# CA AND DELRIN



## jcm71 (Jun 14, 2012)

I started using homemade delrin bushings when finishing several months ago, after reading several posts touting them here.  My understanding was that CA would not stick to delrin.  I'm finding that is not the case.  I have mine taking an acetone bath right now.  Anyone else have the same problem?


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## Justturnin (Jun 14, 2012)

I do.....  Prior to finishing I sand my delrin w/ 600 grit and paste wax.  I give the wax a little time to dry then start finishing.  The CA will separate more easily from the delrin.


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## jd99 (Jun 14, 2012)

I had the same issue, and do the same thing as you did (soak in Acetone)

Now I don't even use them, I finish on the regular centers, and when I'm done I soak the centers in acetone (just the end not the bearings).


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## Curly (Jun 14, 2012)

jd99 said:


> I had the same issue, and do the same thing as you did (soak in Acetone)
> 
> Now I don't even use them, I finish on the regular centers, and when I'm done I soak the centers in acetone (just the end not the bearings).



I put a smaller diameter tube or bushing between the centres and with the lathe on, cut the CA off the live and dead centres with a box cutter. Takes a few seconds and is one less exposure to the solvent.


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## Texatdurango (Jun 14, 2012)

BURLMAN said:


> I started using homemade delrin bushings when finishing several months ago, after reading several posts touting them here.  *My understanding was that CA would not stick to delrin.  I'm finding that is not the case*.  I have mine taking an acetone bath right now.  Anyone else have the same problem?


You are correct, just don't tell the folks selling the fancy "no stick" alternative to regular bushings!  You can wax a steel bushing as well as waxing a delrin bushing, the results are basically the same.

I quit using bushings altogether when applying CA and apply the CA turning between my dead and live centers.  Every now and then a sharp exacto knife scrapes the CA buildup ring off the dead and live center just fine and I don't have to smell the acetone in my shop (I hate the smell of acetone ).


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## hewunch (Jun 14, 2012)

I always say CA sticks to wood and metal better than it sticks to delrin. So when you break the bushings off, it stays tight to the part you want it on. That may however be technically a misstatement. I do believe in fact that CA does not stick to the delrin. It sticks to itself. Once the bushing is coated and that coat has hardened, the bushing is "encapsulated" and thus each subsequent coat will stick to the hardened CA. Not everyone will understand what I just said, I am not even sure that I understand it. But as one of those who sells "those fancy 'no stick' alternatives" I think they are the way to go.


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## reiddog1 (Jun 14, 2012)

Every once in a while, I take a very light amount of vasoline to my delrin bushings.  That seems to make them more non-stick.  Hope this helps.

Dave


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## jcm71 (Jun 14, 2012)

Texatdurango said:


> BURLMAN said:
> 
> 
> > I started using homemade delrin bushings when finishing several months ago, after reading several posts touting them here.  *My understanding was that CA would not stick to delrin.  I'm finding that is not the case*.  I have mine taking an acetone bath right now.  Anyone else have the same problem?
> ...



Not a bad solution for a single barrel pen.  In the interest of time, I'll still use a mandrel when finishing a double barrel pen.


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## jcm71 (Jun 14, 2012)

reiddog1 said:


> Every once in a while, I take a very light amount of vasoline to my delrin bushings.  That seems to make them more non-stick.  Hope this helps.
> 
> Dave




Ahh, another use for vaseline.  I'll give it a try.  Thanks.


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## EricJS (Jun 14, 2012)

Try using These cone-shaped delrin bushings. They slide onto the mandrel to allow you to finish a double barrel pen.


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## jcm71 (Jun 15, 2012)

EricJS said:


> Try using These cone-shaped delrin bushings. They slide onto the mandrel to allow you to finish a double barrel pen.



Those are pretty much what my home-made ones look like, Eric.  Mine just aren't as pretty.


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## Rifleman1776 (Jun 16, 2012)

I would have to see it to accept what you are saying. I believe you are mistaken. I used to make and sell items, not pen related, made with Delrin. No glue will stick to it, no way, no how. Especially CA.
I believe you are seeing more of a grip between the roughed surfaces than an actual glueing.
If there is an obscure glue out there that Delrin will stick to, I would love to know about it.
FWIW, I have had numerous failures with experiments trying to glue Delrin to other materials.
I would love to be proven wrong.


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## jcm71 (Jun 16, 2012)

Rifleman1776 said:


> I believe you are seeing more of a grip between the roughed surfaces than an actual glueing.
> 
> I would love to be proven wrong.



That could very well be, Rifleman.  When I made my bushings I just skewed them to a conical shape and did not go further than that.  I'll take the micro mesh to them and give it another go.


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## EricJS (Jun 16, 2012)

BURLMAN said:


> EricJS said:
> 
> 
> > Try using These cone-shaped delrin bushings. They slide onto the mandrel to allow you to finish a double barrel pen.
> ...



I misunderstood.:redface: I thought you had problems with bushings sticking to the blank.

Rifleman - Yes, CA does build up on these delrin bushings. Every 3-4 months I soak mine in acetone & it comes right off. :wink:


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## jcm71 (Jun 16, 2012)

OK, a great big Mea Culpa to everyone out there on my post.  Hewunch suggested in his post that the bushings might be encapsulated with CA.  He was right.  Since I gave my bushings the acetone bath a couple of days ago, I have completed several pens.  Today, before turning one I took a good look at the bushings and was able to get the CA buildup off of them, using my patented CA FROM DELRIN REMOVAL TOOL (my teeth).  Yuk.  Bottom line, the CA was not sticking to the Delrin, but it was sure hard to get off.  Apologies to all.

John


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## bitshird (Jun 16, 2012)

BURLMAN said:


> Texatdurango said:
> 
> 
> > BURLMAN said:
> ...



Wow a great Idea now I find there is another use for a mandrel besides using it to knock out my centers and drill chuck. But I'll just keep mine for knocking rods, pens come out better that way. 
Another great tip, the factory steel bushings work great in slingshots to rid your yard of the neighbors dogs. Just watch out when you mow!! DAMHIKT.

Hans is also correct CA doesn't actually stick to Delrin/Acetal, (Delrin, is actually just a trade name) not like it would stick to steel or most other materials but it does adhere to it's self and set the Acetone outside, I have a little jar, I believe Pimentos came in it. after maybe 6 or 8 Juniors, I clean my live and dead centers, and my bushings, I just scrape the majority off and it usually falls off my centers. I just make sure there's no ridges when I put a new set of blanks on.


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## Texatdurango (Jun 16, 2012)

OK, just to be clear that we are talking about the same problem.

Let's say we use *steel *bushings for several pens and the CA builds up on them to the point that we have to soak them in acetone to get rid of the CA buildup or scrape off the CA buildup with a razor knife.

Let's say we use *delrin* bushings for several pens and the CA builds up  on them to the point that we have to soak them in acetone to get rid of  the CA buildup or scrape off the CA buildup with a razor knife.

Notice the two above paragraphs are identical other than one word so other than that one word, *what's the difference?*  Where is the advantage of using the delrin bushings, *soaking in acetone is soaking in acetone regardless of what the bushings are made of!*  Scraping the CA buildup off is also the same regardless of what the bushings are made of.

This is what I have never understood, what am I missing?


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## The Penguin (Jun 16, 2012)

comparatively - I think it's easier to break off/clean off built up CA from Delrin bushings than it is from identical steel bushings

the last pen I made - the wormy mesquite one I posted last night - I neglected to use my Delrin bushings to hold the blank while filling voids with turquoise & CA...consequently, it was quite a chore to wrestle out the steel bushings. If I had used the Delrin, they would have popped loose much easier.


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## Jim Burr (Jun 16, 2012)

Texatdurango said:


> BURLMAN said:
> 
> 
> > I started using homemade delrin bushings when finishing several months ago, after reading several posts touting them here. *My understanding was that CA would not stick to delrin. I'm finding that is not the case*. I have mine taking an acetone bath right now. Anyone else have the same problem?
> ...


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## Curly (Jun 16, 2012)

*Slightly different approach to the problem.*

I suppose I was misunderstood by some. We use the steel bushings for the turning and sanding only, then put the blank between centres to apply the CA. The CA buildup on the centres is removed with the box cutter. No bushings get CA on them and finishing bushings of Delrin are not needed or missed in our case.


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## DurocShark (Jun 16, 2012)

Huh. I will either use the regular steel bushings (the stuff comes right off with a parting tool) or my homemade cone "bushings" for larger diameter barrels. Scraps of wood or whatever. I use the parting tool to square the end of the barrel and the bushing is sacrificial. I carve right into it. 

Since I have learned the painful lesson that bushings are rarely accurate out of the box, and once you've made a pen or two are off anyway, I don't care what happens to them.


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