New Pen

[THOMASB]

Hi all first try with a crushed velvet and satin gold slimline pen kit from Stiles & Bates.
Rounded the edges on the belt sander first, roughing gouge, then spindle master, need to clear the shavings a lot!! :roll: wet sanded with Micro-Mesh 1500-12000 finished with two coats of Brasso, then two coats of Ren Wax.Would this be ok or should I have put more coats on?
Thomasb (John really!!) May need to double click to get a better pic!!
:wink:

 

[shedhead]

Hi Thomasb Good looking slimline for your first pen. I was not sure what you meant by using a belt sander to round the ends??????

Did you not use the bushings and shape the pen to them. I have made 100's of pens, and used many kits, but i have never shaped a blank this way. Can you give me more info on your method

 

[THOMASB]

Sorry Shedhead, I took the edges off the square blank before putting on the mandrel with the bushings, throught it may help it the gouge hit a rounded edge than a square edge, read it somewere that it may stop the acrylic breaking. If you have made 100s of pens any tips for a beginner?
Thomasb (John really) Happy Xmas to you.

 

[stevebuk]

nice pen john, looks like you have done a couple now, just been looking at your other pics.
No need for more than one coat of ren wax, works great.

 

[shedhead]

John, what you have done is great,I have always started with a roughing gouge. If you start with bevel rubbing then lift your elbow up till you start removing material it will not rip off the corners. Guess i am not telling you anything new. Not much i can add to what you are already doing.
I like to use a kind of skew made by Hamlet, a ELI AVISERA tool This give a great finish on both wood & acrylic blanks. I had a go at casting my own acrylic blanks, its great fun.
The real fun starts when you move on to other kits, like European Sierra & the Cigar. As i only make for fun and give all my pens away i have not ventured into the more expensive kits.
Keep letting us see your work. :ho2

 

[greggy]

hi john, nice looking pen there my friend, how did you find the acrylics to turn ? oh and no need for anymore finishing. well done.

 

[THOMASB]

Thanks for the comments, nice to know when you are getting it about right!!
Greggy acrylics are a bit scary to start with, you keep thinking "it will break into small pieces any minute".
When you have finished and see the shine on it you think I did that, than you have trouble getting your head out of the shed door :roll: :roll:
Happy New Year to you