Hi all, I believe that I was told once before that Titebond 3 would work well for gluing the brass tube inside the blanks for pens, is this correct? If so it would sure save a lot of time, mainly for not having to clean up the mess that 2 part epoxy leaves.

Thanks

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Charles
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

It probably would work but I thought Tightbond III it was specifically designed for wood to wood joining with a longer open time and making waterproof joints.

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Lew-
Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!

Charles,

I found this on the Titebond site

http://www.titebond.com/product.aspx?id=ce6a01c6-e907-4088-8bcb-b1c7d687da52

Some folks use the polyurethane glues but they really foam up. 

Charles Nicholls said:

That is it's original intention, you are right on that but I thought i had heard that it worked for gluing pen blanks to tubes as well.

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Charles
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

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Charles
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

Sorry, I guess I missed your question about the food safe quality of the glue.

I actually use Titebond II on all my kitchen projects. Although it is not "waterproof", so far there has not been any problems- except when Mimi left the cutting board sit in a puddle of water over night and turned it into a cutting bowl. The wood split but the joints held.

I feel very comfortable using it around project that come in constant contact with food.

Charles Nicholls said:

Right thats why i use Titebond III whch is what I was asking if it was food safe. I found this note on the site you directed me to.

Titebond III is non-toxic, solvent free and cleans up with water - safer to use than traditional waterproof wood glues. It provides strong initial tack, sands easily without softening and is FDA approved for indirect food contact (cutting boards). The ultimate in wood glues - ideal for both interior and exterior applications.

Ok so if a cutting board is an indirect contact, Isn't a salad bowl also considered indirect contact?

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Charles
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

one part glue, just like TiteBond and TiteBond III

Charles Nicholls said:

is Titebond 2 a 2 part epoxy or one part glue? It didn't say on the site.

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Charles
nicholls61@att.net
http://www.nichollswoodworks.com
This website is new so it doesn't have much to it yet but you are welcome to take a look

I use CA to glue all of my tubes in my pen blanks. I have yet to have one just fail. I have chipped out a blank and turned it back down to the glue and turned the glue off the tube so I could reuse the tube. I use the Medium CA and just give them a little bit to set before I do anything to them. As a matter of fact, sometime I will do my blanks, drill them and glue in tubes on night and turn the next night just to make sure all is good and cured.

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John Moody
John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

We always glue the tubes in with CA glue.  We lightly sand the outside of the tube with course sand paper.  Next we place CA glue inside the pen blank hole, place the tube in the hole and  twist the tube so it coats all surfaces.  We use the air compressor to blow any excess CA out of the tube.  We give them four hours minimum to cure before turning.  They are permanently glued in!

SQ

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Happiness is wood chips flying!

Charles,

I have made many pens.  Almost all the tubes were secured with CA.  I can't say I have never had a failure but it is few and far between.  One thing I can say was that the failures were the makers fault and not the glue.  I either did not clean the bore on oily wood, bored the hole to big for the glue to grip, or became too aggressive while turning and heated the glue up.  On the blank I blew up I checked the tube and glue pattern.  I simply did not get glue all around the tube and in good contact with the blank. 

Some of the challenges using CA, wood, and brass is the bore and tube size.  If the bore is to big for the tube, the glue is only going to adhere at the part where the tube and blank touch.  CA glue is not a good gap filler and will not offer much strength where it does not touch.  Epoxy is a much better choice for this application, and is why most pen makers use a variety of adhesives depending on the situation.  Additionally, you risk an off center pen if the tube is not centered in the bore.

You risk another challenge if the bore is to small.  You will scrape all the adhesive from the tube as you insert it.  In this case I usually enlarge the bore with a rat tail file or use a bigger bit by hand to enlarge it.  I also never use the bit sizes listed in the instructions.  I measure the tube and bits with a caliper then choose the bit that is a little over size.  If you don't have a digital caliper it is a inexpensive purchase that will take you pen making to a new level.

When using any adhesive all instructions say the mating parts must be clean.  It is the same with pen making.  Most pen makers clean the tubes with sandpaper before gluing.  Some say adding scratches from the sand paper gives the glue something to grip.  That is not a bad thing.  However, it does clean any tarnish from the tube and allows the glue to contact the brass.  Also you need to clean the bore. Especially if you are using oily exotic wood.  I use acetone on a Q-tip to swab the bore.  The acetone evaporates quickly so it doesn't take much time.

One other thing.  If you are buying your CA from PSI and Woodcraft you a paying way too much.  Wooden Wonders is the go to place for all types of CA.  For example, 2oz of CA at Woodcraft is $10.99.  2oz at Wooden Wonders is $5.04.  That's less than half price, and you deal with an individual if you have problems.

Respectfully submitted.

WoodenWonders is the only place i buy my CA glue from. I buy it in the 8oz bottles. and if you buy 20.00 or more the shipping is free.

Greg,

Lots of good information.   Appreciate the information about Wooden Wonders and will check them out.  

SQ

Greg Coleman said:

Charles,

I have made many pens.  Almost all the tubes were secured with CA.  I can't say I have never had a failure but it is few and far between.  One thing I can say was that the failures were the makers fault and not the glue.  I either did not clean the bore on oily wood, bored the hole to big for the glue to grip, or became too aggressive while turning and heated the glue up.  On the blank I blew up I checked the tube and glue pattern.  I simply did not get glue all around the tube and in good contact with the blank. 

Some of the challenges using CA, wood, and brass is the bore and tube size.  If the bore is to big for the tube, the glue is only going to adhere at the part where the tube and blank touch.  CA glue is not a good gap filler and will not offer much strength where it does not touch.  Epoxy is a much better choice for this application, and is why most pen makers use a variety of adhesives depending on the situation.  Additionally, you risk an off center pen if the tube is not centered in the bore.

You risk another challenge if the bore is to small.  You will scrape all the adhesive from the tube as you insert it.  In this case I usually enlarge the bore with a rat tail file or use a bigger bit by hand to enlarge it.  I also never use the bit sizes listed in the instructions.  I measure the tube and bits with a caliper then choose the bit that is a little over size.  If you don't have a digital caliper it is a inexpensive purchase that will take you pen making to a new level.

When using any adhesive all instructions say the mating parts must be clean.  It is the same with pen making.  Most pen makers clean the tubes with sandpaper before gluing.  Some say adding scratches from the sand paper gives the glue something to grip.  That is not a bad thing.  However, it does clean any tarnish from the tube and allows the glue to contact the brass.  Also you need to clean the bore. Especially if you are using oily exotic wood.  I use acetone on a Q-tip to swab the bore.  The acetone evaporates quickly so it doesn't take much time.

One other thing.  If you are buying your CA from PSI and Woodcraft you a paying way too much.  Wooden Wonders is the go to place for all types of CA.  For example, 2oz of CA at Woodcraft is $10.99.  2oz at Wooden Wonders is $5.04.  That's less than half price, and you deal with an individual if you have problems.

Respectfully submitted.

I used to use CA but I have found two part 5 minute epoxy works best for me. When gluing up segmented pieces I use the long cure epoxy. Epoxy holds up better when heat builds up during sanding. If you spend the amount of time cutting and assembling segmented parts you don't want anything coming apart. Epoxy is a lot cheaper than CA.

Titebond is not intended for metallic, PVC, synthetic or other non porous material.