mmayo
Member
I just completed the project shown in the photo. It required 12 - 2 tube blanks using inlace. The stuff has bothered me in the past as I was learning how to treat it. Here is what worked. All of these pens had to come out because the customer paid in advance. That put more pressure on me.
1. The blanks ARE NOT square so square them. I used a Freud Glue Line rip blade. I've tried a combo blade and an 80 tooth cross cut with less favorable results. Feed slowly!
2. Drill carefully with a quality bit, hopefully on the lathe. I had two Colt bits (12.5 and 10.5) and will buy Norseman soon. I alternated the smaller and larger bits cooling the resting bit in cold water. I set the speed at 850 rpm and was REALLY careful feeding. I was slow and smooth especially when the bit escaped the blank. Chips cleared every cm or 1/2". Of the blanks 23/24 were perfect and one had a tiny chip easily fixed when the blanks were squared up. Whew!
3. Epoxy glue up and overnight curing. Tubes roughed up. Painted the tubes white and back painted the blanks silver. Over night dry time.
4. To flush trim I used 150 grit sandpaper and Rick Herrell's jig to hold the blanks.
5. TBC bushings from Brian Nikitas. Sanded after turning with delrin bushings I made. Norton 3x 400 grit followed by 400 grit Abranet. I used carbide 2" radius for 95% of each blank. I finished each with a 2" radius negative rake cutter. I know the instructions say never use carbide, but I heartily disagree and have consistently done this for several years.
6. Final flush sanding with 220 grit like step 4.
7. Buff on the first two buffs of the Beale buffing system using shop made delrin bushing just like stock kit bushings.
They all buffed to a shine almost instantly. The stuff buffs the best (IMO) of any plastic I've used.
I hope this helps anyone like me in the past struggling with Inlace.
1. The blanks ARE NOT square so square them. I used a Freud Glue Line rip blade. I've tried a combo blade and an 80 tooth cross cut with less favorable results. Feed slowly!
2. Drill carefully with a quality bit, hopefully on the lathe. I had two Colt bits (12.5 and 10.5) and will buy Norseman soon. I alternated the smaller and larger bits cooling the resting bit in cold water. I set the speed at 850 rpm and was REALLY careful feeding. I was slow and smooth especially when the bit escaped the blank. Chips cleared every cm or 1/2". Of the blanks 23/24 were perfect and one had a tiny chip easily fixed when the blanks were squared up. Whew!
3. Epoxy glue up and overnight curing. Tubes roughed up. Painted the tubes white and back painted the blanks silver. Over night dry time.
4. To flush trim I used 150 grit sandpaper and Rick Herrell's jig to hold the blanks.
5. TBC bushings from Brian Nikitas. Sanded after turning with delrin bushings I made. Norton 3x 400 grit followed by 400 grit Abranet. I used carbide 2" radius for 95% of each blank. I finished each with a 2" radius negative rake cutter. I know the instructions say never use carbide, but I heartily disagree and have consistently done this for several years.
6. Final flush sanding with 220 grit like step 4.
7. Buff on the first two buffs of the Beale buffing system using shop made delrin bushing just like stock kit bushings.
They all buffed to a shine almost instantly. The stuff buffs the best (IMO) of any plastic I've used.
I hope this helps anyone like me in the past struggling with Inlace.
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