Acacia/Bethlehem Olive Wood

[watch_art]

Finally finished this sucker. Yeah that's right - I smashed one section with a hammer when it didn't work - I threw temper tantrums and yelled and cursed under my breath (kids around) - but I got it finished.

Yeesh. One more to go and I'm never turning a wooden kitless gain. Not worth the headache. If I could do metal threads in the cap and barrel it would be different - but I haven't tried that yet, so who knows.

This pen is made from Acacia, or Bethlehem Olive Wood.
It's 135mm open, 155mm closed, and 195 posted. That means it's REALLY big.
Section is pinched 9/16" thick, with 5/8" threads for cap to barrel. I know - mixing metric and standard. Sorry.
:roflmho:
I'm half crazy right now. I don't care.


A detail first - I'm using M8x.75 threads for cap finial now. Works much better than the 5/16x24tpi I've used. Much better.

I also really like how the lines and colors in the cap lined up. Total accident but it looks really cool.
Thanks all for the great suggestion on coffee grounds for the hole in the cap. I really appreciate it.

Now for the show...

 

[Drstrangefart]

Dude, that's a spectacular kitless, I know the headache when the timber won't cooperate, but it really paid off here. The only issue I can see is that it's not at my house.

 

[watch_art]

Thanks man. I hope the customer likes it in person as much as you like it in photos.

 

[BSea]

Very cool. I love the cap. I know you hate doing wooden kitless, but they do look extra special. At least to me.

Why is the m8 X .75 better? Aren't they (5/16x24tpi & m8 X .75) almost the same? Just wondering. I know I wasn't happy with using the m8 X .5 threads. I think the threads are too fine in that pitch, and don't give enough bite to put the pressure on the clip to keep it rigid. I'm thinking of going to m9 X .75 on my next kitless.

 

[watch_art]

Thanks!

I like the finer threads on the finial b/c it screws down tight first time. There's not so much need for recessing the hole in the cap like I did with the coarser threads - like in this picture...

Here, this is as far as the finial top would screw down. With the finer threads, and I didn't expect it, it screwed all the way down snug.

 

[Robert111]

Oooooo, that's nice Shawn! Beautiful section!

 

[crabcreekind]

I used the m8x.75 for my cap finial. It worked great.
BTW nice pen

 

[patmurris]

Nice and unique pen. I've not done a kitless yet but i can see how much work it is.

BTW: this is not olive wood and it does look like Robinia pseudoacacia, sometime called acacia, but it may well be another timber altogether.

 

[watch_art]

Yep - Acacia. I was corrected earlier. Thanks for reminding me to mention it.
Cheers!

 

[InvisibleMan]

Cool how the cap colors worked out.

I really need to buy what I need to use the #6 nibs I have. The big meaty sections look so cool - can really put a shape to them. This is probably my favorite, along with the ridged ones. Looks awesome.

 

[watch_art]

Thanks!

 

[LL Woodworks]

Another great job Shawn. Curious; what presents all the headache is wood kit-less? I have a gorgeous piece of spalted black gum that I'm thinking of making a kitless with and am curious what to expect.

 

[watch_art]

I'm sure it's just me (seriously - not being facetious) and something I'm doing wrong with drilling wood, but I usually end up with funky wallowed out holes. When I drill into wood, with anything over a 5mm bit, the blank jumps and shakes and vibrates like CRAZY. After sharpenening they're MUCH better, but I'm still getting crazy vibrations. I don't get this with drilling PR or plastics. I have no clue what I'm doing wrong.
Should I feed the drill bits a certain way? I'm going kind of slow - should I jam them in real fast and drill like crazy? I'm still learning and I'm still a rookie amateur - really - so please please please somebody help me out. Sharp bits = shaking blank?? What am I doing wrong?

Plus I have ONE lathe and no plans to buy another (maybe another scroll chuck when I can afford one) - so setting up parts to glue and cure kills me. I prefer to leave the part in the chuck to cure so it's all pressed in and as centered as I can get it, and some woods have an awful curve in them and I don't enjoy the hassle of getting a pieced together blank centered on the lathe again - it just might not happen. LIke I said - big rookie.

I HATE waiting for glue to dry when all I want to do is turn - it kills me - especially when I'm in a real amped up mood wanting to work and work and work.

And I know - some of you are laughing at me right now - it's okay, I can take it - I'm a teacher after all and get laughed at all the time. Plus if I learn something it's okay if I look foolish (seriously) and if somebody else learns something from me looking foolish, then all the better. :biggrin:

 

[Dustygoose]

I love this one Shawn. The wood may be a pain, but you rocked it. I love the section

 

[Russianwolf]

Shawn, Wood is a natural product. It isn't a uniform density like the plastics that you are used to working with. The early and late wood (growth rings) are of different density as the wood is growing faster and slower at different times of the year. And that's just one example.

For drilling wood. SHARP bits are a must. and if I'm working on a soft wood or on a bias cut piece I'll step drill it. 1/4th, 3/8th, then finish size. This takes the stress out of the cutter. If the 1/4 wallows a bit, its not a big deal, the 3/8ths will clean it up.

And instead of a scroll chuck, I'd look to your collet chuck. Provides support all the way around the piece as you are drilling. On a scroll chuck, you have to make sure you realign the piece with the correct jaws to recenter it. With a scroll chuck, not an issue. just spin the piece round between centers then go to the chuck. No curve.

 

[watch_art]

Round the piece first. Will do from now on.
Thanks.

Step drilling - been doing that - same shaky results. Maybe rounding first will fix the shaking problem? Hope so. I'll report back with my next wooden pen and tell how it goes.

 

[Monty]

.....And instead of a scroll chuck, I'd look to your collet chuck. Provides support all the way around the piece as you are drilling. On a scroll chuck, you have to make sure you realign the piece with the correct jaws to recenter it. With a scroll chuck, not an issue. just spin the piece round between centers then go to the chuck. No curve.

Didn't you mean to say collet chuck that time???

 

[watch_art]

I think he did, too.

 

[Russianwolf]

.....And instead of a scroll chuck, I'd look to your collet chuck. Provides support all the way around the piece as you are drilling. On a scroll chuck, you have to make sure you realign the piece with the correct jaws to recenter it. With a scroll chuck, not an issue. just spin the piece round between centers then go to the chuck. No curve.

Didn't you mean to say collet chuck that time???

yup.

 

[Linarestribe]

That's interesting this came up. Just last night I drilled three blanks. I applied your technique of pulling the tail stock towards yourself. The first two(acrylic) drilled great, the best I've done yet. The last(wood) vibrated like crazy. Thanks for the tip on step drilling.

 

[watch_art]

Step drilling plus drilling hard and quick have done the trick for me.