My first homemade cast abalone blank

[brownsfn2]

I have been experimenting with casting lately and this is the first cast that I liked enough to post. I think that I still need to cut the strips more even and make sure the Gaps are uniform. I also made the cap strips larger than the barrell.

Please let me know what you think good or bad. I would like to improve upon this. I think I really need to nail cutting the strips. It is the hardest part in my opinion.

Thanks for looking.

 

[carlmorrell]

I am sort of in the middle of attempting the same thing myself. My failures have me put this project into the backburner.

I do have a nice way to accurately cut the strips. My problem is getting even placement on the tube. So how are you doing this? My approach was to make in indexing jig, allowing me to rotate the blank in even increments. Glueing them down one at a time.

I plan on getting back at this in a few weeks while I am on "vacation" (actually a mandatory vacation, more like a furlough).

tia, Carl

 

[Turned Around]

For the first one, that came out beautifully.
You did good with having the cap section. The larger strips make the overall pen look more symetrical to the size of the parts.

Where do you guys get your abalone pieces form?

 

[anthonyd]

Looks awesome.

Tony

 

[jsolie]

Beautiful pen! I really like it.

If I made a pen like that I think I would only get to use it for a short time until it gets confiscated by either my wife or daughter.

 

[brownsfn2]

Thanks for the kind words. My wife has already try to claim it but it is a fountain Pen so not for her.

 

[John Den]

Absolutely stunning workmanship.
Regards,
John

 

[thewishman]

Looks very good to me!

 

[JohnU]

Looks real good for being one of your first. The only thing I can think of for the gaps would be to cut your edges on a slight angle and not a straight cut. It should close up those gaps for you.

 

[Ligget]

Simply stunning! :glasses-cool:

 

[Jim15]

Looks great.

 

[Brooks803]

Great for a first try. Now that you've done it the next ones will be easier. I'm on the fence on the different sized strips.

 

[rhall_8]

It looks good to me!

 

[JP61]

:biggrin: I'm so new at this, I don't even know what you're talking about. But, the pen looks great! Nice job!

 

[brownsfn2]

Thanks all for the really kind words. I am going to work on another one tonight and see if I can perfect it more.

 

[Karl_99]

Very nice pen!!! I really like the colors...That one is a keeper, but good luck with that!!