"Tiny bubbles in the glue"

[Woodchipper]

Don Ho sang about tiny bubbles in the wine. I got tiny bubbles in the glue. I was turning an acrylic piece this morning. It became translucent and the bubbles stuck out like sore thumb. Plus one end cracked so I tossed it. SWMBO and I saw some great pens at our local Woodcraft store a while back. This pen turner mixed acrylic and wood. Need to check my wood and see what would complement the gold and blue swirl acrylic. Your suggestions are most welcome.
BTW, it is a Slimline pen so the blanks are turned down very thin, as you all know. I made a tube insert tool out of a piece of plastic I got at the recycling center. I insert the tube and turn it as I insert it.

 

[leehljp]

Are you painting the inside of the blank after you drill it and before you glue the tube in?

This thread discusses the painting of the inside of the blank before gluing the tube in. The focus is on the color of the paint for the inside:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f19/seeing-believing-reverse-painting-151785/

This thread covers "painting the Tube vs Painting the inside of the blank.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f14/painting-tubes-vs-blanks-152461/#post1959325

Painting the inside of the drilled out blank on cast blanks prevents the tube or glue bubbles from showing through.

 

[Woodchipper]

Didn't paint either part, blank or tube. Painting the inside of the blank would hide the bubbles. Need to check the links on this. Thanks. What was bad was the chip in the end!

 

[MRDucks2]

Painting the inside of the blanks will help a lot in hiding the "bubbles" but it will not help the chip on the end. The bubbles you see are where the blank and the tube are not adhering to each other. For me, it is a lack of glue on both the blank and the tube. I can get glue on all of the tube and have been getting more in the blank but still lack consistency.

By getting better I mean I can ensure I get a good coat in about the first 1/4 - 1/3 of the blank from each end. That helps prevent chipping out the thinner areas.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[magpens]

I am not clear on what you are talking about ... pic would help please ... even a mediocre pic.

Does the tube insert tool you made have anything to do with the main issue of bubbles ?

Do you think that using this insert could be one of the possible causes of the bubbles ?

In my experience, incomplete glue coverage in the small space between brass tube and blank material is just a fact of life.

Many manufacturers' instruction sheets tell you to twist the brass tube as you insert it, to "ensure uniform coverage of glue".
But I have found that to be a virtually non-achievable goal. With even partially translucent acrylic materials, painting the hole has been the only way I have found to hide the gluing non-uniformities which are inevitable and unavoidable.

I got tiny bubbles in the glue. I was turning an acrylic piece this morning. It became translucent and the bubbles stuck out like sore thumb. ..... Your suggestions are most welcome.
BTW, it is a Slimline pen so the blanks are turned down very thin, as you all know. I made a tube insert tool out of a piece of plastic I got at the recycling center. I insert the tube and turn it as I insert it.

 

[pshrynk]

Many manufacturers' instruction sheets tell you to twist the brass tube as you insert it, to "ensure uniform coverage of glue".
But I have found that to be a virtually non-achievable goal. With even partially translucent acrylic materials, painting the hole has been the only way I have found to hide the gluing non-uniformities which are inevitable and unavoidable.

How do you feel Gorilla Glue does at filling in? I've been using it recently and have been pleased with how it sticks better but haven't had any problems with bubbles with any of the blanks I've used. Luck more than skill, I'm sure.

 

[Dieseldoc]

Many manufacturers' instruction sheets tell you to twist the brass tube as you insert it, to "ensure uniform coverage of glue".
But I have found that to be a virtually non-achievable goal. With even partially translucent acrylic materials, painting the hole has been the only way I have found to hide the gluing non-uniformities which are inevitable and unavoidable.

How do you feel Gorilla Glue does at filling in? I've been using it recently and have been pleased with how it sticks better but haven't had any problems with bubbles with any of the blanks I've used. Luck more than skill, I'm sure.

I have moved to using gorilla glue from CA having good results. You have to turn,twist tube when installing to get complete coverage wth any type of glue.
Painting blanks is a good idea also for any non wood material.
Charlie

 

[leehljp]

One thing to watch for in using gorilla glue: As it expands, in some cases it has been known to push the tube outward on one end. So, tape the ends into place to prevent this from happening. It only happens on the most expensive or the 1 in 1000 blanks! :wink:

 

[pshrynk]

One thing to watch for in using gorilla glue: As it expands, in some cases it has been known to push the tube outward on one end. So, tape the ends into place to prevent this from happening. It only happens on the most expensive or the 1 in 1000 blanks! :wink:

Toothpicks and rubber bands work, too...

 

[randyrls]

Plus one end cracked so I tossed it.

John; to avoid cracking on the ends of the pen, use the cut long, drill short, cut off end. This is a blank prep article.

Hope this helps.

 

[Woodchipper]

Plus one end cracked so I tossed it.

John; to avoid cracking on the ends of the pen, use the cut long, drill short, cut off end. This is a blank prep article.

Hope this helps.

Been doing this from day one. My insert gizzy is made of a plastic that I got at the recycling center. I cut out a piece and turned it to a taper on the lathe. Will download a photo for here. This was a Slimline so the wall was very thin. I slip the tube on the gizzy, apply glue and turn as I insert the tube in the blank.