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Scrawler
April 11th, 2014, 05:07 AM
I need suggestions for gluing together cracks in celluloid. My pen section has two small longitudinal cracks in the section, which ink seeps out of when it is in use, leading to inky fingers. I am thinking of using Tamiya Extra thin adhesive in hopes it will run in by capillary action into the cracks. Before I try this, I am soliciting knowledge and experience of others, so that I do not start out doing the wrong thing.

AltecGreen
April 11th, 2014, 09:13 AM
Solvent weld using MEK for celluloid.



But in your case, find a new section. Solvent welding or even gluing rarely holds for parts under pressure like a section.

Scrawler
April 11th, 2014, 12:15 PM
Solvent weld using MEK for celluloid.



But in your case, find a new section. Solvent welding or even gluing rarely holds for parts under pressure like a section.
A new section is not an option. The body and section are one unit. I have to either find some way to glue it or it goes in the bin.

AltecGreen
April 11th, 2014, 01:32 PM
In that case, you might as well try solvent welding first with MEK (Methyl ethyl ketone). It be a learning experience one way or another. You'll need to make sure the cracks are very clean. Once you clamp it after welding, you will want to wait about two weeks before trying to set the feed and nib.


If it still splits, you can try an epoxy or encapsulant at that point. Don't use super glue or model glue. CA weakens with moisture and model glue is designed for polystyrene and is not really that strong. The encapsulant/epoxy I would try using is Stycast 1266. It is a two part epoxy with very low viscosity and a long cure and working time. It is very strong and high tensile strength. It is however not something the average person is going to readily find.

At some point, if it is going to into the parts bin, then try anything you can. At that point, you really don't have anything to lose.


If the rest of the pen were high value (sentimental or money) , a new body and section could be machined.

Scrawler
April 11th, 2014, 02:10 PM
In that case, you might as well try solvent welding first with MEK (Methyl ethyl ketone). It be a learning experience one way or another. You'll need to make sure the cracks are very clean. Once you clamp it after welding, you will want to wait about two weeks before trying to set the feed and nib.


If it still splits, you can try an epoxy or encapsulant at that point. Don't use super glue or model glue. CA weakens with moisture and model glue is designed for polystyrene and is not really that strong. The encapsulant/epoxy I would try using is Stycast 1266. It is a two part epoxy with very high viscosity and a long cure and working time. It is very strong and high tensile strength. It is however not something the average person is going to readily find.

At some point, if it is going to into the parts bin, then try anything you can. At that point, you really don't have anything to lose.


If the rest of the pen were high value (sentimental or money) , a new body and section could be machined.
Thanks for the info about Stycast 1266. I have other applications for a liquid epoxy. The pen would otherwise be a high value item and this is likely my only chance to ever experience writing with such. If the body is going in the bin the nib (a flex stub) will end up in an Estie. However, except for these invisible (to the naked eye) cracks the pen is beautiful and shiny, in fact new looking.

AltecGreen
April 11th, 2014, 03:02 PM
Thanks for the info about Stycast 1266. I have other applications for a liquid epoxy. The pen would otherwise be a high value item and this is likely my only chance to ever experience writing with such. If the body is going in the bin the nib (a flex stub) will end up in an Estie. However, except for these invisible (to the naked eye) cracks the pen is beautiful and shiny, in fact new looking.


Stycast 1266 is great stuff and we use it a lot here in my group but it is not so practical for the average consumer. It is expensive. A can of part A runs about $93 and a bottle of part B run about $44. You need to accurately weigh out (or meter) the two components else it will not cure properly. It also has a one year shelf life. Depending on application, you will also have to degas the mixture before use.

Unfortunately, vintage pens can be in great shape except for a crack in a bad spot like in the section or in the piston filler thread. Usually, it is pretty much game over. Several people in the pen posse have recently been in a similar situation. The prognosis after examination by several experts was that the pens were a lost cause. In one case, a new barrel is being machined.

scrivelry
April 11th, 2014, 06:11 PM
I have several that have cracked lately when the section was inserted into the barrel. I am going to try solvent welding with Testor's model cement (Which seems to be a mix of two solvents) first on the yucky ones I don't care about and then on the two I like to see how that goes.

I am thinking that inserting a lining, if something could be found that would work, and lightly sanding down the offending did-no-shrink-as-much part might be another thing to try. None of these pens are anyone's idea of rare or expensive, but I like two of them, so it's worth trying.

T

Scrawler
April 11th, 2014, 06:47 PM
I have several that have cracked lately when the section was inserted into the barrel. I am going to try solvent welding with Testor's model cement (Which seems to be a mix of two solvents) first on the yucky ones I don't care about and then on the two I like to see how that goes.

I am thinking that inserting a lining, if something could be found that would work, and lightly sanding down the offending did-no-shrink-as-much part might be another thing to try. None of these pens are anyone's idea of rare or expensive, but I like two of them, so it's worth trying.

T

If I had access to the right tools, I think I would do the same. Bore out the hole and insert a liner.

Farmboy
April 11th, 2014, 10:10 PM
What is the pen in question? I may accept the challenge of fixing the rack in the absence of glue.

Scrawler
April 12th, 2014, 03:49 AM
What is the pen in question? I may accept the challenge of fixing the rack in the absence of glue.

It is a Waterman Ink Vue MkII