PVC Prototype - Critiques Welcome

[C_Ludwigsen]

I don't know that I would call this "outside the box", but for me, it certainly means the box lid is open.

This is a prototype of a UT Vols pen for a friend of SWMBO. I made it to practice working with PVC material laminations and segmentations as well as trying to see what I can do beyond wood.

Your thoughts, questions, and critique are welcome. I have things I like and dislike about it, so I don't particularly need the flame-retardent suit for this one.

THE PHOTOGRAPHY SUCKS, I KNOW. That is not the subject of this posting. My already-cheap digital camera bit the dust and this was taken from a not-much-better digital video camera. Everything comes out kind of grainy with it.

Thanks for taking a look.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

nice, sharp segments, like the two tone as well. good job.

 

[Scott]

I like it! I would be proud to have it sitting in my pocket! Try it with a chrome kit next time and see if that makes any difference. The laminations look nice and tight. What did you use to glue them together?

Scott.

 

[alamocdc]

Looks good, Chuck. The only thing I can think of that would make it look better is if it were in the "real" UT colors. [}]

 

[airrat]

I think it looks great. its an eye catcher.

 

[JimGo]

Very cool laminations. The odd angles and everything really make that top barrel stand out!

 

[DCBluesman]

Any Vol would be proud to carry that one, Chuck. Excellent!

 

[WoodChucker]

Nice color combo and good looking pen!

 

[wdcav1952]

Nice work, but it would look a LOT better in purple and gold! GEAUX TIGERS! []

 

[Thumbs]

The "busy" top works so well with the plain bottom. It looks like modern art to me! Good modern art! Of course, I've recently offered some others here an example of how bad my eyes and perceptions are so take my praise for what it's worth![]

 

[swm6500]

Nice looking pen Chuck, looks more like a Texas Longhorn pen to me though.

 

[jvsank]

Nice pen Chuck I like it too.

 

[C_Ludwigsen]

Thanks everyone. Scott, I used medium CA to glue up. I had to hold it for a few seconds tight then hit it with CA. The wedges for the checkerboard are about as small (in width) as my hands could hold to cut on the scrollsaw. But I could have reduced the thickness (height) of each ring on the disk sander before laminating the next ring. I would like to get the checkerboard in 8 segments. I'll keep dreaming.

 

[Fleabit]

You have some nice pattern work going on at the top of the pen that I like. Overall, nice idea.

 

[MDWine]

definitely a looker!
nice job!

 

[Justin_F]

Good job! I love the irregular nature of the laminations. Also didnt think the photography was a problem. A pen turner is not necessarily a professional photographer! (I struggle with this myself!) Can you enlighten a humble Aussie as to your technique? jus.

 

[C_Ludwigsen]

Thanks guys,

Justin, the checkerboard pieces were cut on a scroll saw. I cut off a disk of white and one of orange, then cut the disks like a pizza into quarters. Sanded, switched, and glued the segments back into a disk and sanded one side flat. Then glued that back to the main blank, sanded the face of the first disk flat and square and glued on the second disk.

By cutting them in pie shaped pieces, the vertical seams remain aligned as I turned the pen to shape. That is, if the seems aligned from the beginning. I had one that did not.

Hope that helps. I'll have to fashion some type of jig if I am going to cut the wedges into 8ths.

 

[KKingery]

Pretty cool looking pen! Nice job on the laminations.

 

[jbyrd24]

Great looking pen
The segments look really sharp.[]

 

[atvrules1]

Nice job Chuck. Being firmly entrenched in the box, my only forays out are when I look at pics like this. It looks good, and the diagonal line really emphasises the checks. Keep with this line of thought for a little longer and let us see what else you come up with.