# Cleaning residual glue from inside of tubes



## Dan_F (Mar 1, 2008)

Now this is merely a hypothetical question, because I know that like me, none of you would ever be so careless as to allow any glue to get on the inside of your tubes in the first place. [:0] But if by chance some wayward epoxy did happen to make it inside your tube, and dried there, how would you go about removing it without also affecting the inside diameter of the tube by removing some of the brass as well?

Thanks for your hypothetical answer.

Dan


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## Dario (Mar 1, 2008)

I use a thin knife and just scrape it off.  Sometimes it is really easy, sometimes it is a bit more "challenging".  I read others using the rifle bore brush to clean it.

Next time, apply oil inside the tube using a q-tip (or similar) before gluing.

I now plug the end I am inserting with Play-doh.  Most of it can be re-used again later.


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## ed4copies (Mar 1, 2008)

I have an old, small pocket knife, with about a 2" long blade, works great to help my messy friends!


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## kcordon (Mar 1, 2008)

I use a dental tool to a scrape the glue out. It works well for me.


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## papaturner (Mar 1, 2008)

You`re exactly right that has never happened to me.......However if by chance it did I would use one of those pen style retractable exacto knives use in print shops to remove the excess ca. I hear it works nice.lol
Perry


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## PenPal (Mar 1, 2008)

In a perfect world the sun shines all day and winters are kind and mild.
Hypothetically I would use the original pen mill that looks like a step drill mounted in a wood handle to ensure hand use,my drilling vice has a horizontal vee jaw that holds the blank for me.I would disk sand the blank first to the brass as this removes the glue crap from the wood part.I use a potatoe plug when glueing,this ensures at least one end is usually clean and another help is to fit a firm but smooth fitting drill say 6.22 mm in a wood handle by hand from the cleaner end held that is the blank by mechanical means. This prevents the supposed hole in the other hand as the drill passes through the blank,I am told it is quite painful.The size is for Slimlines the most common pen I make,I use a foaming glue so I imagine I have more mess to remove than most,sticks like tar to a tomcat that glue,works for me.   Peter


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## Wildman (Mar 1, 2008)

Have a mixed bag of experience with glue in the tubes. Plugging the ends with play do (kids clay that comes in pretty colors) still get some glue inside from time to time. Also not plugging tubes gets mixed results. 

All my problems stem from using too much CA glue. Iâ€™m putting glue in the blank, and on the tube before installing the tube in blank. Had a few glue failures, so started that procedure.  I use medium CA glue for almost all glue ups.  Have also found Poly Glue easier to clean, then CA. 

When just glue tubes donâ€™t end up with glue in the tube either plugging or not plugging the tubes. My rifle cleaning rod and bore brush not much help with removing CA glue. Still use it anyway. Dowel wrapped with sand papers gets her done. Also dental picks good op too! Just donâ€™t get excited and go crazy with any of those methods anymore.

Really no method to my madness, your mileage may vary!


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## LostintheWoods (Mar 1, 2008)

I'm with Ed on this one--I use my pocket knife.


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## England14 (Mar 1, 2008)

I give up on trying to keep the glue out.  I always have glue in the tubes.  I just drill the tube out once the glue (ca) has set.  And for the closed end pens I made a special tool to ream the tubes all the the way to the bottom.


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## rhahnfl (Mar 1, 2008)

I have a set of dental type tools from Harbor Freight. They always have them on sale it seems.


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## 1080Wayne (Mar 1, 2008)

Slim knife for Gorilla , rat tail file for CA or epoxy .  WAyne


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## OldWrangler (Mar 1, 2008)

*  I use a rattail file with a rather coarse cut. I goes in a 7 mm tube so it must be about 1/4". It slides back and forth in the tube and only seems to remove the hardened glue. Works great! File is about 10" long, slightly tapered and I put a turned wood handle on the shank end. Files are in Home Depot, Lowes and Sears  W.W. Grainger also has a tapered ream with a short handle that work good too.for a couple of bucks.*


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## Rmartin (Mar 1, 2008)

Since I don't have kids to steal, um borrow play dough from, I use plumbers putty. But sometimes I forget or some glue leaks through. I use 15 minute epoxy. In those cases, most of it is cleaned during the barrel trimming, and for the rest, I use the edge of a drill bit, held in hand, and polish with gun brush in hand held drill.


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## RichB (Mar 1, 2008)

I just had that problem in the last two pens I made.  I made a pilot like what is in a pen mill on my metal lathe the size of my Slim Line Pro tube and it worked.  Before I made it I used a course thread bolt or screw and slid it in and out of the tube and scraped out the glue.  You can tell when it gets to the brass.


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## THarvey (Mar 1, 2008)

I have a triangle file that is ready for me to us, should I _*ever *_do any thing letting glue inside the tube.


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## Firefyter-emt (Mar 1, 2008)

I use a small fine tooth round file. I use almost all Gorilla Glue, and some thick CA at times.

If you do not clean this out of the tube there is a high chance you might get a pen blank that is out of round. This can lead to a whole host of problems, or at least answers on how to fix it.


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## IPD_Mrs (Mar 1, 2008)

You know if you just bought the dental wax from AS and used it on the tubes before you glued them to the blanks you would not have this problem.  

 Mike


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## leehljp (Mar 1, 2008)

Round files for me too. Works great. Recently I found some round stiff wire brushes about 8 mm in diameter. That works great too!


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## R2 (Mar 1, 2008)

I use a snug fitting drill bit.


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## rherrell (Mar 2, 2008)

Plug the tube with wax from AS. Also I use gun cleaning wire brushes in a cordless drill.


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## Dan_F (Mar 2, 2008)

> _Originally posted by MLKWoodWorking_
> 
> You know if you just bought the dental wax from AS and used it on the tubes before you glued them to the blanks you would not have this problem.
> 
> Mike



Actually, it was the two pens that I used the dental wax on that gave me the worst problem. I mean gave my friend the problem. Oh dang.

He had better luck with potato or playdough.

Dan


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## Dan_F (Mar 2, 2008)

> _Originally posted by Firefyter-emt_
> 
> 
> 
> If you do not clean this out of the tube there is a high chance you might get a pen blank that is out of round. This can lead to a whole host of problems, or at least answers on how to fix it.



You got that right!  Actually, that one was ok, it's the ones yet in the wings that I'm concerned about. 

Dan


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## Dan_F (Mar 2, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your contributions. 

Dan


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## JohnU (Mar 2, 2008)

I use epoxy on most of my tubes and that stuff really gums up inside.  I wipe out what I can with my mixing stick, and then just run the pen mill in it after it dries.  Occasionally some is still left so I push a small piece of fabric soaked with acetone through the tube and it comes out nice and clean.


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## igran7 (Mar 2, 2008)

I use a potato.  If some happens to seep in then I clean the excess with a small exacto knife.


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## Larry Gottlieb (Mar 3, 2008)

I slice glycerine soap about 1/4". Works well with polyurethane glue.

Larry


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## hughbie (Mar 3, 2008)

i'm with wayne, i have a 8" rattail file, and i work it in the tube till all remains of the CA is gone.  it's amazing that you can see the glue very well and the file does a wonderful job....that's my two cents


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## Ligget (Mar 4, 2008)

Rat-tail file for me, but if it is just a little near the end of the tube I use a pocket knife.


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## RonInSpringTX (Mar 4, 2008)

Dan, I wissed away almost 6 mos. when I first started. I was putting the CA on the inside of the blank instead of on the tube, duuuuuuhhhhh!!! [:0] I guess I wasn't much for instructions at first, but I guess I didn't think it through!!! (I've since changed my method!, lol)  anyway, I sanded down a handle for a barrel trimmer & it worked great, took a while, sometimes I'd resort to the rat-tail file.

Ronnie


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## Sfolivier (Mar 4, 2008)

I just use a round file. The barrel trimmer does help to but it's rare I get any significant amount in the tubes. The file works the best.


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## DocStram (Mar 4, 2008)

Glue on the inside of the barrel?  Reread the directions for your kit. The glue is supposed to go on the outside  . . . not the inside. 

For those times when I forget to read the directions, I use an x-acto knife. When I'm not being lazy, I'll use the dental wax.  The next time you go for your cleaning . . . ask the dentist for some. It helps if you give him a pen every once in a while.


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## rherrell (Mar 4, 2008)

Whenever I use a file the hardware doesn't fit!


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## jeffj13 (Mar 4, 2008)

I find that a drill bit (held in my hand) slightly small than the ID of the tube does a nice job of cleaning out the inside of the tube.

jeff


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