# Acrylic Pen Blanks



## Haldane (17 Jan 2010)

Hello All

Turned my first pen using acrylic this morning all went well and very pleased with the end result







When I was turning the pen and got close to the final thickness you can quite clearly see the metal tube glued inside the blank !
Is this normal or just something I can see because I made it, nobody else i've shown it to seems to notice. Is this effect the same for all acrylic blanks or does it depend on Colour, Pattern and or Manufacturer of the blank ?

Hoping somebody can shed some light on this

Thanks
Dave


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## Dalboy (17 Jan 2010)

A well made pen looks like a Baron to me

As for the tube colour showing through. You could paint the tube before inserting it into the blank Acrylic paint I have been told is best or be a little more selective with the blanks you use especially where you need to make the blank thin.

I did this one a little while back now




As you can see this blank is not quite as translucent as yours

Hope this helps


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## Haldane (17 Jan 2010)

Hi Dalboy

Thanks for the tip also spot on with the type of pen kit  
I've been using the polyurethane type glue to fasten the tubes in place (I like the idea of the glue expanding to grip the tube as my pillar drill is not the worlds most accurate  ) If I colour the tube to match the blank first, I take it I would have to use superglue or simular to allow the colour to show through ?
The pen you've made looks a lot more solid than mine, nice job!

Dave


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## CHJ (17 Jan 2010)

Haldane":24uzhkhl said:


> I've been using the polyurethane type glue to fasten the tubes in place (I like the idea of the glue expanding to grip the tube as my pillar drill is not the worlds most accurate  ) Dave


You can always get some smaller drills, I use 6.8 mm for the nominal 7mm tubes for instance (some 7mm tubes are undersize anyway) 

*See Here* for one source.


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## Dalboy (17 Jan 2010)

You could always drill on the lathe if this may help. As for glue yes I would use super glue if you have to paint the tubes. But if you have a more solid colour then by all means use the polyurethane glue.

I found the Baron kit a very nice kit indeed


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## Haldane (17 Jan 2010)

CHJ

Thanks for that info on the drill bits didn't realise you could get them ground to size ! This helps a lot as i've been looking at some pen kits from America which have strange imperial sizes 25/64th and 15/32th :shock: should be able to find a spot on match now  

Dalboy

I've been impressed with the Baron kit as well looks and feels so much better than the slimline kits I've been using whist practicing / trying to get the hang of pen making


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## CHJ (17 Jan 2010)

Haldane":387pr3a6 said:


> CHJ
> 
> Thanks for that info on the drill bits didn't realise you could get them ground to size ! This helps a lot as i've been looking at some pen kits from America which have strange imperial sizes 25/64th and 15/32th :shock: should be able to find a spot on match now



You might find *this page* of mine useful then.


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## beejay (18 Jan 2010)

Hi Dave,
A very nice looking pen you've got there.
Acrylics often show the brass tube when you get to the end and a tip I picked up is to paint the inside of the blank as well as the tube. A cotton bud works well for this.
I also use quick set epoxy for acrylics as superglue doesn't always hold with this material.
beejay


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## Haldane (18 Jan 2010)

Thanks for everyone's tips and information
May need a little more help, armed with my new info set out to turn another acrylic pen from a nice orange blank with the intention of colouring inside the blank with acrylic paint after holes drilled.
When I drilled the first blank (for the blue pen) I used a 12mm Lip and spur bit as this was the only bit I had that size, thought this might be risky as had read somewhere these were not really suitable for endgrain / acrylic ?
Bought a 12mm HSS bit to use instead the result:











:x :x :x :x

So
Wrong drill bit for the job ?
Wrong drill speed 1200rpm ?
Just bad luck ?

I did take my time when drilling and cleared out debris so it did not become trapped or overheat the material
Any ideas ?

Thanks
Dave


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## Dalboy (18 Jan 2010)

Did you try and drill all of the way through, as this can happen(I've done it). Try cutting the blank a little longer than needed and then drill most of the way. Cut off the surplus so you end up with a clean hole all the way through

Hope this makes sense

I would also drill at a slower speed on Acrylics and polyester blanks


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## greggy (18 Jan 2010)

dave, well done on that baron. you did a great job.
what was wrong with your orange blank,, well the set up you have is adequate and ok,, thats not the problem. the reason it has gone is,
not the bit. its not the speed. its more to do withhow fast you are pulling on the drill press. with acrylics its best to drill 10 mm at a time, and dont let the blank get hot. i turn all my blanks on the lathe its a lot more accurate. and i use acrylic paints and do both blanks and tubes, then use thick ca only. i dont use poly glue as its too messy. i have done hundreds of pens in acrylic and not one has failed me yet. just take your time. all the best.


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## BMac (18 Jan 2010)

Hi Dave,

I have found that particular type of acrylic to be very brittle so I drill on the lathe at about 250rpm, clearing the hole often. Like Dalboy said, cut the blank longer than you need because I have found that break-out is nearly always a problem at the end of the hole with that acrylic.

Brendan


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## mervyn (27 Jan 2010)

Hi all, I came across this forum just searching around the net and noticed a posting on acrylics and the transparency problem, Haldane the pen you have made is a great looking pen, and yes I can see your problem with the tube showing through, this is because the manufacture of these have skimped on the pearl-ex powder that gives the luster look within the blanks, they have done a great job on the ribbon (swirly lines) but the base colour is light as in not enough pearl-ex.

Now Dalboy pen blanks are cast with a white pigment paste and maybe a pearl-ex darken blue, only the pearl- ex will have that transparency if you don’t use enough of it, but then too much and you lose the luster effect.

I believe that I may have made that blank that Dalboy has done, maybe wrong but take a look at the blanks I have made, looks the same.







I hope this has helped you.

Regards Mervyn


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## CHJ (27 Jan 2010)

mervyn":2wniqf57 said:


> Hi all, I came across this forum just searching around the net and noticed a posting on acrylics and the transparency problem, Haldane the pen you have made is a great looking pen, and yes I can see your problem with the tube showing through, this is because the manufacture of these have skimped on the pearl-ex powder that gives the luster look within the blanks, they have done a great job on the ribbon (swirly lines) but the base colour is light as in not enough pearl-ex.
> 
> Now Dalboy pen blanks are cast with a white pigment paste and maybe a pearl-ex darken blue, only the pearl- ex will have that transparency if you don’t use enough of it, but then too much and you lose the luster effect.
> 
> ...



Welcome to the forum *Mervyn*, your url got caught by the spam trap, it will leave you alone after a few posts.

Good to see someone else with additional expertise.


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## Dalboy (27 Jan 2010)

Mervyn

It is one of your blanks.


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