Black sand cast in PR

[Stevej72]

I finally finished the pen that I ruined several of my tools on. I told about that in the following thread: http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=21926

I bought some black sand at Michael's and cast it in PR. It turned out that it is more abrasive than my grinding wheel. After a short time on the lathe the tip of my gouge was flat. I decided to run the lathe at about 500 rpm. Then I took my belt Sander with 80 grit sandpaper, and ran it until I was as close to the bushings as I dared. I finished shaping it with my skew, the tip of which was .040 when I finished.

After all that work it didn't turn out too bad, I don't think. I was hoping it would turn out completely black, but I guess when you cut into a piece of sand it isn't black inside.

 

[LostintheWoods]

VERY nice looking pen. In consideration of the wear and tear on your tools, however, I sure hope you didn't cast too much of it! (Or, if you did, possibly it would make a good prize in an "April Fools" Trivia quiz?) ......Just joking--that would be malicious!

 

[kent4Him]

I like the look, but I wouldn't do any more of them. That would definately make this a one of a kind. Now you can charge more for it. You'll need to so you can get some new gouges.

 

[JimGo]

That's pretty cool! It certainly looks nice; sorry 'bout the tools.

Hey, wait a minute, shouldn't your tools have gotten SHARPER, not more dull? I mean, if you're essentially running them on a grinder...

 

[tseger]

Steve, it turned out fantastic. Tim

 

[wudnhed]

Steve, what Tim said + beautiful!

 

[alxe24]

It is fabulous. That is a pen I would keep. Specially since your not making another one. Now you can offer the remaining blanks for sale [][)][]

 

[beathard]

KEEP THAT PEN... It will probably last forever... At least the turning will. []

 

[Mikey]

LOL, in 2,000 years someone will unearth it and finally figure out how we communicated.[]

I like it better with the specs instead of being all black.

 

[bananajeep]

Steve, the pen looks great.
Can I suggest something that might give you the same look. Take your tubes and coat them with sand of any color you want then cast then as you would when making snake skin blanks (see tutorial) and the turn those. The round curve of the finished pen with magnify the sand and it will appear to be completely filled with sand. This way you don't damage (dull) your tools and the finish will be like any plastic or acrylic blank. I did one with gold leaf on the tube (Sketch pencil). no picture right now, but it looks like the blank is entirely gold leaf (do you follow me?)


Mike

 

[Mikey]

Great idea. Of course, if someone could figure out how to crush PR into sand size particles, you could just make a PR pen of any color with "sand" embedded.

 

[guts]

Steve,I think it looks great,and I also like Mike's idea.

 

[Stevej72]

Hey everyone, thanks for all of the nice comments. Mike, that's it a really good idea, I'll give it a try.

 

[JimGo]

Originally posted by Mikey
<br />Great idea. Of course, if someone could figure out how to crush PR into sand size particles, you could just make a PR pen of any color with "sand" embedded.

That's what food processors are for!

 

[skiprat]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />

Originally posted by Mikey
<br />Great idea. Of course, if someone could figure out how to crush PR into sand size particles, you could just make a PR pen of any color with "sand" embedded.

That's what food processors are for!

Jim, didn't you get into serious doo doo for wrecking one of your wifes appliances not long ago. I think it was a blender?
If it was you, I dare you to have a go at the food processor[}]

 

[Stevej72]

I blew a hole through the side of a food processor not too long ago trying to chop up some wood scraps. I don't think I'll try that again.

 

[angboy]

Originally posted by bananajeep
<br />Steve, the pen looks great.
Can I suggest something that might give you the same look. Take your tubes and coat them with sand of any color you want then cast then as you would when making snake skin blanks (see tutorial) and the turn those. The round curve of the finished pen with magnify the sand and it will appear to be completely filled with sand. This way you don't damage (dull) your tools and the finish will be like any plastic or acrylic blank. I did one with gold leaf on the tube (Sketch pencil). no picture right now, but it looks like the blank is entirely gold leaf (do you follow me?)


Mike

Darn it, beaten again! And this time I really did have this brilliant idea I was going to share!

Very nice pen by the way!

 

[skiprat]

Originally posted by Stevej72
<br />I blew a hole through the side of a food processor not too long ago trying to chop up some wood scraps. I don't think I'll try that again.

Sorry Steve, I thought it was Jim[:I] My memory for names is useless, but I do remember laughing for days[]

 

[johncrane]

The finished pen looks good Steve! but way too much drama for me much easyier to cast the tube coated in sand' but you have ended up with a top finished pen' also if you have an aircompressor might pay you to blow out your lathe motor sand will kill it if it gets in.[]

 

[jjenk02]

Great looking pen, even if it was a pain in the a** to do.

 

[Tanner]

The pen looks fantastic!! It looks like a dark night sky filled with stars. [:0]

 

[Stevej72]

Tim, great description, I like it. My wife said, it figures that a one-of-a-kind would be a pen she really likes. I think I'll tell her if she lets me get a metal lathe, I could probably make some more.

 

[Ozzy]

Great looking pen, the white pieces really add to the look.

 

[rovercat]

Steve
That is one sharp piece of work.

 

[pendemonium]

Awesome Seirra. []