2 new castings

[Si90]

As I alluded to in my last post, I am selling as many watch parts pens as I can make at the moment so here are the 2 latest, already sold and in the hands of the new owner. Again still surprises me that i can make these without a pressure pot and get no bubbles at all, hopefully my look will continue.

As always thank you for taking the time to look at my efforts. Until next time.

 

[johns486]

Exceptional work.

 

[Indiana_Parrothead]

Nice work Simon, you make a great watch parts pen. I like seeing the larger body parts but I know that adds a lot of work to file them down so they are thin enough to use. What material are you using that you are not getting bubbles without a pressure pot?

I use epoxy and have gotten bubbly free blanks before using a pressure pot, but use one now to be on the safe side.

Mike

 

[OZturner]

Glorious pens, Simon.
Great Blanks, superbly fitted and finished.
Brian.

 

[ericofpendom]

Bright green with envy! Fantastic blanks. I would also be interested in the resin you use to create these blanks.
Eric...

 

[Si90]

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated as always.

As regards the resin, I use PR (Polyester Resin) to make the pens. I have an ultrasonic cleaner which I put warm water in. The tin goes in for 30mins or so before mixing in the activator and I use Tube in molds by PTownSubbie.

 

[Joe S.]

I don't have a pressure pot and most of the bubble problems were my fault. Congratulations for finding an active market!

 

[William Menard]

you have to actually file down each and every little piece before gluing down?

 

[Indiana_Parrothead]

you have to actually file down each and every little piece before gluing down?

The "body" pieces are too thick to bend and even if you could they would make the barrel to thick especially on carbon fiber. Many of the bridges also have to be filed down to use. The gears and most other pieces are thin enough. You do have to press all of the shafts out of the gears. It is hard to get any parts out of a watch that you don't have to do something to. The "body" pieces are these:

If you buy complete old watch to make the pens, you can spend just about as much time taking them apart and "cleaning" and bending the parts as it takes to glue them all on. I figure I have about 2 1/2-3 hours up to the point of taking the blank out of the mold. And then another hour turing and polishing.

Mike

 

[Si90]

you have to actually file down each and every little piece before gluing down?

Yes some are filed thinner to enable you to bend them. Others are also heated up first as they just snap if you try to bend them. You then have to polish them to remove the oxidation caused by the heating.

 

[hippi]

very nice really neat

 

[William Menard]

have you tried a jewelers block to bend them?

 

[MikeL]

Well done!