Extreme test of patience

[Drstrangefart]

I went through 5 different OTHER blanks before this one held together long enough to be finished. All I wanted to do was see what some of the more mundane wood I brought home yesterday looked like. It's extremely dry, and some of it was full of insect trails and packed sawdust. They just kept flying apart. I'm not super happy with this one, problems during assembly, so it will likely be given away or kept away from the general public.

 

[Jgrden]

Nice frog. You could name a Restaurant after it and call it the Blue Frog Inn. You should have these pens on display and sell them for $125.00. After three blue martinis you would have plenty of buyers.

Must be the meds. I'm on. All legal.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Nice frog. You could name a Restaurant after it and call it the Blue Frog Inn. You should have these pens on display and sell them for $125.00. After three blue martinis you would have plenty of buyers.

Must be the meds. I'm on. All legal.

The all legal meds got me in SOOOOOO much trouble. That being said, I like how the colors work together, and I'm planning on trying again. Probably gonna stabilize the stuff close to the barrel before turning down to sanding size.

 

[firewhatfire]

did you make the frog decal? I like the way it looks.

Phil

 

[Gary Beasley]

I went through 5 different OTHER blanks before this one held together long enough to be finished. All I wanted to do was see what some of the more mundane wood I brought home yesterday looked like. It's extremely dry, and some of it was full of insect trails and packed sawdust. They just kept flying apart. I'm not super happy with this one, problems during assembly, so it will likely be given away or kept away from the general public.

You probably need to run thin CA through the drilled hole like I do for the spalted sweetgum and the pinecone so the glue on the tube will grab the blank good. I think this soft stuff sucks up the glue so fast theres not enough left to hold the tube when it finally sets up. After that theres nothing left to hold the blank together when stressed.
I brought some dead sycamore root home from the Arkansas trip thats going to be a similar problem, stuff is just this side of rotten. I think it's going to have some interesting colors.

 

[Drstrangefart]

did you make the frog decal? I like the way it looks.

Phil

Didn't make it. It came on a sheet of stickers from Hobby Lobby.

 

[Write Inc. Pens]

Great colors! It's inspiring!

 

[robutacion]

I went through 5 different OTHER blanks before this one held together long enough to be finished. All I wanted to do was see what some of the more mundane wood I brought home yesterday looked like. It's extremely dry, and some of it was full of insect trails and packed sawdust. They just kept flying apart. I'm not super happy with this one, problems during assembly, so it will likely be given away or kept away from the general public.

I like the combination you've got there, the colours and decal are a good match BUT, and allow me to give you some positive criticism, after all, you are one of the few that is doing great and lots of work in a short period of time so, my suggestions are merely to bring your attention to certain details that will determine if your pens sell for a good price or not and that is, your lack of attention to detail.

You need to improve your finishes (CA) and you need to take more attention to the shapes/irregularities of your barrels and the over or under turned/sanded on your bushings, this will "negate" top price for your pens, in locations/places (markets/shops, etc...!) by those with some knowledge on pen making.

One of the negative sides of taken "clear" pictures is that, they show everything, the good and the not so good bits, with this particular pen, the barrels are very wobbly turned and the barrels are too thin at the metal fittings.

Please, don't take it in any other way than to what is intended, there is of no help to you to keep saying, good stuff/nice pen, etc, etc..., someone has to take the risk to be called as ******* and point out the areas you need to improve or that extra care with. No one was born perfect, we all get better with time...! (well..., suppose to!:wink:biggrin:

Cheers
George

 

[Drstrangefart]

I went through 5 different OTHER blanks before this one held together long enough to be finished. All I wanted to do was see what some of the more mundane wood I brought home yesterday looked like. It's extremely dry, and some of it was full of insect trails and packed sawdust. They just kept flying apart. I'm not super happy with this one, problems during assembly, so it will likely be given away or kept away from the general public.

I like the combination you've got there, the colours and decal are a good match BUT, and allow me to give you some positive criticism, after all, you are one of the few that is doing great and lots of work in a short period of time so, my suggestions are merely to bring your attention to certain details that will determine if your pens sell for a good price or not and that is, your lack of attention to detail.

You need to improve your finishes (CA) and you need to take more attention to the shapes/irregularities of your barrels and the over or under turned/sanded on your bushings, this will "negate" top price for your pens, in locations/places (markets/shops, etc...!) by those with some knowledge on pen making.

One of the negative sides of taken "clear" pictures is that, they show everything, the good and the not so good bits, with this particular pen, the barrels are very wobbly turned and the barrels are too thin at the metal fittings.

Please, don't take it in any other way than to what is intended, there is of no help to you to keep saying, good stuff/nice pen, etc, etc..., someone has to take the risk to be called as ******* and point out the areas you need to improve or that extra care with. No one was born perfect, we all get better with time...! (well..., suppose to!:wink:biggrin:

Cheers
George

No offense taken, dude. The only reason that pen was finished at all was because it took SO MUCH to get to that point. I gave it to a friend who loves it. The fit is kind of deceptive, it looks kinda off, but it feels like a clean fit. I'm currently at work learning how to get bushing to bushing slimlines without the wood shattering. I do know there's problems there. I also need to replace my micromesh pads pretty badly. It makes it kinda hard to build up layers and clean up the rough spots. I'm getting better results than I probably SHOULD considering the limitations of the tools I do own and my lack of available money to spend on the hobby.

 

[robutacion]

No offense taken, dude. The only reason that pen was finished at all was because it took SO MUCH to get to that point. I gave it to a friend who loves it. The fit is kind of deceptive, it looks kinda off, but it feels like a clean fit. I'm currently at work learning how to get bushing to bushing slimlines without the wood shattering. I do know there's problems there. I also need to replace my micromesh pads pretty badly. It makes it kinda hard to build up layers and clean up the rough spots. I'm getting better results than I probably SHOULD considering the limitations of the tools I do own and my lack of available money to spend on the hobby.

No problems, dude...!

Slimlines aren't the easiest things to turn, they're long and very thin, both tube and material "dressing" the tube, particularly if the shape/design follow the typical "slim figure"...!

Working with all sorts of limitation such as equipment/tools and financial inability to get the "best gear", is more common that you may think among pen turners and many woodworkers in general. The ability to excel from such limitations, show dedication, perseverance, imagination, improvisation skill and talent.

You get these right now and the better tools/equipment, only will "accentuate" your skills and talent but if they are not there to start with, no equipment or tools regardless how good they are and or famous brand they may have, will not help you that much...!

A "good", well equipped work-shop, can take many, many years to built, shame that most of us by the time we have everything in there, we are too old to enjoy it and/or not being able to take full advantage of what we have...!:frown:

Be patient, you will get there...!:wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George

 

[Drstrangefart]

No offense taken, dude. The only reason that pen was finished at all was because it took SO MUCH to get to that point. I gave it to a friend who loves it. The fit is kind of deceptive, it looks kinda off, but it feels like a clean fit. I'm currently at work learning how to get bushing to bushing slimlines without the wood shattering. I do know there's problems there. I also need to replace my micromesh pads pretty badly. It makes it kinda hard to build up layers and clean up the rough spots. I'm getting better results than I probably SHOULD considering the limitations of the tools I do own and my lack of available money to spend on the hobby.

No problems, dude...!

Slimlines aren't the easiest things to turn, they're long and very thin, both tube and material "dressing" the tube, particularly if the shape/design follow the typical "slim figure"...!

Working with all sorts of limitation such as equipment/tools and financial inability to get the "best gear", is more common that you may think among pen turners and many woodworkers in general. The ability to excel from such limitations, show dedication, perseverance, imagination, improvisation skill and talent.

You get these right now and the better tools/equipment, only will "accentuate" your skills and talent but if they are not there to start with, no equipment or tools regardless how good they are and or famous brand they may have, will not help you that much...!

A "good", well equipped work-shop, can take many, many years to built, shame that most of us by the time we have everything in there, we are too old to enjoy it and/or not being able to take full advantage of what we have...!:frown:

Be patient, you will get there...!:wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George

Indeed. All I'm really focused on is doing better than I did on the last pen I turned. I'm fuming right now. I put together a black knot in a white & gold Brooks blank, and it totally went to failure AFTER covering 3 fingers in CA while trying to keep it glued together. Apparently, PR REALLY hates CA.

 

[patmurris]

If you turn soft/punky wood, you really need to use a lot of CA at all stages (before drilling, inside the hole(s), while turning...) and (very important) sharp tools taking light cuts.

You may also want to use epoxy glue for the tubes - CA is not that great for that part.