Fransiscan Cork

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Jgrden

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Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Now this one came out balanced and proportioned properly. The wood came from Mr. Howard and is Bethlehem Olive. This one may be a keeper.
Pens - 3-10-11 Fransican Cork Bethliham Wood 1.jpg

Pens - 3-10-11 Fransican Cork Bethliham Wood 2.jpg

Pens - 3-10-11 Fransican Cork Bethliham Wood 3.jpg

Pens - 3-10-11 Fransican Cork Bethliham Wood 4.jpg

Pens - 3-10-11 Fransican Cork Bethliham Wood 5.jpg:laugh:
 
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robutacion

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Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Hi John,

You're making some very nice pens out of the vine corks and I think that the only think I see that I would try to improve on, is the "undulations/corrugations" on the cork surface.

I know how impossible is to do any better with CA or any other regular finishes but, I have a solution that you could try if you want, something that I tried and use successfully in a few pens I made out of cork. Some where all cork, other were half cork and half wood, as yours.

This means that the method I'm going to share with you and everyone else, is applicable on any base material and you have the option of leaving it as is, there is the very gloss/glass type finish or you can use this method and product just to level the cork surface and then cut the gloss down and finish with same way as you do the other wooden part of the pen, making both barrels look/have the same finish/shine.

This product is used in many other applications and I can tell you it can be a messy job and a nightmare to work with if you don't know the basics and ways to void the runs due to the heavy coat this material requires to work so, here we go...!

The product is know as clear liquid gloss or liquid glass, normally a 2 part mix with a curing time of about 2 hours (depending of circumstances and size/volume.).

*- Put the ready to coat pen barrel in between centers with those plastic conical bushings, the same used by many to apply the CA on the barrels.

*- Protect the busing with a bit of masking tape, just in case...!

*- Protect you lathe base/table with some news paper (drippings, etc...!)

*- Mix the 2 part product (liquid gloss/glass) for what you are doing, 1, 2 or more barrels if you use a mandrels or a longer rod where you can fit as many barrels as the table of of lathe allows (between head-stock and tail stock).

*- Use a small disposable brush or anything you want to cover "GENEROUSLY" your pen barrel(s). If only one barrel at the time, you can do this with the lathe turned OFF, just by rotating the blank as you go manually. If more than 2 blanks, you need to do this with the lathe turning on the slowest possible speed, or have someone rotating manually the blanks as you coat them.

*- Make sure that is no dust in the area you are doing this or make sure you aren't going to blow the air gun to clean saw dust, near the lathe as the thick layer of this stuff will grab any rubbish flying around.

*- THIS ONLY WORK IF YOUR LATHE IS CAPABLE OF SPEEDS BELLOW 200 RPM...!

Liquid Glass/Gloss, is a SELF LEVELING product that will cure slowly (about 2 hours to surface touch) but is hard as rock when fully cured, in about 14 days. This doesn't mean that you have to wait 14 days to either sell the pen, if it keeps that finish (very deep gloss) or if you want to rub the gloss off with some fine sandpaper and then do your normal CA stages, 1 week of leaving it alone after you coat it with the liquid gloss/glass, is sufficient to make the sale or sand the gloss out and refinish with CA.

While this product is much "easier" to use on flat surfaces, doesn't mean that even flat surfaces wouldn't need some preparation and this is what makes lots of people failing in achieving any good results with it.

The total thickness of the pen barrel is not a lot different than 15 to 20 coats of medium CA and while with the wood one can reduce its size to compensate of the extra thickness, particularly if the wanted result is a flat level to the bushings, with the cork and is cases where the printed surface can't the cut down, using the shape you are making, it wouldn't make any difference and you would see a uniform surface in the whole cork piece.

It is most important, even crucial that the pen barrel(s) is/are mounted in a slow rotating action, until the product hardens at surface level (within 2 hours depending of room temperature), otherwise it will run down and mess everything, spoiling the wanted finish. In cold areas/places, this drying process can be accelerated with the use of a hot air gun, hot blow gun or even a heater positioned at a safe distance. Using these heating accessories, safe distance is, when you can keep your hand close to the pen blank and keep it there without any risk of overheating or burning.

Off-course, this is my suggestion and method used to self level surfaces such as the cork and others, is all up to you if you want to try it or not, I'm OK either way...!

I hope that I can help you or someone with this information...!

Take care and be safe, don't forget the fun part, either...!:wink:

Cheers
George
 

corian king

Member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
1,644
Location
chesapeake va
Hello John!! Another nice looking pen Sir!! you know my daughter has brought me about 150 corks from the resturant she manages.I have manged to turn 2 corker pens out of them.What I am finding is that most of the corks are only 2in long and I haven't decided how to fill in that 1/4in needed as a add on.I'll give it a try sooner or later.Anyway John!! keep up the great work!!!
JIM
 

Jgrden

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
6,287
Location
hOUSTON, Texas
Hello John!! Another nice looking pen Sir!! you know my daughter has brought me about 150 corks from the resturant she manages.I have manged to turn 2 corker pens out of them.What I am finding is that most of the corks are only 2in long and I haven't decided how to fill in that 1/4in needed as a add on.I'll give it a try sooner or later.Anyway John!! keep up the great work!!!
JIM
Jim; consider this: use a left over piece of a complimenting wood as a spacer from the cork to the clip end. I need to taper the size down from the cork to the clip end anyway and this spacer would allow you to do this. A colorful acrylic sometimes accents another part of the pen. I want a picture of your work. Also, another IAP member got me started on using the HOT CA as a cover to the cork. It works. More practice will eliminate the bumps it is leaving, but heck, I like it.

John
 
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