# Tube Painting/Tubing Techniques



## JD Combs Sr (Sep 26, 2011)

I see that some folks when making acrylic pens paint the tubes, some paint the blanks (reverse painting), some drill and glue in the tubes, and some cast with the tubes in the casting.  

I would like to see a comparison of these various techniques, the pros and cons of each, the advantages and disadvantages etc.

Perhaps there is already a thread that does this comparison, if so a link would be nice.


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## leestoresund (Sep 26, 2011)

IMO you are probably better off doing your own search for threads on the list and making  your own comparison and decision.

Personally, i don't care for anything PenMan1 or Steve Busey says. ;>)

Lee


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## tim self (Sep 26, 2011)

leestoresund said:


> Personally, i don't care for anything PenMan1 or Steve Busey says. ;>)
> 
> Lee



I wouldn't pay attention to them either!!!:biggrin::tongue:

IMHO, reverse painting the blank is a minimum.  I wanna know what paint is used when casting also.


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## its_virgil (Sep 26, 2011)

When using acrylic blanks the brass tube will often be visible through the thin acrylic that is left. Painting the tube will allow the glue to show and it can be ugly. Painting the hole inside the blank is the best. Different colors can cause different effects from the blank. I try to use one of the colors in the tube or white.

As far as I know the tube is cast in the blank only when clear casting embedded materials such as snake skin or labels.

Tim-> Check the "casting pen blanks" article in the library for the paint I use when casting. When reverse painting I use various Testors paint used for model cars and airplanes. Apply with a small artist brush or Q-tip.
Do a good turn  daily!
Don



tim self said:


> leestoresund said:
> 
> 
> > IMHO, reverse painting the blank is a minimum. I wanna know what paint is used when casting also.


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## Bree (Sep 27, 2011)

What he said.  You can buy nickel plated tubes or white ones from several sources.  I like to paint BOTH the inside of the blank and the outside of the tube.  That pretty much assures that you don't get scratches showing thru which sometimes happens if you only paint one of them.

Don't use cheap paint.  It doesn't pay.  Also watch out for the glue dissolving the paint leaving show thru.  I like to just use the nickel plated.  Simple and sweet.  Make sure that you get a good even coat of glue on the tube or you will have splotches of glue that can show thru on top of the nickel or paint.

One more thing if you use CA to glue in the tubes make sure that you spray some accelerator down the inside of the blank and then work fast to spread the glue and get the tube in place.  It will set FAST.  If you don't do this, you will sometimes find that you'll spin a blank on the tube because the glue inside never set.  The glue likes to start curing by absorbing moisture from the wood to set up but there is zero moisture inside a plastic blank unless you put it there.  Accelerator replaces the natural moisture we find in the wood and helps the curing of the glue so the tube bonds to the blank.

Here is a nice discussion of CA glues.
http://www.woodturningvideosplus.com/cyanoacrylates.html
If you have time, epoxy or urethane are good alternatives for gluing in the tubes.


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## JD Combs Sr (Oct 3, 2011)

Thanks Folks, 
combining all these comments gives me the exact info I needed.  I appreciate all the input.  BTW, for the few tubes(and only the tube so far) I have painted, I have used Rustoleum general purpose gloss black enamel allowing it to dry for 24hrs before using the tube DAMHIK-todo-T. 

As for paying attention to any particular IAP member, as far as I am concerned you are all pros at this and I have learned a something from most every post I have read.:wink:



tim self said:


> leestoresund said:
> 
> 
> > Personally, i don't care for anything PenMan1 or Steve Busey says. ;>)
> ...





leestoresund said:


> IMO you are probably better off doing your own search for threads on the list and making  your own comparison and decision.
> 
> Personally, i don't care for anything PenMan1 or Steve Busey says. ;>)
> 
> Lee





its_virgil said:


> When using acrylic blanks the brass tube will often be visible through the thin acrylic that is left. Painting the tube will allow the glue to show and it can be ugly. Painting the hole inside the blank is the best. Different colors can cause different effects from the blank. I try to use one of the colors in the tube or white.
> 
> As far as I know the tube is cast in the blank only when clear casting embedded materials such as snake skin or labels.
> 
> ...


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## dow (Oct 3, 2011)

JD Combs Sr said:


> BTW, for the few tubes(and only the tube so far) I have painted, I have used Rustoleum general purpose gloss black enamel...



I use spray paint as well, although I paint the inside of the blanks with it.  I'll drill a bunch, paint them, stand them up on end and let them set overnight.  I've been pleased with the results.  For those who may be curious, here's the routine:



Make sure you've got your nitrile gloves on and watch which way the wind is blowing (especially if you wear glasses.  DAMHIKT).
Shake the can up really good (seems obvious, but some folks never do that).
Hold the end of the blank up against the spray nozzle (with the spray pointing through the hole) and give it a real quick, one second or less, shot of paint.
rotate the blank a quarter turn and shoot it again.
repeat #4 twice more.
Turn the blank end to end and repeat #'s 3, 4, & 5.
Stand the blank on end and let it sit overnight or until dry.
This method takes about a minute or so per blank, and there are only about a gazillion different colors of spray paint.  Personally, I use mostly black, with a little white or blue, since that's what I've got right now.


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