Stopping tubes moving with Gorilla glue

In another thread about Gorilla glue, a few people said they don't like it because the tubes move whilst the glue cures.

Tubes only move with Gorilla glue if you haven't coated them properly. Gorilla expands, so if you have an uneven covering it will push the tube in the direction of least resistance, which is generally away from the area with least glue.

To stop it happening, follow this routine. The tube will never move, you don't need to check it, and you don't need to hold it in with tape or anything else. It's also takes a fraction of the time it takes to mix and apply epoxy,.....(and it's million times better than CA for so many reasons)

Place a 2 or 3 mm bead of glue all the way round the tube at both ends. On the end you're going to hold put the bead 4 or 5 mm up from the end. Also put place a line of glue along the side of the tube between the two beads. Insert the tube about half way in to the blank, twisting it from side to side as you do so. Pull it in and out a few times, still twisting it from side to side as it moves in and out. The inside of the drill hole is now coated. Extract the tube and insert the same end of the tube in the other end of the blank, but this time insert it most of the way, leaving only enough to allow you to hold it. Use the same technique of twisting and moving in and out, then just push it in to its final position.

By doing this, you have evenly coated all of the outside of the tube and the all of inside of the drill hole. Now just put it down on a level surface and forget about it until its cured. The whole process takes about 20 to 30 seconds including the time it takes to apply the glue to the tube.

Being a shallow and transparent kind of person, this might be a good time to remind members that GORFM10 gets forum members 10% off the already low price of Gorilla Glue and Gorilla 5 Minute Epoxy at Beaufort Ink. Adhesives from Beaufort Ink

Phil

Thanks for the information.

Reading some of the members posts, a vid would be good so they know the difference between 3/4mm and 3/4" and don't fill the tube with glue init?

Thanks for that Phil, I've often wondered why the tube moves a bit and I've ruined a few blanks because I didn't notice it before it has cured. As Brian says, it's imperative to block the ends of the tube to stop glue from going inside. This will likely happen every time using your method if the ends are not blocked. I know people have their own ways of doing it but I use Play Doh. It's cheap, 99p a pot from Argos, and reusable. I cut away the ends of the doh when the glue has dried to reveal the reusable doh inside the tube so it needs replacing eventually but it saves wasting potatoes which should be eaten in view

Phil Dart said:

(and it's million times better than CA for so many reasons)

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Apart from more time to adjust things, why is Gorilla glue better. I am only asking from a beginners perspective. Any tubes I have glued into blanks so far using a CA glue have seemed to hold fast without any problems. However I have used Gorilla glue in aero modelling quite a bit. It's main attraction being it's gap filling capability. Is this feature required for fixing tubes into close fitting blanks?

Grump said:

Reading some of the members posts, a vid would be good so they know the difference between 3/4mm and 3/4" and don't fill the tube with glue init?

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Wrongway said:

Apart from more time to adjust things, why is Gorilla glue better. I am only asking from a beginners perspective. Any tubes I have glued into blanks so far using a CA glue have seemed to hold fast without any problems. However I have used Gorilla glue in aero modelling quite a bit. It's main attraction being it's gap filling capability. Is this feature required for fixing tubes into close fitting blanks?

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Gorilla glue was made for the purpose of gluing dissimilar material. I follow Phil's process for inserting blanks but I apply a line of glue lengthwise on the tubes. Never had a failure while turning or tube movement while drying using Gorilla.

Grump said:

Reading some of the members posts, a vid would be good so they know the difference between 3/4mm and 3/4" and don't fill the tube with glue init?

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I think Brian could be right. I can just imagine people trying to put 3/4" on the tubes

I have never had a problem using gorilla glue and I just slap it on the tube and twist the tube as I insert it as for the foaming up I just cut it of with a pen knife but now I use Dan's med ca glue just because its quicker and I don't very often do large batches but if I was to then Gorilla glue would be my choice

I tend to use gorilla glue for certain materials, or circumstances. I've drilled a blank before now and when over tried to slide the tube in it gets stuck and using ca wouldn't give me time to force the tube into the hole before it grabs it so gorilla glue gives me that extra time to get the tube in. Also I've had ca fail on me during turning and for pens I am selling I don't want to get any back because of that so I sometimes use gorilla glue mainly on plastics just to be sure

Helpful tip Phil and I agree that gorilla glue is way better than CA as an adhesive for pen tubes.

I will however continue to use epoxy out of personal preference.

But it is messy bloody stuff.

Epoxy for this boy.

Potato man myself it sticks in till the need is over no oily residue the blue tack has the tack has ruined many a wall I wish it hadnt as well. Healthy discussion shows how differently we arrive at and process our pens. Thanks.

Peter.

Penpal said:

Potato man myself it sticks in till the need is over no oily residue the blue tack has the tack has ruined many a wall I wish it hadnt as well. Healthy discussion shows how differently we arrive at and process our pens. Thanks.

Peter.

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You can deep fry them afterwards and have mini chips, yum, yum!

Phil, I will have to give it another go using your method and see how it plays out. Thanks, Allen

I have used Gorrila glue now for ages and for me it works, i also have a habbit of licking my lips and "blowing" the hole clear befor twisting my glue covered tubes in. This clears the drill hole and adds a bit of moisture which helps the glue cure.
Another tip to keep my fingers clear i dont use an expensive tube inserter tool, just a plain and simple "mastic tube nosel" works a treat and i lets you rotate and push the tube in, fits all tubes and are cheap. Dried glue picks off next time.

Thanks for the tip Phill.

I'm with Walter on this one but however I may be willing to try a different method not like the old "stick in the mud" oldies... are..

flexi said:

Another tip to keep my fingers clear i dont use an expensive tube inserter tool, just a plain and simple "mastic tube nosel" works a treat and i lets you rotate and push the tube in, fits all tubes and are cheap. Dried glue picks off next time.

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That's a great idea Mark. I'll give that a go for sure.

It works ok for me Phil.

Using the average nail punch as an insertion tool works great as well gives a neat heft to the process plus heaps of table napkins or tissues, must admit freely to using too much glue. Paul (moond) your reference to chips reminded me of one trip with my Dad we used a loo narrow smelly standup not enough room everyone staring at one another three of us in a row all of a sudden the guy next to me a huge bloke says oh look lollies and dives down made like he picked up a handfull of smelly crystals in the trough.

Peter.