I Hate It When That Happens!

[Jim in Oakville]

Hi,

I turned my first two double solid ended pens today. I was going for the "No CLip" look!


Anyway, I sized and drilled these two very carefully so I would not loose the blanks. These are both celluloid blanks from CS. With little to spare I actually used waste blocks glued to each cap and body end to avoid wasting any precious waste of the celluloid (I think I had a hair over 1/8 to spare on each cap and each body.

Well the good news is that it worked...the bad news is that I cracked the red one when pressing the pen body together.

I think that I was close on dimensions, just pressed to hard..

The Aqua one came out fine, just not sold on my shape for the cap yet...hmmm...comments??

Critiques are most welcome...


Thanks!!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Your shapes are fine, look real good. Clipless? I dunno. I'm a pen in pocket type myself. But OK for purse pens, at least that's what I call a Baron I made without a clip. (destroyed it on another project) [] Your choice of material is not my choice of material. You should have used wood, it never cracks. []

 

[LanceD]

I like the shape of the crimson celluloid more than the Caribbean swirl [].
Sorry about the red one cracking. Don't feel too bad, I just pressed the cap in on a snakeskin Sierra and the glue separated from the tube and left a whitish splotch.

 

[vick]

The red one is beautiful, sorry to hear about the crack. The blue one the cap shape does not do it for me but I like the body shape. Just an opinion but I like it when the curve is at similiar angles on the body and cap for double solid bodies. I have a theory thought that even if you do not like it someone out their may still think it is the best they have ever seen.

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by Rifleman
<br />Your shapes are fine, look real good. Clipless? I dunno. I'm a pen in pocket type myself. But OK for purse pens, at least that's what I call a Baron I made without a clip. (destroyed it on another project) [] Your choice of material is not my choice of material. You should have used wood, it never cracks. []

Hi Frank,

I actually did envision these as purse pens, so that is the same as you saw. I plan on trying out some wood in my next trial.

Thanks for your comments..[]

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by LanceD
<br />I like the shape of the crimson celluloid more than the Caribbean swirl [].
Sorry about the red one cracking. Don't feel too bad, I just pressed the cap in on a snakeskin Sierra and the glue separated from the tube and left a whitish splotch.

Thanks Lance,

I too liked the crimson one better, wel I did till it cracked!

I had a better cap going on the Caribbean till I had a catch then I tried to salvage the shape..it's not a good match.

I have never turned snake skin, part of me just can't pick it up!![:0][:0]

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by vick
<br />The red one is beautiful, sorry to hear about the crack. The blue one the cap shape does not do it for me but I like the body shape. Just an opinion but I like it when the curve is at similiar angles on the body and cap for double solid bodies. I have a theory thought that even if you do not like it someone out their may still think it is the best they have ever seen.

Thanks for your comments Vick, I agree with you...the cap does not really compliment the body. I like a rounded solid end, on this one I went for the flare look like so many people are turning...it was neat...I tried the same look on the cap, and then on the "Money Cut" I had a catch...so here's hoping it finds a good home someday...Thanks for your honest comments
[]

 

[Dan]

Jim, gorgeous work, as always - I love the materials, just not the silver pen kit - I think gold would've been the better choice in either case. Silver is best for the darkest materials IMHO. There's just not enough contrast.

Dan
Unionville, VA

 

[PenWorks]

Hhhmmmm, I don't like the red one. Looking at the cap, reminds my of Ryans banged up thumb. [] JMO.
I like the shape and color of the blue one, I think that looks good.
Nice work JIm, sorry about the crack. I would take that off your hands, but I allready have about 5 dozen cracked ones []

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by PenWorks
<br />Hhhmmmm, I don't like the red one. Looking at the cap, reminds my of Ryans banged up thumb. [] JMO.
I like the shape and color of the blue one, I think that looks good.
Nice work JIm, sorry about the crack. I would take that off your hands, but I allready have about 5 dozen cracked ones []

Thanks Anthony...I appreciate the honest feed back...[][]

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by Dan
<br />Jim, gorgeous work, as always - I love the materials, just not the silver pen kit - I think gold would've been the better choice in either case. Silver is best for the darkest materials IMHO. There's just not enough contrast.

Dan
Unionville, VA

Hi Dan....that is a good point! I would not have considered that...Thank You!

 

[btboone]

I agree with Anthony on this one. I like the color and shape of the blue one a little better than the red one. I think the cap could even be less curved and still work nicely with the body that's more curved. I love that blue material!

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by btboone
<br />I agree with Anthony on this one. I like the color and shape of the blue one a little better than the red one. I think the cap could even be less curved and still work nicely with the body that's more curved. I love that blue material!

Thanks for the critique Bruce,

I see it now, a sore thumb... I love the potential of these pens..

[][]

 

[DWK5150]

Jim,

I like the shape of the blue one not to sure about the red but I have always prefered myself to have the clip so you can carry the pen in your pocket. Maybe try to put a hidden clip or something on them to keep the clean look as bes toyou can.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by vick
<br />...I have a theory thought that even if you do not like it someone out their may still think it is the best they have ever seen.

Blue one is one of the prettiest that have seen and I very much like the silver with the blue!! Might have been OK with the black titanium; but a gold kit would not be my preference.(That is why they make cars in more than one Color!!) Can't quite figure out if I like the round cap with the flared barrel or not.....I think I do??

The shape of the red one is OK, too, when in writing mode; with the cap on it looks funny to me somehow....can't quite put my finger on it?

 

[wayneis]

Jim I'd say that you have a real nice start there. The blue is one of my favorite colors out there, the red has not been popular with me because they always look like there is a band aid inside the blank. LOL One tip, well actually two tips. First I personally like it when the ends match up, if you are going to have a rounded end on the cap it seems to me that it looks better to have a rounded end on the bottom barrel as well. But thats my opinion. Second is that I have found, the hard way I might add that if you ream the tubes out just before you assemble the pen so that you can press in the parts by hand you pretty much eliminate cracks and busted blanks, also helps to reduce the cussing in the shop. I just take a drill bit and wrap a piece of sand paper around it and sand the inside of the tube then press in the part with a touch of ca if needed. I do this to all of my closed end pens now.

Wayne

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Originally posted by wayneis
<br />Jim I'd say that you have a real nice start there. The blue is one of my favorite colors out there, the red has not been popular with me because they always look like there is a band aid inside the blank. LOL One tip, well actually two tips. First I personally like it when the ends match up, if you are going to have a rounded end on the cap it seems to me that it looks better to have a rounded end on the bottom barrel as well. But thats my opinion. Second is that I have found, the hard way I might add that if you ream the tubes out just before you assemble the pen so that you can press in the parts by hand you pretty much eliminate cracks and busted blanks, also helps to reduce the cussing in the shop. I just take a drill bit and wrap a piece of sand paper around it and sand the inside of the tube then press in the part with a touch of ca if needed. I do this to all of my closed end pens now.

Wayne

Thanks Wayne, That is a GREAT tip!!

I appreciate your honest feedback, I do respect the symetry in a piece is appealing when closed too, working on the potential design options here is very liberating!
[]

 

[TheHeretic]

The blue one is decent pen but my first thougth of it is that it has round on one end and squared on the other. That just doesnt go well at least to me. It may just be me in the ends like that but that to me would need to work out a bit. I do like the rounded of the cap a lot so I guess it would mean a rounding of the base to some what match it.

Just my 2c worth.


Dean
Columbus OH

 

[MDWine]

I think them's both right purty!
I like'm!