1st aluminum cigar

[twoofakind]

This is my first attempt at an aluminum cigar pen in chrome. This is one hard pen to photograph.

Andy

 

[C. Scott]

Looks good to me. I have an AL blank that I have drilled out but I have just put off turning it (for 2 years!). You have inspired me to finish it!

 

[rovercat]

Very nice. How do you make thoese.

 

[twoofakind]

I followed the tutorial on the homepage and changed it as I needed. I used 6061 5/8" rod drilled to the diameter of the fittings and did not use tubes. I used a standard gouge and went slowly as to avoid the heat.

Andy

 

[Jim15]

Great pen, nice work.

 

[NavyDiver]

Nice pen! I'm still trying to get the hang of wood - I don't think I'm ready to try aluminum.[]

 

[twoofakind]

Just find you an old chisel and go after it! It is not as hard as I thought it would be. I have had a couple sets of blanks ready to turn since last August and I have been putting it off. The pen is heavier than I expected it to be, but it has a nice feel to it. I think I will have to keep this one.[]

Andy

 

[thewishman]

Love the pen, very striking. How is the weight compared to an acrylic?

Chris

 

[johncrane]

It looks like you have cast it in resin Andy! looks real good.[]

 

[twoofakind]

It is noticeably heavier. It is the same shape and size that I put on all of my pens and it just feels more solid and more balanced.

Andy

 

[txbob]

Nice work Andy!
txbob

 

[Radman]

I've got some rod in my shop, but haven't touched it yet. I'll have to give it a go. Yours looks great!

 

[btboone]

Good job Andy. I better hide my titanium stock. []

 

[twoofakind]

I don't think my wood gouge would make so much as a scratch on your titanium Bruce.[]
But I would be willing to try.[]

Andy

 

[skiprat]

Nice pen Andy, I agree with you that metal turned pens are difficult to photogragh. I have made a couple of aluminium and several brass pens. You can polish them as much as you want, and by eye, they have a great mirror finish. But mine always seem to have marks in the photo. I can't understand it. In real life they look great.

Do you put any finish on the pen to keep the shine?

 

[beathard]

Very, Very Nice...

 

[twoofakind]

I didn't on this pen. I figured it would be easy enough to buff again even after assembly. What do you put on yours? I was thinking about this stuff I used on a set of billet wheels I had called Zoop shine, but I wasn't sure if these will sell well enough to offset the cost.

Andy

 

[btboone]

Part of the trick is sanding perpendicular to the machining marks. When those are not visible at all with 600 grit wet sanded with WD-40, then you start to polish. Go at opposed 45 degree angles, again to erase any marks by the previous step. It's tough to do, but it takes a while to know what to look for and perfect the technique.

 

[dwilasnd]

Where do you get the aluminum rod?

 

[bob393]

Well done, I never thought of that.