Paint for pen tubes

[Donny Lawson]

What kind of paint would be best to use on pen tubes for "Acrylic", or "PR" blanks?I've got a few blanks that are light in color and I don't want the tube to show through.
Donny

[David E Keller]

You can use just about any kind of paint. The little bottles of model paints they sell at Michael's/Hobby Lobby/Wally world/etc. are fine. I've even used spray paint in a pinch. I generally paint the tubes and the inside of the blanks.

Just remember that the color you choose may enhance or detract from the finished turning.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I put my brass tubes on a dowel and spray them white with Krylon. Works and is cheap. If I can get them in the size I need I get them from woodcraft.

[Michael James]

Primer black or white works if the brass look detracts. I have done acrylic pens w/some yellowish hues and the brass adds an extra sparkle.
Haven't tried anything else.
mj

[Jim Sebring]

To blacken tubes use either a product available from well-stocked hobby shops called "Blacken It", or gunsmith cold blue.

[Karl Card]

something else some of the local people do here is to put coloring in the epoxy they use. I thought that was kind of neat and once in awhile I use epoxy so I may give it a try the next time i need it.

[Jim McFarland]

I painted the tubes for some time but still saw glue voids on some of the more transparent acrylics. I've been painting inside the drilled blank since and much better results in my opinion. I put 2-3 coats of Apple Barrel acrylic (purchased at a local Michael's) inside the drilled blank with a Q-tip. I do have to drill a bit oversized on some kits (e.g., cigars) to allow room for the tube without scraping the paint.

[Greg Ketell]

Any metal paint will work on the tubes. But make sure to roughen them a LOT first so that the glue still has something to grab to after the paint (partially) fills the scratches. I use my 80-grit belt sander: just slide the tubes onto a old phillips screwdriver then hold it on the belt sander at a slight angle such that the belt rotates the tube and pushes it further onto the screwdriver. I do it for a second in one direction then reverse the tube and do it for a second in the other direction. I then use a light coat of rattle can metal paint.

But Donny is right, painting the tubes is not enough. You need to paint the inside of your drilled blank so you can't see the glue. Any kind of plastic paint will work for that. I've even used rattle can paint just shooting through the hole in the blank. Works great!

[John Hart]

I use clear spray-on lacquer.

After the first coat, you can still see them...but after spraying about 10 coats...they completely disappear. Which makes it kinda tough if you drop them, because you can't find them.

...hmm maybe that's why I never finish my pens. :confused:

[Chris Stolicky]

Testor's model paint works for me. I agree that both the tube and inside of the blank need to be painted.

Too much paint can make it difficult to slide the tube in though. Keep that in mind.

[Wally Dickerman]

Did you know that you can buy black tubes and nickle plated tubes at CSUSA?

I agree with others that it's best to paint the inside of the drilled hole. I've used black gesso and a light grey wood primer that I happen to have on hand. Worked fine. It's interesting how different the final color on a blank is if you paint 2 indentical blanks, one with a light color and one with black.

I painted some tubes with camouflage paint...now I can't find the tubes....

Wally

[Donny Lawson]

I've got one that is a "Pink Ice"and would probally not be good with black so I will look for a white or matching color of some sort. I'll post a picture when it gets done. I have a few more ahead of it right now.
Donny

[Mark Hix]

I have used model paints, krylon and rustoleum...in other words, the closest thing available. I sand the tubes a little and paint both the tubes and inside the blank.

[Donny Lawson]

I've noticed that most of you use black or white paint for the tubes.I figured that you might have alot of different colored paints for different colored blanks.Sorry for the questions,still learning.
Donny

[Chris Stolicky]

I've noticed that most of you use black or white paint for the tubes.I figured that you might have alot of different colored paints for different colored blanks.Sorry for the questions,still learning.
Donny

I have use both red and blue paint to further enhance the color of the acrylic.

[Donny Lawson]

So I'm guessing that spray or brush would be OK as long as it closely matches the blank.I think spray would be faster.
Donny

[Jim Sebring]

Wally I think the Cheshire Cat ate those camo-painted tubes. Either that or the desert sun has gotten to you. Stop by any time you get back up here in the N.W. It's only 85 degrees here today ;-)

[Chris Stolicky]

So I'm guessing that spray or brush would be OK as long as it closely matches the blank.I think spray would be faster.
Donny

Donny. I have only used a q-tip to paint the inside of the blanks and a simple little brush for the tubes. Here are three examples of pens where I painted the inside of the blanks and tubes their roughly-respective color.

[Allen Neighbors]

I haven't had the chance to turn very many pens that required painting the insides... but a Q-tip seems the way to go, to me...
I've only been able to see one of the brass tubes, but I had to really look close in order to see it. For the prices I can get, it seems like a lot of trouble...