Also probably a little easier for the application you describe.

 

[rick_lindsey]

Can I apply a CA finish over the epoxy?

-Rick

 

[GoodTurns]

I do use tinted epoxy for joinery and have CA'd it. don't know if I just got lucky, but it worked for me.

 

[jthompson1995]

Can I apply a CA finish over the epoxy?

-Rick

A CA finish over the epoxy should work just fine. I've done this over PR and Alumilite with no problems so far.

 

[rick_lindsey]

Cool! Now I just have to work out the kinks in the rest of the pen .

-Rick (who is jumping in way over his head, but expects to have fun blowing up blanks along the way)

 

[Skye]

I can't tell exactly what your talking about but it seems you could use embossing powder and some thin CA.

 

[rick_lindsey]

Here's where I discuss the rest of the pen : http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=40910

but basically I want to have some small purple diamonds (mascels really, but they look like diamonds) around the upper barrel of the pen.

-Rick

 

[rherrell]

I tried it and had problems with air bubbles, voids, whatever you want to call them. MAYBE if you use a sloooooow setting epoxy and some pressure it would work, I didn't try that.:wink:

 

[rdunn12]

I tried it and had problems with air bubbles, voids, whatever you want to call them. MAYBE if you use a sloooooow setting epoxy and some pressure it would work, I didn't try that.:wink:

I have tried epoxy as well and had the same results.Too many air bubbles.Did'nt try pressure either.It will have to be really slow setting.I think I would try it on some scraps first so you don't mess up your purty segmented blank.:biggrin:

 

[RonSchmitt]

I used epoxy to replace all the red stripes on one of Ken Nelson's flag barons. It worked ok but there will be a little shrinkage that you have to allow for.