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Well its time to put some of Timi's quills to work, but being a relatively young whippersnapper (but final stage apprentice Grumpy Old Ba*****)I have never had to put handles on a brush before. Whats the word from you seasoned veterans? As I understand it you get them softened up in boiling water and then get that handle wedged in there. Is it necessary then to use any other fixings? Does anyone glue them in? All info appreciated, David
------------------ D.A. & P.M. Fisher Signwriting Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com
Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hi David...Well this can be fun if done correctly...Timi turned me on to the neat little trick of microwaving water to super hot then using a clothes pin or an alligator clip (more apt to find in your country)dangle the quill into the water (being careful not to get the hair wet.
Let me back up a little...prefit the handle to the quill as close as possible...(you don't want to split the quill)
When I fit mine I like to use a little exterior wood glue on the tip of the handle when inserting it(it helps it slide in,makes for a permant fit and solvents won't attack it.)
Let the brush set overnite before oiling it!
When I was an apprentice we were taught to "stab" the quill into a potato and leave it there overnite, it works really well too, but the microwave way is quicker...god knows we have to do everything faster these days
No matter how you do it when you're inserting the handle, if it gives you any resistance at all... STOP... sand or shave down the handle some more and try again...DO NOT FORCE IT IN you will most certainly split the ferrule...and if it is one of those new red sable quills you got from Timi you'll be sick about it.
"Werks fer me it'll werk fer you" ...
Good Luck mate!
------------------ Monte Jumper SIGNLanguage/Norman.Okla.
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We had a few meals when the kids were young...potatoes with those weird holes in em! I like the reactor water too.... Before water,I like to scratch the inside of the quill. Next fit the handles.... When softened......dry with compressed air and glue together with epoxy Im lookin forward to Timi's next "acquisition"
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Hey Dave,sorry I didn't get ta answer your post sooner but I've been on the road tha last coupla weeks(3).Monte pretty well covered the answer though. This is the way I fit a handle into an old pencil quill without handle,..
1. find a suitable handle & clean ,sand or do whatever necessary to make sure it will fit snugly inside the quill once it has been softened up. I use old brush handles or handles from cheap cheap brushes after I have removed the ferulle & brush tip.In a pinch you can use the end of another brush so ya end up with a double ended brush.I sometimes put the handle in a drill & sand it to fit will the drill spins so it will be close to round as possible. 2. Find a way to suspend the quill into a cup or small glass so the handle end is under water without getting the hair wet. I use an old wooden clothes pin but as Monte said any alligator clip or small paper clip will work as long as it will be stable to keep the quill steady under water without getting the hair wet for about 4 or 5 minutes. 3.Heat just enough water(almost to boiling point)to fill the container used in the previous step to the desired height as not to get the hair wet on the brush wet. 4.suspend the quill as mentioned in step 2. 5. when the quill has softened I thump the quill so the water will drain out while still holding the quill so the hair won't get wet. 6. Gently insert the handle taking care not to split the quill.This is the tricky part as you can ruin the quill if done improperly. if the handle doesn't want to fit go back to step one & start over.This is not an effort of brute force,but one of meticulous fitting. If the handle fits well you shouldn't really need any glue but as Monte suggested I use a glue that thinners won't attack.If the handle is too small,go back to step one and start over.The quill can be softened many times but ruined only once. 5. Let the brush dry well.If in the chance that you did get some water on it don't worry it will evaporate,but if you oil it while wet the hair can become curled & frizzie thus ruined. 6.After the brush is oiled use it often as possible to create profits for your business!
------------------ fly low...timi/NC is,.....Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC http://artistsfriend.com/signs
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Properly fitted, there should be no need for glue. The quill gets softer from the warm moisture and slips on, then contracts as it cools to make a tight fit. As an apprentice I learned to put the quill into my mouth, under the tongue like a thermometer, leaving the hairs sticking out. We'd walk around like this for fifteen minutes till the quills softened. This must have been an interesting site to unsuspecting customers walking in. I also like this method because the steam and moisture never gets up into the area where the hairs are set.
------------------ The SignShop Mendocino, California "Where the Redwoods meet the Surf"
Oh, for the faith of a spider! He begins his web without any thread.
Posts: 6806 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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When I was little my dad would tell me to "stand in the corner and clap your hands. Keep clapping" He knew where I was and that my hands were occupied. Didn't keep me from talking, though...
I like the idea the 'Old Pro' in your shop thought of to keep you quiet, Rick, if only for 15 minutes at a time. Ha ha ha.
In Boot Camp they made us put things in our mouths, too -- shoes, skivvies, etc. Same reason/same results.
------------------ "If it isn't fun, why do it?" Signmike@aol.com Mike Languein Doctor of Letters BS, MS, PhD ___________________
You know what BS is, MS is More of the Same, and it's Piled Higher and Deeper here
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