Been awhile...

[Draken]

With moving/expanding my work shop, it has been awhile since I've been able to turn and post some pen photos. Here are two new ones just off the lathe. Thanks for looking, and all comments good or bad welcomed.

First up is my first corncob pen.

Up next is a Mother of Pearl Sierra. I changed the kit that came with the blank, felt this Black Ti/Platinum one looked better.

Cheers,
Draken

Edit in: These are the first photos taken with my new light tent, so I'm still working that out. Any suggestions along those lines welcome as well.

 

[kiddo]

Wow James! Those are cool!

I'm curious about the Mother of Perl one. Is it somehow textured or is that reflections from inside the pen?

Either way, Neat!

 

[pete00]

everything looks purpleish......how ever the pearl is looking goood....

 

[huntersilver]

very nice pens, good job[]

 

[Draken]

The corncob was dyed purple, but the color does look a bit "off" on the MOP one, will need to play around with the light tent and camera some more.

The MOP is the blank sold by AS and WC. You are seeing the texture from inside the pen. The MOP is glued to the tubes and cast in acrylic resin. It is sold ready to turn, including the kit, but I swapped out the kit for a different look. The surface of the MOP blank is smooth, just like any other acrylic pen.

Thanks for the comments!

Now that I think about it, the background in the second photo is only a small swatch of green fabric. It was laid on top of the red swoop that came with the tent. Some of the off color may be from that.

Cheers,
Draken

 

[Woodlvr]

I made the same MOP in the same pen that you did. I cannot seem to get pictures on here yet but still trying. Great looking pens. Keep up the great work.[]

Mike

 

[ctwxlvr]

Great looking pens

 

[JimGo]

Very nice James! I especially like the corn cob - the colors are awesome.

 

[jaywood1207]

The pens look great. What did you use to colour the corn cob?

 

[wudnhed]

Beautiful pens!

 

[johnnycnc]

Nice pens,both look great.[]

 

[chigdon]

Those look great.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

beautiful work, that has to be about the prettiest corncob cigar I have seen to date.

 

[jedgerton]

Does that corn cob light the room? They both look great but that corn cob seems to have its own power source!

John

 

[Jim15]

Very nice pens.

 

[Ozzy]

They both look great. I really like that corn cob pen, that purple looks cool.

 

[johncrane]

very nice pens there Draken![]

 

[byounghusband]

James,
What did you use to dye the Corn Cob? And at what point in the process di dyou dye it?

I really like that Corn Cob pen. I would like to see the MOP with the colors cleaned up. Looks good, but I'll bet it looks better in person.[]

 

[Draken]

Thanks all. The purple corncob is a bit darker in person, or I'm just looking at it under different lighting conditions. I dyed it with Dynaflow dyes used for fabric/silk. I turned it, sanded it, dyed it, let it dry several days, then many coats of lacquer to fill in some of the voids in the corncob. The dyes came from Michaels or AcMoore, they come in a pack of eight colors. I did two passes of the dye to get the intensity that I wanted. First coat was a bit light.

Cheers,
Draken

 

[MDWine]

I really like that corn cob, PURPLE is excellent!!
See your email!

 

[alxe24]

They both look great. I am wondering where did you get the Mother of Pearl. That is one nice blank.
Could you share?
Thanks

 

[BigRob777]

James,
Very nice. Save that corn cob pen for Elizabeth. Honestly, I'm not huge on unnaturally purple pens, but that color and the way you cast it and turned it is spectacular. Really POPS!!! I have yet to try mine from Johnny.
Rob

 

[Draken]

Originally posted by alxe24
<br />They both look great. I am wondering where did you get the Mother of Pearl. That is one nice blank.
Could you share?
Thanks

The Mother of Pearl blanks can be purchased from Arizona Silhouette or Woodcraft. Either place, they came with a pen kit, usually gold. I swapped out the kit for the plat/Blk Ti as I felt it would look better.

Rob, I'd save it for Elizabeth, but she already has a pen made just for her, and engraved with her name. She received it for her second birthday.

Just need to figure out what color to choose for my next corncob pen. []

Cheers,
Draken