# Tips on making acrylic inner cap



## carandacher (Jan 27, 2019)

Hello Everybody,

I am interested in making a silver cap with inner cap made of acrylic or other suitable plastic.

Anyone have any advice on how to:

-attach the acrylic inner cap, this particular pen looks like the bottom of the cap is curled around the acrylic, however I am unable to do this.
-where to buy online the inner cap material

The inner cap can be seen here in the attachment.

Thanks!


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## Penultimate (Jan 27, 2019)

Greetings,
Bands on my kitless pens are my next goal. If i were going to do your end piece I would drill, and tap, then cut a tenon on the blank. On the silver part I would bore to a light interference fit (maybe a sliding fit) and glue. Finis the rest of the cap.
 This tutorial may help, it is on rings not an end piece but may get you started.
Good luck.


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## carandacher (Jan 29, 2019)

Penultimate said:


> Greetings,
> Bands on my kitless pens are my next goal. If i were going to do your end piece I would drill, and tap, then cut a tenon on the blank. On the silver part I would bore to a light interference fit (maybe a sliding fit) and glue. Finis the rest of the cap.
> This tutorial may help, it is on rings not an end piece but may get you started.
> Good luck.



Thanks, did you have a link to the tutorial?


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## Penultimate (Jan 29, 2019)

Oops, I thought I attached it.
 It's in the library.
http://content.penturners.org/library/techniques/adding_bands_to_your_caps.pdf


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## Dalecamino (Jan 30, 2019)

Mount a piece 2" long with 1" exposed. Drill through the piece with whatever size coincides with your tap. Turn the outside diameter down to just under the inside diameter of your cap. Part off the piece to your desired length, and glue it into your cap. You need to cut a relief on the cap at the end of the threads. I use a 1/2" router bit for this. A 1/2" end mill would be better.


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## Dalecamino (Jan 30, 2019)

Penultimate said:


> Oops, I thought I attached it.
> It's in the library.
> http://content.penturners.org/library/techniques/adding_bands_to_your_caps.pdf



Thanks for the plug! Glad someone noticed it. :biggrin: Have fun, and I'm right here if you have questions.:wink:


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## carandacher (Jan 31, 2019)

Dalecamino said:


> Mount a piece 2" long with 1" exposed. Drill through the piece with whatever size coincides with your tap. Turn the outside diameter down to just under the inside diameter of your cap. Part off the piece to your desired length, and glue it into your cap. You need to cut a relief on the cap at the end of the threads. I use a 1/2" router bit for this. A 1/2" end mill would be better.



Thanks this is useful info.

I have few more questions, were I could buy a good material for the inner cap and what glue would be best for the inner cap to bond to silver?

Also, I don't know what cutting a relief means so could you tell me in other words what means cutting a relief on the cap and which end of the threads?


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## Penultimate (Jan 31, 2019)

Dalecamino said:


> Penultimate said:
> 
> 
> > Oops, I thought I attached it.
> ...





Hi Chuck
This is my next challenge, I printed out your tutorial, it's gonna help a lot. Thanks. 


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## Dalecamino (Feb 1, 2019)

Use two part epoxy. Black Ebonite is a good material. I think exoticblanks.com sells it. It's been years since I bought mine. 
See the threads in this photo? I cut back the threads a bit, so that the cap covers the joint between the cap and barrel. I use a flat end router bit. Some use a skew. An end mill as I said before is nice to use. They are expensive. 

Hope I answered all your questions. If not, let me know.


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## Dalecamino (Feb 1, 2019)

Penultimate said:


> Dalecamino said:
> 
> 
> > Penultimate said:
> ...


Awesome Mike! This is my first and only tutorial. Some things may not be clear to you. I'm here if you have questions. Good luck.


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## Penultimate (Feb 1, 2019)

Actually end mills are not that expensive a two flute 1/2 inch diameter end mill is about $8 from Victor Machinery. End mills make really nice flat bottom holes. 


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## Dalecamino (Feb 1, 2019)

Penultimate said:


> Actually end mills are not that expensive a two flute 1/2 inch diameter end mill is about $8 from Victor Machinery. End mills make really nice flat bottom holes.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app



You are correct. $8.00 is not that expensive. But their $25.00 minimum plus shipping put it over the top for me. Router bit works fine for less.


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## Curly (Feb 1, 2019)

Chuck you mean to tell us that there are no other tools you need/want out of all the things they sell???? Centre drills, spot drills, taps, dies, chucks (not another you), grinding wheels, dial indicators and a ton of other stuff. 
Oh well. Each to their own.


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## Dalecamino (Feb 1, 2019)

Pete, I suppose if I wanted to do some shopping, I would find plenty of want items. But the items you've listed I don't need. Or already have/had. T Mike Redburn suggested the router bit, which was available at Home Depot. :wink: Quick and simple for me! :biggrin:


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## Penultimate (Feb 2, 2019)

I forgot about the 25 minimum. I have to wait till I need stuff. I also got a lot of end mills from my Dad. 


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## carandacher (Mar 24, 2019)

Dalecamino said:


> Mount a piece 2" long with 1" exposed. Drill through the piece with whatever size coincides with your tap. Turn the outside diameter down to just under the inside diameter of your cap. Part off the piece to your desired length, and glue it into your cap. You need to cut a relief on the cap at the end of the threads. I use a 1/2" router bit for this. A 1/2" end mill would be better.



I have 5" x 3/4" round blanks that I will use for the inner caps.

If I turn first the outside diameter and then attach the 5" blank with 4" exposed, will it be good for drilling through? I haven't done this kind of work before... Since the wall thickness will be only 1.5mm after drilling, I guess it would be tricky.

Or another way, would it be good idea to mount the 5x3/4" blank with 4" exposed and then drill? This would give three inner caps from one blank.


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## Dalecamino (Mar 24, 2019)

Mount a blank in your collet chuck with an inch exposed. If you are using 12mm threads, drill with 7/16ths bit 3/4" deep. Using your 12mm thread tap to run your threads. Now you can turn down the outside diameter to the size you need to fit inside your cap. Part off 1/2" of the threaded sleeve you just created, and glue it into your cap. Face the end of you remaining blank and repeat for the next one.  It may take some thinking. I hope this helps. Let me know if I'm not clear.


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