Hybrid / Resin Pen

[speeder1987]

Hi guys,

Well I thought I'd show you some of the stuff I've been turning. I'm really new to this, only got my lathe in July and haven't had much time to play with it. I've basically only made pens ...... and a LOT of scrap. I think this is the first pen I am actually happy with.

You will probably have guessed that the blank is from "From the Tree", the kit is from Axminster and I finished it with several coats of hut ultra gloss plastic finish.

Anyway, any comments / critisims / suggestions welcome

Cheers
John

 

[woodyturner]

That is an excellent result that any turner would be proud to put his name to well done you

 

[cornucopia]

great work John- I always enjoy seeing what becomes of my blanks, this one looks great.

 

[nev]

That is one good looking pen! =D>

 

[Neil Farrer]

That's a lovely pen. I've got some blanks from George and I'm summoning up the courage to decimate them with my bandsaw! They are a work of art in their own right!

It's a cracking pen but a suggestion. When using acrylic or blanks other than wood, look at the bushings carefully before cutting and drilling to see what the end thickness of the material will be. The fountain pen from Axminster, also known as the Traditional or one diameter (stiles and bates - much cheaper!) leaves a really thin veneer on the tubes and it may well be worth coating the tubes in matching paint before gluing the tubes.

Just had a delivery from psi with the bolt action kits in so will go and get a George blank and combine the two.

Can anyone offer any advice on the right sort of paint to use if you glue the tubes in with epoxy??

 

[stevebuk]

i really like the blanks and hopefully will be contacting george soon enough for some pen blanks, but can i ask, is there still a layer of acrylic over the top of the wood at this stage, or is it the wood prominent..

thanks

 

[speeder1987]

Thanks for all the complements guys I really appreciate it.

It's a cracking pen but a suggestion. When using acrylic or blanks other than wood, look at the bushings carefully before cutting and drilling to see what the end thickness of the material will be. The fountain pen from Axminster, also known as the Traditional or one diameter (stiles and bates - much cheaper!) leaves a really thin veneer on the tubes and it may well be worth coating the tubes in matching paint before gluing the tubes. I also don't use bushings as they don't fit my mandril makes it a lot more interesting to say the least

Can anyone offer any advice on the right sort of paint to use if you glue the tubes in with epoxy??

Personally I don't mind the brass showing as its only the bottom of the cap, but I could see how it could help, maybe a little bit of black. Not sure on type though sorry.

I will try the styles and bates kits .... I think these axminster kits are over priced. I'm trying to find cheap good quality kits ... but failing at the moment.

Steve this is the only blank like this I've turned so I'm no expert, bit I believe they are resin impregnated, so they are like turning acrylic all the way through, not just plastic on the outside ..... but in many ways I found this easier to turn than wood.

Cheers
John

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2

 

[EnErY]

Lovely pen something to be proud of well done =D> =D>
Regards
Bill

 

[cornucopia]

Hi John

cheap and good quality don’t go hand in hand together, however there are happy mediums.

the resin bonds with the wood but does not impregnate it, really soft/punky woods can be stabilized first before casting but this adds even more time and money to an already very labour intensive blanks so I prefer to use woods which are hard/firm enough to turn as is (although I occasionally find with some of the older burr elm I use the sapwood might need some thin CA before taking your final cut)

I personal preference is to seal the blanks either with CA or acrylic lacquer- but as John has shown you can use wax, friction polish etc

 

[Neil Farrer]

John,

My comments regarding the tubes and painting them was not actually directed at the visible part of the tube at the bottom of the cap but the effect the reflected light has through the blank, you can see the outline of the tube. If you paint the tube you eliminate this and increase the density of the colour of the acrylic.

 

[KimG]

Nice work!

 

[Peggy]

That's a beautiful pen.

 

[nev]

John,

My comments regarding the tubes and painting them was not actually directed at the visible part of the tube at the bottom of the cap but the effect the reflected light has through the blank, you can see the outline of the tube. If you paint the tube you eliminate this and increase the density of the colour of the acrylic.

Indeed, the only difference between the two hybrids below is that I painted the tube on the darker one. I mixed a little blue acrylic paint in with the epoxy before adding the hardener too.

 

[nev]

... I'm trying to find cheap good quality kits ... but failing at the moment.

The kits from PSI ( penn state industries ) are good quality and reasonably priced as are the Berea kits from Vince in the turners workshop - as the sierras above for a fiver.