Plastic Body Straightening Tips?

[zablosky]

This plastic body looks like it was heated and warped. Its most appparent when it's posted. My idea is to dip it in hot water up just past the custom bend and then use the cap to realign it while its a little soft.

 

I'd thought I'd ask for predictions on how this might work before I ruined something.

[CS388]

Always a tricky job, straightening bent barrels. Are you sure it's plastic? Could be hard rubber, or celluloid?

 

Does the barrel overlay cover the distorted part? Not 100% sure of the parts in your picture?

 

I see the sense in your method. By all means, have a go (check your materials first, as hard rubber doesn't go well with water). But, be aware of the risks: ie. you could trash your pen.

If it's a valuable pen (financially or sentimentally), then I'd be sending it out for professional opinions.

 

Good luck

[zablosky]

It appears to be plastic judging by the scars on it. The warp is just past the overlay, which likley acted like a protective sleeve during the incident.

 

No great value. Just fiddling with things.

 

I'll go ahead with the hot water method and see if I can stop right before I completely wreck the whole thing.

[PaulS]

I'm not sure as to the meaning of plastic in this discussion, which tends to be a over used word for several materials, especially when we don't know the correct material - have you any idea of the age of this pen? If you clean the pen, does it leave the tell-tale brown marks of BHR (and give the smell of sulphur) - or do youi get the table tennis ball whiff of celluloid? There is also Polystyrene - apparently the most suitable material for re-shaping appears to be BHR.

Think I'd be inclined to use either a heat gun, with care, or a hair dryer rather than water, but since it looks to be that this pen has limited value, then the main thing is to get the end result you want.

[northlodge]

I would agree with PaulS above, hot water does not allow for any real control over the temperature being applied.

With dry heat it is possible to monitor the status of the material and increase / remove the heat as appropriate.

 

Just realise this is a very hit or miss resolution at the best of times, and do not expect an immediate improvement.

[fountainbel]

Seeing the picture I expect the barrel is made from hard rubber

In my experience re-straightening a hard rubber warped barrel works best put pushing a perfectly fitting shaft through the barrel bore.

Push the shaft in the bore still it gets stuck, heat up the barrel in front of the shaft , push further and gradually heat up/push till the shaft gets to the barrel end.

Wishing you succes !

Francis

[ac12]

I second Francis.

Having "tried" to straighten metal tubing, you are likely to collapse the hollow barrel.