Glue For Pens

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GuyOwen

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Joined
Mar 25, 2021
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49
Location
Minneapolis Minnesota
I have been using medium CA glue kinda like duct tape for any and all problems that start by with gluing and I am wondering if anyone has better suggestions for a glue to use for gluing in barrels or gluing wood together for blanks
 
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Tubes, I always use epoxy.
Wood to wood segmenting, I always use tite bond 3 or translucent.
segmenting with any metal I always use epoxy.
segmenting with acrylic I have used both epoxy and Thick CA.
 
For gluing pens on tubes - some are successful with CA, medium or thick, and this works until a highly prized blank has a blowout, and upon inspection it becomes obvious that it did not have full adhesion. Next up is epoxy. Epoxy is stronger; 5 minute is ok for one or two blanks but if doing many, 15 minute or 30 minute or 1 hour epoxy. There can be a problem with this too on delicate blanks. No matter how much epoxy one puts into the hole and also on the outside of the tube, there will be forced air bubbles introduced. But few people have problems with blowouts from epoxy, except in delicate and one of a kind blanks. On these, the best glue bar none is expanding polyurethane glue. It is messy and it requires the taping of the tube to the glue so that the expanding poly glue does not move the tube out of the blank. It also requires 12 to 24 hours of curing. It is the best bar none. Most people do not feel the need to use poly until that highly prized one of a kind blank has a blowout.

Gluing wood together: wood glue, medium/thick CA, epoxy.
Metal to wood segments: epoxy!
 
GuyOwen said:
i never knew this glue existed ill definitely have to get some for my shop and ill let you know how much i like it
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I promise it will LIKE you, but you may not like it after a bit gets on your hand or finger. WEAR GLOVES! Use wax, play dough, plumbers putty or something like that to plug up the inside of the tube before gluing it into place.

I don't make a lot of pens, so time is not an issue with me. It does take time for it to cure, and it is messy if one is in a hurry. I will use this on most of my pens, but most people find epoxy acceptable. But on the one special blank - go with Gorilla Polyurethane. Gorilla does make other glues, so watch out which you purchase. And there are other good polyurethane brands also.
 
leehljp said:
I promise it will LIKE you, but you may not like it after a bit gets on your hand or finger. WEAR GLOVES! Use wax, play dough, plumbers putty
I don't make a lot of pens
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I make alot of pens both for fun and as a side job. i have to make for a small order 40 pens at a time so its not the answer for my large orders but i do have a lot of experience with CA on my hands. and i have never thought to fill the tubes with putty thank you for the tip
 
I use System Three T-88 Epoxy on both my pens and knife scales. Never had an issue with a pen (maybe 100) and never had an issue with a knife handle (close to 300). Plus I think it's waterproof. I've only tried Gorilla glue a few times but I think the shelf life stinks. But that's just me.
 
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