Cracks

[Themackay]

Turned polyester resin pearl opal blank from Timberbits this is the third time I have attempted one of these and every time I have developed cracks at the clip end when pressing together(Sierra) really annoying dony know what I am doing wrong any one else have this problem with polyester/acrtlic blanks

 

[Buckeye]

Make sure that you don't have any CA or epoxy in the tube, clean it out before you try putting them together if there is. You can also chamfer the internal leading edge of the tube which will help the fitting of the nib. Some people make the fit a push in fit and use red loctite or CA to hold it in, I prefer not to do that. Another method is to assemble the nib into the tube before you have put the tube in the blank and then take the nib out and glue the tube into your blank remembering which end is for the nib, that way you know the nib will ft without pushing against the acrylic.

Peter

 

[Themackay]

Aye Peter I did check tube was clear I guess what you are saying is fit components in tube so will go in easier on final assembly will try that with the next one.

 

[Buckeye]

Aye Peter I did check tube was clear I guess what you are saying is fit components in tube so will go in easier on final assembly will try that with the next one.

I don't usually do that, but I have done when I wanted to make sure I didn't crack the blank, but chamfering the tube does help if it is really tight.

Peter

 

[Bill Mooney]

I always chamfer the ends of the tubes with a file before assembly to get rid of any burrs or rubbish in the tubes.
I like Peter's idea of pre-assembly. I've had three blanks split on me last week due to very tight fittings.

 

[Jim]

The majority of splits i have had over the years come from this kit, don't know why .. For a long time now i have used a reamer to clean the inside of the tubes .. A tip that was posted on here quite a while ago, but don't recall by whom ..

 

[Penpal]

My final act before assembly is to use my step drill that is a snug fit hand held and mounted in a handle now thirty or more years old that tells me the tube is ok or too tight then measure the tip size I know it sounds pedantic but no splits are the result. So clean inside the tube the step drill reams the entrance at the same time. When I prepare the tubes I use a turned brass holder snug fit too tight stick it in the bin rough up the brass. So many turners claim they never rough the brass no need etc fair enough I bother for my best results. Ed over in America used to give the horrid truth about variations in kits I sure have found this to be true regardless of the price or place of origen bit like Monday cars or Friday cars on the assembly line.

Anyway my sympathy mate never pleasant to lose one at this stage to lose more than one a shame.

Peter.

 

[21William]

Out of interest Alan, what adhesive did you use to glue the tube into the blank?

 

[wm460]

I made a little expander to solve this very problem.

 

[Themackay]

Out of interest Alan, what adhesive did you use to glue the tube into the blank?

Epoxy William

 

[Themackay]

The majority of splits i have had over the years come from this kit, don't know why .. For a long time now i have used a reamer to clean the inside of the tubes .. A tip that was posted on here quite a while ago, but don't recall by whom ..

Is that a tapered reamer Jim

 

[21William]

Epoxy William

Ah, I was hoping you'd say CA as I was thinking epoxy would be better at preventing what you're experiencing.

It rather sounds like poor kit quality - ie; the tubes are the wrong size?