# Glue for pen tubes



## jscola

Has anyone used Goop GLUE for gluing tubes in blanks ? If so please advise on how it works.   I am allergic to CA glue.      Thanks: Joe


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## dexter0606

I only use 5 minute epoxy. Haven't had a problem

Jeff


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## sbell111

Goop doesn't cure hard.  I can imagine that the movement that it would allow would cause any blank to go terminal.


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## RHunter

+1 on the 5min Epoxy

I have also had some success with Sumo Glue- less foaming then Gorilla Glue.

-Doug


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## Jgrden

dexter0606 said:


> I only use 5 minute epoxy. Haven't had a problem
> 
> Jeff


I am convinced. That is my next big change. The  first big change is leaving the cap off the Ca and not worrying about it drying in the bottle.


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## jedgerton

I use Gorilla Glue.  Working time is good but it takes a few hours before you can do any turning.  I will say this, I have had less than 1 out of 100 pens come apart while turning.  I haven't tried many other adhesives for gluing in the tubes but from the comments I read here, having a blank come apart isn't that uncommon.

I also like the fact that if the size of the hole is a little on the large size, Gorilla Glue just fills in the gaps without concern for loss of adhesion.

Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane adhesive so hopefully it wouldn't affect you the same way CA does.

John


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## mrcook4570

I usually use gorilla glue but will use epoxy if I need to turn the pen in the same day.  The key, no matter which glue you use, is good coverage.  Just applying glue to the tube is not enough.  The blank will scrape away most of the glue when you insert the tube into the hole.  The inside of the blank must be coated in addition to the outside of the tube.


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## Jmhoff10500

I use Sumo Glue, it is a lot like gorilla glue but it doesnt foam as much and it dries clear.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Adhesives___Glue___Sumo_Glue___sumo_glue?Args=


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## RAdams

I am a Gorilla glue user also! 

That stuff is awesome! The only bad part is you have to watch it as it dries. I have had a couple of tubes get partially pushed out by the expanding glue. Well, ok, it also takes a day to dry.


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## cbb007

I generally use Gorilla glue.  I had a tube slide out of a blank once, now I put tape over one end of the blank and tilt the blank so the tube doesn't slide out of the other end.

Clay


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## sedgerton

jedgerton said:


> I use Gorilla Glue. Working time is good but it takes a few hours before you can do any turning. I will say this, I have had less than 1 out of 100 pens come apart while turning. I haven't tried many other adhesives for gluing in the tubes but from the comments I read here, having a blank come apart isn't that uncommon.
> 
> I also like the fact that if the size of the hole is a little on the large size, Gorilla Glue just fills in the gaps without concern for loss of adhesion.
> 
> Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane adhesive so hopefully it wouldn't affect you the same way CA does.
> 
> John


 
I am new to turning,, had two blow-outs today, found out that my glue didn't evenly spread.. what techniques do you use to get an even spread on the Gorillia Glue ,,,, Or CA???

I could really use the help.


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## sbell111

I remember this thread.  My post amused me.  I'm vain like that.

Anyway, to answer your question, I use CA.  I first rough up my tubes using a tiny sanding drum on a foredom tool.  

Next, I drill my blanks.  I do not necessarily drill them with the size bit recommended in the directions.  These are often too big or too small.  If you use a too big bit, the glue will not be able to adequately fill the gap and badness will happen.  If you use too small of a bit, you end up actually squeegieing the glue off the tube when you insert the tube.

Next, it's time to put glue on the tube.  I always use too much glue, putting  a big mess of it along the entire length of the tube and just a touch into the actual blank.

I then insert the blank into the tube twisting it as I go and pulling it back a little as I go, like Nemo's dad leaving a sea anemone.

I then let the glue completely cure.  'Dry' isn't good enough.  Then I use a pen mill to face the blank.  I inspect the result to ensure that no glue remains in the tube, and then I ease the edge of the tube to allow for ease in inserting the bushings and assembling the final pen.


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## Rockytime

I had been using CA gel but had a couple of blowouts recently. I switched to five minute epoxy. I get the kind that comes in a double syringe style. Tubes are too messy and the caps get gooped up. I am too inpatient for Gorilla glue. I do however glue up with epoxy in the evening when I'm done turning and let them cure til the next day. I try to do several blanks at a time so I do not runout of projects.


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## plano_harry

5 Minute epoxy for plastic and gorilla for wood (wet q-tip through the hole to activate).  
Use a tongue depressor or popsicle stick broken in a long taper to get the glue inside the blank.

Rarely use CA on a tube, because I don't keep the slow stuff around and coverage issues.  Too many blowouts on nice wood and it attacks the paint on plastics


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## edstreet

sedgerton said:


> I am new to turning,, had two blow-outs today, found out that my glue didn't evenly spread.. what techniques do you use to get an even spread on the Gorillia Glue ,,,, Or CA???
> 
> I could really use the help.




Gorilla glue demands a close fit glue joint.  If there is any gap then it will FOAM.  The foam NO bonding strength.  Meaning it does not glue.  Also this glue can expand to four times it's size.  Sensitive materials that is prone to breaking can get damaged by this glue.


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## sbell111

plano_harry said:


> Rarely use CA on a tube, because I don't keep the slow stuff around and coverage issues.  Too many blowouts on nice wood and it *attacks the paint on plastics*



It should be noted that the key to not having CA 'eat' the paint is to ensure that the paint is completely cured (not just dry) prior to gluing in the tube.

(Coverage issues were addressed in my earlier post, I think.)


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## Smitty37

I've had pretty good success with TiteBond polyurethane glue but you do need a fairly tight fit with it.


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## jfoh

When I was doing production turning, orders of 25-200 pens, I used only Gorilla glue. It worked well and I never had  a glue failure. What works, works and there is no one magic answer to gluing or anything else for that matter. I glued large batches of blanks at a time, maybe 50 blanks, 100 blank halves, in a single setting. It was more about being efficient, than fast and having a glued blank that did not fail. So everything was done in steps and repeated as long as it worked well, until a better system came along. Below is the glue step I have used  thousands of times. Not perfect but it works for me and any system that works for you is fine as far as I am concerned. What works, works.  

Step one blow out drilled hole. This cleaned out the drilling dust and imparted a little moisture which the glue needs to cure. Dip hole with small silicone covered glue carrier to coat the inside with glue. Place small amount of glue on tube and seat to length. Cover end with blue painters masking tape. This keeps the tubes in place and also keeps both blanks, of a pair, together. Stand upright on a flat surface, covered in wax paper, to setup for an hour. Return and remove the tape off the ends and wrap it around the blank set to keep together.  I removed the tape so the glue could cure completely. After an hour the tubes are set in position and will not extrude. Also the foaming is greatly reduced so clean up was very minor. I cured blanks well in advance of turning. 

Along the way I tried wax inside the tube ends, potato in the tubes, silicone stoppers, rubber bands around the blanks to hold the tubes in place, standing up and laying down blanks to setup. Paper towels on a flat surface, wax paper and parchment paper to catch the extra glue runoff. Paper towels wicked too much glue off the ends of the blanks and tubes. Parchment paper worked well and did not wick out too much glue, until I started using blue painters tape which worked just as well and faster by keep blanks paired up. So I switched to wax paper. Cheaper and made cleanup a snap. 
I tried sanding tubes, degrease tubes to remove any oil film and even etching tubes. Ended up tumbling tubes in a stone tumbler/polisher for a few minutes. Cleans the brass well and imparts just a slight rough surface for glue to grip. Blow off with air to remove all dust. Surface preparation makes or ruins a glue job. 

I tried CA, 5 minute epoxy, long set epoxy and anything else I read about. Try everything and use what works for you. Also feel free to steal any tip you come across and share with others. This is like a thousand man experimental department all trying to achieve the same goal using as many different approaches as they can come up with. Find out what works for others  and try it. Keep doing what you like ans keep looking for better ways.


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## edstreet

jfoh,

VERY well said.  I am wondering if you tried bead blasting the tubes   Bead blasting is the BEST prep method for any bonding joint, it is superior by leaps and bounds, second best method is sanding, by a very long shot.

The other thing to point out in his post is the reduce foaming of Gorilla glue.  As I have previous said the foam from gorilla glue does *NOT* bond.  If you use the glue properly there will be little foaming action, if used improperly, a bad joint, it will foam like crazy.


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## edstreet

I just pulled our glue testing experiment from the knife network many years ago.  From that test gorilla glue beat out every other adhesive in every test when it came to bonding metal to wood.  Full tang (large volume space filling) gorilla glue was horrible.  Also low down on the list with gorilla glue was metal to metal, even then it was average, which there are better materials available for that.


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## steamshovel

Has anyone tried Titebond ll for gluing tubes to blanks? I glue ahead of time so letting them set for a week or so is no problem.

Preston


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## Smitty37

steamshovel said:


> Has anyone tried Titebond ll for gluing tubes to blanks? I glue ahead of time so letting them set for a week or so is no problem.
> 
> Preston


It works. But, you have to make sure to tape the end of the blank so it won't come out and you have to let it sit for a day or two.


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