It Didn't Include the Kitchen Sink...But Close

[JD Combs Sr]

Just under it.

Purchased one those under-sink water hoses with the stainless steel braid covering to get the covering. Cut one end off of it with a hacksaw then cut about 3" piece off the hose,


worked the braid off of the rubber, tied it with some small wire around a Wall Street II pen tube which I had painted white then cast the whole thing in clear Alumilite. Turned it between centers, applied 4 coats of CA(Alumilite doesn't shine like PR) then polished it with Micro Mesh starting with 2400 then thru 12000.


Assembled it to the rest of the WSII components and wah-lah a stainless steel Wall Street II PENCIL. Didn't have any pens and this 0.5mm pencil had been lying in a drawer for a couple years so I though I would use it.


Some processing comments:
A question, has anyone here on the IAP turned SS braid before. I would like to find out if there is a better way to work with it then the way I had to. I plan on turning the rest of that hose braid into pens. Thought I would try some lightly tinted Alumilite, like say give the SS blue or read tint and see what it looks like.
That stuff is tough. Would never have made it through the process without my carbide tools. It ate my HSS tools alive.

Right off the bat got a big catch with my HSS parting tool trying to take the ends down to the tube ends to square it up. (sometimes I square on/with the lathe rather then a pen mill) Finally got it done with a carbide square scraper. Was holding the casting in my scroll chuck so the catch took a large hunk out of the Alumilite clear down to the braid. Found the piece and super glued it back in place. Very next touch the same piece went flying again. Took a different tack this time. Filled the exposed braid area with thick CA and hit with accelerator. After about three layers of this I had clear acrylic back above the bushing line. Took it a lot easier from then on, no more catches, got the ends squared, went to BTC bushings then turned it as pictured above and the line between the Alumilite and the CA fill is invisible

.

A little closer look.


Thanks for looking and C&C welcomed.

 

[Dale Allen]

That looks amazing JD. I guess there is only your imagination to limit the possibilities.

The only thing I have ever been able to cut SS braid with is a good pair of aviation snips.
However, that won't help here.
I'd say if you could try to shear it somehow it may be better.
If you could cut the ends clean with aviation snips, maybe there wouldn't be the need to trim it much on the ends. But then what do I know about casting blanks? Nothin really.
Great looking pen though.

 

[jttheclockman]

I have done quite afew metal braided pens. Here are a few.

Here is a SS Jr Gent I made for a client.

I use various methods to cut and trim the ends. Here are some blanks I made using a carbide pen mill.

I probably cast my blanks alot differently than others but it works for me. I use a good pair of aviation snipes to cut close to the tube after I glued the braid to the tube. I then cast in PR nothing else. I also use chrome tubes instead of white. It would look a whole lot better. You could have tried black if you wanted to go the painted way. I Just do not trust a sleeve on a painted tube. I would powdercoat if I wanted a painted tube on a sleeved pen. You can pick those cameleon tubes up very cheap.

As I said I have used a carbide trimmer at times and I also use my grinder wheel at times. I have a Tormek sharpener and made a jig to let me use the side of the wheel to grind the bulk off. I then switch to my lathe and use sandpaper made for sanding metals. I have a flat faceplate that I attach the sandpaper and in the tailstock I use the pen punches that fit the size of the tube in a drill chuck. This works great too.

As far as coloring the resin, yes it has been done. Do a search on stainless steel braiding pens and you will get more info that can help. Good luck.

They do make for a great looking and sharp pen. Great sellers for me.

 

[ericofpendom]

Hi JD, great pen. I had similar problems when trimming back to the tube with the SS braid. I have just received 5mtrs of braided Tinned Copper that looks identical to the SS and is a lot cheaper than the tap connector hoses. I am hoping that it will be a lot easier to cut as it is softer than SS. I will post pics when done.

Eric...

 

[rizaydog]

Very nice pen. Great idea.

 

[jttheclockman]

Hi JD, great pen. I had similar problems when trimming back to the tube with the SS braid. I have just received 5mtrs of braided Tinned Copper that looks identical to the SS and is a lot cheaper than the tap connector hoses. I am hoping that it will be a lot easier to cut as it is softer than SS. I will post pics when done.

Eric...

JD I did not mean to hijack your post with my photos. I just wanted you to see that I have done these and hopefully can give abit of advice. Your pen came out well. Hopefully the next one will be even better. We all learn from our mistakes. Just another bit of advice, now that you got one end of that hose cut, just cut off the other end the same way with a hack saw and pull that white plastic hose out. Now you have the ss flex. It will not unravel. Like I said I now cut that with aviation snips. Listen if you come up with a good idea for that inner hose, let me know. I have a ton of it. :embarrassed:



Eric

I have used the tinned copper braiding and yes it is a whole lot easier to work with. The down side is that that material when cast is not as bright as what JD is using. Also the braiding design pattern is more compact. The water hose is shinier because there is a coating on it already. But you are right it is alot easier to cut because it is softer. Also you won't have to worry about the tube showing because that braiding is alot more dense than the waterhose. Just a matter of choice I guess. Good luck to both of you.

 

[panamag8or]

Sooo... saw this, dashed out to the garage, and now I have a bullet tube and a WSII tube sitting in the mold, waiting for Jen to cast them. I only hope they end up as nice as all the others in this thread. I love this place!

 

[Bgibson]

Those pens look amazing... I have yet to cast anything but this looks like it may be my first casting project.

 

[JD Combs Sr]

That looks amazing JD. I guess there is only your imagination to limit the possibilities. The only thing I have ever been able to cut SS braid with is a good pair of aviation snips. However, that won't help here. I'd say if you could try to shear it somehow it may be better. If you could cut the ends clean with aviation snips, maybe there wouldn't be the need to trim it much on the ends. But then what do I know about casting blanks? Nothin really.
Great looking pen though.

Aviation snips is the tool I am using after the initial hack-sawing of the fitting off the end and cutting a piece to length. I use the snips to trim it up and eliminate stray wires. I will post a pic of my casting setup to show how I am fasting the braiding on the tube until it is cast.

I have done quite afew metal braided pens. Here are a few... ...I probably cast my blanks alot differently than others but it works for me... ...I also use chrome tubes instead of white... ...I Just do not trust a sleeve on a painted tube. I would powdercoat if I wanted a painted tube on a sleeved pen. You can pick those cameleon tubes up very cheap.

Loved all of these. Not sure how I missed them if they were posted in their own thread. Gives me some great inspiration. I will be getting me some of the chrome tubes but I think black will look great also. Been wanting to get a powder-coat setup for my rifle casings now I have another reason. (some refer to this hobby as a vortex but I think money pit is more accurate.)

Cameleon tubes, is that another term for the chrome tubes, haven't heard that term, can you elaborate?
JDC

As I said I have used a carbide trimmer at times and I also use my grinder wheel at times. I have a Tormek sharpener and made a jig to let me use the side of the wheel to grind the bulk off. I then switch to my lathe and use sandpaper made for sanding metals. I have a flat faceplate that I attach the sandpaper and in the tailstock I use the pen punches that fit the size of the tube in a drill chuck. This works great too.

As far as coloring the resin, yes it has been done. Do a search on stainless steel braiding pens and you will get more info that can help. Good luck...

Thanks John, in the photos, except for the copper, is the various coloring the result of the resin color?

Hi JD, great pen. I had similar problems when trimming back to the tube with the SS braid. I have just received 5mtrs of braided Tinned Copper that looks identical to the SS and is a lot cheaper than the tap connector hoses. I am hoping that it will be a lot easier to cut as it is softer than SS. I will post pics when done.
Eric...

Thanks Eric, I was wondering what tinned copper braid might look like. Looking forward to see your first post using it. Definitely should be easier to work with.

Very nice pen. Great idea.

Thanks Ray, to bad the idea isn't mine originally. :redface:

JD I did not mean to hijack your post with my photos. I just wanted you to see that I have done these and hopefully can give abit of advice. Your pen came out well. Hopefully the next one will be even better. We all learn from our mistakes. Just another bit of advice, now that you got one end of that hose cut, just cut off the other end the same way with a hack saw and pull that white plastic hose out. Now you have the ss flex. It will not unravel. Like I said I now cut that with aviation snips. Listen if you come up with a good idea for that inner hose, let me know. I have a ton of it. :embarrassed:
Eric, I have used the tinned copper braiding... ...Good luck to both of you.

Thanks John, don't worry I didn't consider the pics a highjacking, some great looking inspiration as far as I am concerned. On the hose I am thinking I will leave the hose in the unused section, it will help prevent any accidental damage to the braid until I get ready for it and it helps support cutting the braid to length with a hacksaw. Also thanks for the info on the tinned copper, I was looking to source some of it but will probably stick to the SS now.

Sooo... saw this, dashed out to the garage, and now I have a bullet tube and a WSII tube sitting in the mold, waiting for Jen to cast them. I only hope they end up as nice as all the others in this thread. I love this place!

+1 on loving this place. Hope I don't miss your postings.

 

[JD Combs Sr]

Those pens look amazing... I have yet to cast anything but this looks like it may be my first casting project.

Thanks Bob, looking forward to comparing notes.

 

[jttheclockman]

JD

I posted these about a year ago or so when I started making them. As far as color goes they are all natural. From left to right: braided brass, braided stainless, braided copper, braided chrome.

Cameleon tubes is just a term used by a few companies. All that means is they come in white, black, chrome, black chrome and brass.

I will post 2 photos. The Sierra has the silver tined braided copper wire. The Jr Gent as posted has the Stainless. Yes they look very similar. Like I said though the copper is more dense so no see through holes and is not as shiny as the water pipe. Not sure if you can make out the difference in the photos. I do not have the Sierra any more because I have stricly went to making Stainless Steel. I also do a few other braided types too. I do not like to post my photos in your post but I am glad you understand why I did it. Keep up the good work. Casting is fun.


One other note that I just noticed. In the first photos (with the 4 pens) the stainless shown was actually braiding I had gotten from a different source. There was someone on another forum that started using the waterpipe hose and that is what I now strickly use and do not use the other SS braiding. The difference between the 2 is the water hose has a clear coating on it for protection from corrosion as the other did not thus that too was abit duller than this stuff, plus was even harder to work with.