# Painting Tubes   a new method??



## UKpenmaker

I don't know if anybody has tried this method for painting there brass tubes, but i have been having difficulty finding the right colours to match the blanks.
  Then i just happened to have a brain wave (my head still hurts[]
), i just noticed in the bathroom cabinet my wife's nail varnish, which happened to be just the right colour. So i borrowed the varnish when she was not looking and gave the tubes 1 coat, left to dry for about 2 mins and then glued into the blanks using a med CA. Everthing thing went perfect the varnish didn't seem to react with the CA and stayed in place, i also mixed a bit with some Epoxy which has set OK.
  Due to the wide range of colours of varnish that can be obtained i don't think i will ever have any difficulties again.

[ATTACH=full]263376[/ATTACH]


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## vick

Very good idea, please keep us updated on sucess or problems.


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## Jim15

Great idea.

jim


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## Dario

I can almost see it now, more guys checking all the available colors of nail polish. [}]

Good tip...THANKS!!!


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## micah

That sounds like a pretty good idea to me!
Just make sure you take your wife with you to the store. At least down here you may get some funny looks! [:0][]

Micah


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## Ligget

Great idea Andrew, thanks for sharing![]


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## knottyharry

Thanks for the info.....
I gotta try this on the Lucite.
Harry


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## alamocdc

Andrew, that may indeed be just the ticket that some of us have been looking for. Have you tried painting the inside of the blanks with it instead of the tubes? []


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## angboy

Was your drilled out hole on the large size? The reason I ask is that if I remember correctly, fingernail polish is uaully kind of thick, and so I wonder if you'd run into trouble with the tube then not fitting into the hole? I ran into that problem recently when I had a tube I'd put two coats of spray paint on, so I'm kind of attuned to that problem. But if this works, it certainly would be a great discovery, since there are limitless colors in fingernail polish and it's pretty cheap!


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## Texas Taco

Group buy from Avon[?]  [] [}]


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## UKpenmaker

Billy, i just painted the tubes on this one but will try it on the blank.

Angboy, you are correct i should have mentioned that, on this 7mm slimline kit i drilled it out with a 7.5mm bit to allow for the extra thickness, nice snug fit[].

The blank used for this test was one of Woodturningz Inlace Acrylester (cherry jubilee), i had turned one before and was quite translucent, but with this method worked very well.

i will keep you informed of any problems or sucesses.


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## Roy99664

I think nail polish can be thinned with lacquer thinner. Might cut down on the thickness problem if it was thinned a bit.


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## Ron Mc

I need to chase down a pink Cadillac![]
Great tip.


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## arioux

If it is of any interest for you, the dollars store have some cheap nail polish (at leat the one near here), so it could be less expensive.  I think polish remover would do fine for cutting it.


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## vick

I picked some nail polish yesterday and the little girl working the counter asked if it was for me.  I had to tell her yes.


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## jwoodwright

Sounds great and a 9/32" drill bit with nail polish and CA would be a good combo for 7mm kits.  I use Russ's method of 9/32" and polyurethane for 7mm and parts fit better, I guess the tube can expand like it should...


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## gerryr

A word of caution about nail polish remover, that stuff used to be Acetone and may or may not give you trouble with CA.


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## johncrane

I tryed nail polish when I first started painting tubes and had a bad reaction useing 5min two pack epoxy .I will give ca a try .I just put vaseline or white petroleum jelly inside the tubes .and spray with enamel spray paint in the can.


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