3 piles of saw dust :(

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Alzey

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Oct 9, 2011
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369
Location
Erwin, Tennessee
Tried to turn a few pens tonight now that I have a heater in my shop. First pen was a Black Walnut Euro. Turned to shape, put on my finishing bushings, !crack! bottom tube split end to end:mad:. Second was a Chechan Euro. Turned to shape, finished, wet sanded the finish cut right thought the CA:mad:. Round 3 was a Burl roadster. Finished clouded:mad:.

Oh well, put the tools away and take my scroll saw apart to see if I can figure out why it doesn't cut. No luck there either.

Pack up and go in the house and call it a night:mad:
 
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ctubbs

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Sep 12, 2010
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Murray, Kentucky
Well, at least you still have all the fingers you went into the shop with tonight and there is no more blood on the tools to cause rust. See, things could have been much worse. You made the right decision to hang it up and go watch some boring TV. Congratulations, way too often, I make the wrong one and continue to blow up stuff.
Charles
 

PenMan1

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Jul 8, 2009
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Eatonton, Georgia
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

You are now an EXPERIENCED pen maker. (experience is what you get when you don't get what you set out to do).

Been there, done that! In fact, that's why I'm on the computer right now. I've got a simple little project that's kicking my butt! TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY! Hang in there!
 

Haynie

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May 20, 2011
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Page Arizona
You have three piles of saw dust I have Two piles of True Stone shards and one of acrylic. Those piles were followed by two very successful pens over the next two days. So there is light on the other side.
 

Alzey

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Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
369
Location
Erwin, Tennessee
experience is what you get when you don't get what you set out to do

Experience is also what you get just after you need it :wink:

Well I went out again tonight and this time went 2 for 3. The 3rd one was cracked on the tube before I even got it to the lathe. Also, my collet came in the mail today so things are looking up.

Thanks for the encouragement
 

Sherwood95

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Dec 12, 2011
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Location
Northamptonshire
:highfive:I am new to this game and I have just managed to drill eight blanks split seven lose one in the shavings which I never found. Am I beaten no! drilled out some more hey presto everything is fine. Glued in the tubes and the blanks to my fingers.:curse: Finally released my fingers. Placed blanks on mandrel and finally got down to do some turning everything is looking good, dog barks blank explodes, kick the dog!!!!!!!!!!!:rolleyes: Start all over again. But I did finally get to turn my first pen!!!!. I didn't really kick the dog.:bananen_smilies051: SANY0081.JPG
 

Chris Bar

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Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
243
Location
Tennessee
If blank is splitting you might be drilling too fast, and/or not be stopping frequently to lift bit from work and cleaning, causing excessive heat. Or might be that the drill bit is the wrong size for the tube or dull. If the tube is inserted before the blank is cool, excessive stress can be applied to the blank. And some woods just like to split, ebony or snake wood, I hear.
Make sure glue is spread evenly all over the tube. Glue void could cause local stress concentrations and thus, be target location for a split.
 
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