need advice on cigar pens

[Bill O'Conner]

ok I thought I would give cigar pens a try. got the slim lines down pretty good. So I drilled the blanks to 10 mm tried to glue them up and the they stopped about 1/4 of an inch in (the glue had set up that fast) not sure if it's the wood or the temp up here (about 90° and high humidy) never had this trouble with the slims. using thick CA for glue, and kings wood for the blanks. The tube where a little tight on the dry fit but not to bad I thought, they did slide in and were not forced

Thanks
Bill

[Corey Hallagan]

I think CA is the problem. I don't like it for gluing tubes in pen blanks myself but many do. I use the PSI epoxy. Cigar tubes are one of the largest tubes and they probably dried before you got them fully inserted. Sounds like they were pretty snug before the addition of the CA and if it was drying..then that multiplied it. Hope this helps.
Corey

[Bill O'Conner]

Thanks Corey

I figured you would be able to help with this one, seen some of your pens and was deeply impressed with them.

so it's a two part epoxy from PSI is there some thing I could use from the home improvement store or hardware store

Thanks
Bill

[Chris Barton]

Like Corey I don't really like to use CA glue on pens for the most part. My preference is for the new polyurethane glues like Gorilla glue.

[Bill O'Conner]

Like Corey I don't really like to use CA glue on pens for the most part. My preference is for the new polyurethane glues like Gorilla glue.

Thanks Chris, I tried the gorilla glue but didn't like the mess I got still have a small bottle of it might give it a try on the next cigar pen and see if it helps.

[Corey Hallagan]

Bill, like Chris said another method of gluing is using the Poly Glues like Gorilla. Many use nothing but that. Both are messy and I suggest getting a tube insertion rod if you don't have one. Helps keep things a little bit less messy. I drill my blanks out well so that the tube will nearly fall thru. Both epoxy and gorilla will fill any voids, just need to be sure to cover well. On epoxy, I just don't know much about them and never used epoxy glues prior to getting my pen turning kit. PSI's is called a 15 minute epoxy. I believe that means the working time in applying it, not the curing time. Hope this helps Bill!

Corey

P.S. I also buy base plate wax available from Arizona Silhouette to plug on end of the tube when inserting the glued up tube into the blank. It helps keep the tube from filling up with glue that has to be removed later.

[Ron Sardo]

I use med CA for pens and seems to work well for me.

How old is the CA glue. If the glue is old it may "set" faster.
Is the blank still green? Moisture quickens the "set" time. So does high humidity.

If you choose to use GG, check on the tubes after 5-15 minutes to make sure they don't pop out of the blanks.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I use Thick CA almost exclusively (In too much of a hurry to wait for the others.) I, too, have had some problem with it on larger diameter pens. The key, I found is to make sure that the tube litterly "falls through"!

There is a time when I use Gorilla glue..........When I have the time to wait. IT holds well, but is VERY messy. Make sure you put on gloves. Almost impossible to get off your fingers.

Haven't used epoxy, but I don't see any problem with it, either.

Bruce

[Bill O'Conner]

There is a time when I use Gorilla glue..........When I have the time to wait. IT holds well, but is VERY messy. Make sure you put on gloves. Almost impossible to get off your fingers.

Bruce

I was picking the stuff off of my fingers for a week the last time I used it haven't used it since:mad:

[Barry Stratton]

I'm still new at this pen stuff, but haven't had a problem with the handful of cigar pens using CA glue. I've also found that the lond tapered lid of the 2oz CA glue bottle makes a very good tube insertion tool!!!

I have used gorilla glue on a few kits when the hole was sloppy. While that stuff is a mess and tries to push the tube back out as it dries, I'll keep using it until my current bottle runs out, then switch to epoxy. Good luck!

[terry miller]

Bill I only turn pens and use CA glue exclusively. I start off by using a micrometer to measure the tube then I use a drill bit just a little bigger I also shoot for the tube sliding out freely. I dont follow the manufacturers recomendation for drill bit size due to the variances in the manufacturing of the tubes.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bill when I glue I got me a punch instead of PSI's $10 tube insertion tool. A taper punch that will fit the tube so the end of the punch show on the other end. I then put CA, gorilla or epoxy on and insert the tube using the punch. Keeps my finger out of it. You can buy these cheap taper punches at any hardware store for a couple of dollars.

[Bob Opsitos]

The only pens I really do are cigars and using thick CA I've never had a problem, unless I'm really, really slow about putting the tube in. The fit of the brass tube to the wood doesn't seem excessively loose either.

I've used Polyurethane glue once when I was out of CA and needed to make a pen. Work ok, but messy and takes to long to dry. I would only use it if I had to.

Bob

[Dario Octaviano]

I use Gorilla Glue almost exclusively...if I need one quick I use 30 minute 2 part epoxy. Seems like they cure a lot faster here due to heat.

I tried CA once and it got stuck midway (and on a super nice amboyna blank too)...never used it on wood again. I still do on a few acrylics that I seldomly do.

[Joe Melton]

You got a lot of good advice, but no one mentioned how to fix your blanks, Bill. Take a new tube and glue it in from the other end so it abuts the tube already in there. Then cut the exposed part off with a hacksaw and use your penmill to get the correct length.
Tubes are cheap, cheaper than most blanks, and one spare tube can be used for two of these repairs.
I use thick CA almost exclusively, too. It seems the glue sets up quicker if there is less glue space, but I don't recall having trouble with cigars, and I've probably turned 200 of them. I do agree about the humidity and moisture comments made by other posters, and you eliminate those variables by using glues with longer cure times. If you have ten pen kits and want to make them all in a run, go ahead and glue up all of them at the same time with a single mix of epoxy. Then, they are all ready to go and you have no concerns about problems caused by CA.
Hope this helps.
Joe

[Frank Fusco]

On the pen turning forums, CA is by and far the most popular glue for tubes. I don't use it because of problems exactly like you encountered. I use 5 min. two part epoxy. But for your immediate problem, just cut off the piece sticking out. From the other end, insert and glue a spare tube (you did buy spare tubes, didn't you?) and cut flush. The alternative, not desirable, is to turn off the wood on the tube and start over with another blank.

[Dario Octaviano]

Joe...you can also cut the protruding tube and use it as you described (glue in from the other side). No waste of tubes :)

[Joe Melton]

Yes, you can, Dario, but then it is too short. If it is the lower barrel of a cigar, the length is too critical. If its the upper end, I agree.
Joe

[Bill O'Conner]

I soaked the blanks in acetone got both tubes out but ruined them both but saved the blank. It was a bad weekend all the way around lost the 2 tubes for the cigar and 2 tubes for a toothpick holder key chain and blew out a piece of ebony for a pen :mad: :mad:

But thanks for the help will keep it in mind the next time this happens:D :D

Bill

[Frank Fusco]

Bill, a couple pieces of pen turning advice: always buy extra tubes; accept occasional failures as part of the process. I know wasting a good blank can be heartbreaking but it happens. Better to save the kit and start over. With time, you will learn to 'save' pens that have accidents.

[Curtis O. Seebeck]

Another great way to fix a similar problem is to just drill another piece of wood in contrasting color. Then cut it a little bit longer than the amount of tube sticking out and slide it over the exposed tube and glue it to the tube and adjacent blank. This will give a contrasting band that look good in many cases.

For glue, I prefer 5 minute Devcon epoxy available at Lowes or Depot. If I am doing a large quantity of cigars I will drill all the blanks and then glue in all the tubes with Sumo glue (lower foaming poly).

[Scott Donley]

It was a bad weekend all the way around
BillNo Bill, your a turner now, it was a "learning weekend";) As to glue, I have used GG, CA, and epoxy. I only use epoxy now, but I am retired, and in no hurry to do anything :p Also hate it when I glue my hands to the table using CA :eek: ( don't ask )

[Bill O'Conner]

No Bill, your a turner now, it was a "learning weekend";) Also hate it when I glue my hands to the table using CA :eek: ( don't ask )

yes I guess you're right it was a learning weekend. I now know what I might have done wrong and will try to fix it better next time.

and you cann't leave us just hanging like that I got to know That just sounds like something I would like to learn from someone else mistake instead of doing it myself :D :D


Bill, a couple pieces of pen turning advice:always buy extra tubes
lesson learned stopped tonight at Woodcraft and would you believe they are out of the replacement tube right now won't have any till next weekend