Spalted apple rollerball

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gomeral

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Joined
Dec 29, 2008
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220
Location
Apex, NC
This is the spalted wood I was complaining about the other day. I think I went through 2oz of thin CA on this thing, but it's done. It's probably the worst pen I've done so far, but it's complete and I can say that I salvaged the blank after having the massively OOR problem...

1_P1000498.jpg


The problems:

  1. So much CA, I glued the blanks to the bushings. Took a lot of effort to remove them (plier marks on the bushings, now) and BOTH tubes lost little chips when the bushings came out. One is hidden under the clip, the other is somewhere around the center band.
  2. The spalted sections are darkened, almost dirty looking. This is most likely due to sanding dust from both the blank itself (darker wood dust in lighter spalted sections) and dust from the bushings.
  3. The giant black band on the clip. Not that I can help that, but I think it would look better without it. :tongue:
Anyway, tear it up, guys. I know it's not hideous, but it's not my best work...


daniel
 
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jkeithrussell

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Oct 20, 2008
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1,277
The slimline pro would look a lot better if they would make a better clip and centerband for it. The idea behind the kit is great, but the way they put it together is not my favorite.

Your pen looks good. Sounds like you had work pretty hard for it.
 

wolftat

Product Reviews Manager
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
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Fairfield, CT, USA.
I like the way the pen looks. It is dark for apple, but I find that dark sells better. Try using just centers for sanding and finishing, it keeps the bushing safer.
 

gomeral

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Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
220
Location
Apex, NC
I like the way the pen looks. It is dark for apple, but I find that dark sells better. Try using just centers for sanding and finishing, it keeps the bushing safer.

Hmmmmm. I'm going to have to ponder this. It's hard for me to think how I'd sand to diameter without bushings to guide - just keep checking with calipers? As for finishing, I can't say I've got them coming for this line of pens, but Johnnycnc is working on some delrin between-center bushings for me for other lines. :cool:

Anyway, thanks for the encouragement. I'm going to try to knock out another batch of pens/pencils today (building inventory), maybe I'll see if I can't make more dark pens. :)


daniel
 

PaulDoug

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Joined
Mar 2, 2008
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3,488
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Benton City, WA.
Nice looking pen, in fact very nice.. When I get one stuck on the bushings, I carefully turn the glue off the bushings with a parting tool. Finishing on centers helps prevent this also.
 

bitshird

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Joined
Aug 27, 2007
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10,236
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Adamsville, TN, USA.
For all the problems you ran into, it looks pretty darned good, once in a while it does a person good to get beaten up bt a pen, I heard it makes some of us humble, :rolleyes:
 

stoneman

Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2007
Messages
481
Location
Waterbury, VT, USA.
Daniel,

I thinks the wood looks GREAT! Character welcome!!! I agree with you about the black band on the clip though, it would be better without it. I've had some success in skimming away the overflow CA from bushings with a parting tool. If careful, you can remove most of it so the blank will break free.
 
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areaman

Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2008
Messages
361
Location
Ft Morgan Colo
glad to hear someone else glues thier bushings to the mandrel. I did it this weekend, except I did not salvage the blank. nice looking pen and I think the black on the clip adds to it.
 
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