Tubes in Fountain Pens

[Waltem]

Hello All,

I'm new to this forum. More often I'm following the doings at SMC.

Now to my question. I seem to remember reading somewhere (but can't be sure of my memory) that the tubes in fountain pens should not be glued in with CA but rather epoxy. IIRC, the statement was that the CA out-gases for some time and that's detrimental to the fountain pen kit. Anyone have an experience with this? I'm about tho make my first two fountain pens (commissioned pens, one wood, the other acrylic), and I don't want something as simple as the glue I use to jeopardize the outcome.

TIA for your help...........

 

[76winger]

I don't recall for sure but seem to recall the article as well and I gathered that you just need to let the CA cure prior to assembly or the out gasses might affect the finish. I don't recall anything specific to Fountain Pens though. Others should be able to clarify.

 

[JHFerrell]

fountain pens and CA glue

A couple of years ago, Russ Fairfield had this to say on this subject...

"Depending on how much CA glue is in the cap, it can destroy the plating on a fountain pen nib for a long time. I have one with the clip held in with a large glob of CA glue. It has been left open, soaked in accelerator, cleaned with acetone, cursed at, and prayed over, for a year. In the beginning it took overnight to destroy the plating on the nib and fill the feed with a white powder over night. A year later it takes a week. The result is the same.

Now I use epoxy. Locktite for a tight fit, and the 5-minute stuff from System-3 when I need to fill a gap. Either is almost as fast as the CA glue, and solve the problem.."
__________________
Russ Fairfield

Russ has since passed away, but when he talked about pen turning, you could take what he said to the bank. I had the pleasure of knowing Russ for a number of years and always considered him a friend and mentor. RIP Russ...

 

[PenMan1]

If you took a poll here, I'd bet that a good number here use CA glue to secure tubes to materials, on all pens, BP, RB and FPs.

MY PREFERENCE, is EZ Bond epoxy. Because it sets quickly, it seems to the tubes more securely (especially with materials where heat buildup while turning may become an issue. Additionally, with epoxy, you can add a drop of paint to the glue to hide tubes. In my shop, brass, aluminum and stainless segments just seem to "hold together better" with epoxy. The reason for EZ Bond is because Monty sells it for half the price of Loctite epoxy and my outcomes with EZ have been just as successful.

There are noted cases (in my shop,too) with CA in direct contact with plated parts causing "issues". I know of no problems with CA glued tubes causing issues with FPs.

My advice would be to use what you have, and when convenient consider making the change to epoxy.

I hope this helps.