• November 2025 Turning Challenge: Wall Hanging! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Craig Morton, People's Choice in the October 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Andy Chen for "Mesquite Vase with Polymer Clay Millefiori" being selected as Turning of the Week for November 3, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Gorilla Glue For Pens?

J

jpscroller

Joined
Jan 3, 2006
Messages
19
Likes
0
I have been turning for just a few months, and have now turned about 15-20 pens. I have been using the 5 minute epoxy. The more I use it, the less I like having to mix the epoxy and found that I can really only glue up 1 and at the most 2 pens before it starts to set up.

I read somewhere about polyurethane glue being a good glue for pens. I have not checked it out, but I think Gorilla Glue is a polyurethane glue. Is that true? I was wondering if anyone has any experience using that particular glue for pens. I like the idea of no mixing and glueing up several pens at one time.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jeff
 
Jeff,
I've always used medium super glue and had no problems even with some of the exotics. I't also a good idea to scuff up the tubes prior to gluing them.
 
Good Stuff

Jeff
I make maybe 100 pens per year but I cut, drill and glue them all in one setting. I hate that part so I just build an inventory so the rest of the year I can just turn one or two when I need it or have time.

I switch to Gollira glue because of shelf life. I can buy a small bottle of Gorrila glue do the big batch of pens then throw away what little is left and never worry about counting on a bottle of glue that has gone bad.

You do need to watch the blanks after you insert the tube. Sometimes the foaming of the adhesive will force the tube out of the blank. So line them all up on the bench and check them every 1/2 hour for a few hours after you glue them. With a sharp knife cut the foam off the next day and use your pen mill.

Frank
 
Gorilla Glue is great!

Jeff:
I've lost count on the number of pens I've made but I now use gorilla glue all the time. You know that there are no gaps between the tube and the brass and I've never had one come loose like with the CA glue. I used to use the epoxy also but have found the gg much more to my liking.

Michael
 
I use Gorilla Glue on all tubes bigger than 7 mm. I find it allows me to accurately position the tube and make any adjustments. You need to realize that it is a moisture cured glue. When I am gluing acrylic blanks, I breath down the drill hole before I insert the tube. Helps kick the glue off. In real dry climates you might even have to swab the hole with some moisture. One caution, if the tube is real loose come back after a few minutes and makes sure the foaming glue does not push the tube out of your drilled hole.
 
pets and gorilla glue

Our radiology techician's Rhodesian Ridgeback ate a tube of it. :eek: Of course, it swelled up and formed a perfect cast of the inside of the stomach. Surgery, of course, was the only way to get it out!!!! Gretch
 
If I need to make a pen right now I use epoxy. If I can wait I use the poly and let then sit overnight to set. Many complain that poly can be messy. Its worth it to know the glue is keeping the blank secured to the brass. To help with the mess I lay down a piece of wax paper.
 
I used CA for pens for some time until a friend started singing the praises of Gorilla glue so I tried it. For some reason I have had trouble with it. Several times the tube has come loose. Yes, I roughed the tube, wet the blank, and waited at least 24 hrs. before turning. I'm back to medium CA.
Terence
 
Went from CA to Poly glue.

Jeff;
I was making pens with CA glue and I had many early successes. Then for ome unknown reason, and without changing my process, I had some blow outs on the lathe. Parts of the blank just blew off the tube?
I went to Poly glue and 99.9% success. Another thing I like about it is, I can rotate the tube as it goes in, then if I choose to, I can pull it out the other side and reinsert it to make sure every bit of the tube is covered. Can't take the time with CA.

Good Luck
Mike in CA
 
Has anyone ever use Loctite's Sumo Glue? When I went to Lowes to get some Gorilla Glue, I noticed it next to the GG. It has only 10 minutes working time as opposed to GG 20 minutes, but it did say it foamed less. I bought some GG because I had never used it before and wanted to try it. BTW, it says to dampen whatever you are glueing. Does anyone do that? I was just going to approach it like I do the epoxy. Any thoughts?

Jeff
 
When I use GG on wood or synthetics I swab down the interior of the blank with a wet q-tip, apply the GG to the brass and insert the bras into the blank, set it on a piece of wax paper overnight.

Anyone considering getting some Sumo poly go to the Loctite site to get a rebate form. I would suggest turning off the sound, very annoying. Appears Lowes is their distributor.

http://www.loctiteproducts.com/

http://www.sumoglue.com/

http://www.sumoglue.com/rebate/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top