Poly Glue, What Type?

[Dick Parr]

If you use poly glue to make your pens, what type of poly do you use. Is one better then another or does it matter?

Thanks

[Daniel Yourdon]

I have been using Titebond. not for any particular reason than it is what the supplier had. it is the first and only poly I have used mostly because it is the first and only bottle I've ever bought. the stuff lasts forever.
I woudl think that gorilla and others that are a reputable glue companies would have good poly as well. can't say much for if their are varied formulations though.

[Dennis Peacock]

If you use poly glue to make your pens, what type of poly do you use. Is one better then another or does it matter?

Thanks

Dick,

I've used Gorilla Glue and it works well....but I have since changed to Elmers Poly Glue due to the cost difference. Works really well too. One thing you have to watch when using poly glue......

Don't use a lot of glue...just enough to thin coat the brass and twist while inserting. If you use too much, it will clog one end and push the brass far enough out of the pen blank to where you can use it. DAMHIKT!!!!

I got some of Daniel's CA Glue through the bulk buy program and am now using the THICK CA which gives me enough time to work with the barrel and the blank before setting so much I can't move it.

BTW, I NEVER add moisture to the poly glue...not even on Corian! Works just as well and doesn't foam as much.

[Ken Salisbury]

If you use poly glue to make your pens, what type of poly do you use. Is one better then another or does it matter?

Thanks

Poly glue is poly glue, is poly glue ! ! !

Very little difference, if any in of those I have tried. re: Titebond, Elmers, Gorilla Glue.

[Harry Pye]

I use the least expensive glue I can find. Lots of folks use Gorilla Glue but it is about twice the cost of the others.

To prevent the tubes from pushing out, I always wrap a rubber band from end to end on the blank.

To keep glue from getting inside the tubes I cut a slice of raw potato and push each end into the slice to cut out a little plug. Bill Baumbeck will sell you some base wax. It is sheets of wax used by dentists and seems to work well in plugging the ends of the tubes.

One other thing, a brass barrel cleaning brush, available for about $2 at a gun store, does a nice job of cleaning out the inside of the brass tubes. I just got one in .25 caliber that works well with the 7 mm tubes.

[Joel Shapiro]

I've used Titebond, Gorilla Glue and Elmers with success. They're supposed to have only a 6 month shelf life but I haven't had any difficulty using them beyond that period.

To prevent the tubes from creeping, I wet one end of the blank for about 1/4" and then insert the tube from the other end. It seems to cure the glue faster where I wet it so the tube doesn't creep out. This works on wood and Corian; I think a few droplets on the Corian is enough!

Like Harry, I too use base plate wax and a bore brush
per Bill Baumbecks informative video.

[Dick Parr]

Thanks everyone. I have been using the thick CA glue and on wood I haven't had any problems, but when I tried a piece of diamondwood to make my daughter a pen it just came apart. When looking at the pieces, I'm not sure the CA glue was stuck to the inside of the diamondwood much. So I have been reading about turners using Poly but never knew which one to get. So I guess I'll just get some Titebond.

Thanks again.

[Larry Gottlieb]

Hi:
I use Gorilla brand of polyurethane glue.
To prevent glue from entering the tube, I tried potato slice, but it got messy. I then tried some of the polymer clay. After this I used a 1/4" thick slice of glycerine soap. This worked well and if I were going to plug the tubes it would be my first choice.

More recently, I just clean out the dried glue.

It may be overkill, but I spray the drilled blank and the corian surfaces with water. I have not had any tube or joint failures, so I will keep doing it.

Keep em coming

Larry