Can I salvage it?

[carlor]

Hi folks,

I'm working on a Majestic Jr in Amboyna burl. As I was turning it round a bit chipped of one of the ends. Being the, uhm, "frugal" person I am, I'd like to try to save it.

It came off the short barrel which I believe is the cap. I figure I'd need to trim no more than 1/8th of an inch to get past the bare brass tube. Would that affect the fit of the components?

Thanks,

Carlo.

 

[jcm71]

Need a picture.

 

[cal91666]

Lay all your parts out on the workbench and see how much room you need in the cap for the nib. Also consider your clip length making sure it stays on the cap length.

 

[carlor]

Need a picture.

I hope this helps.


Thanks,

Carlo.

 

[yort81]

if you have an end cut of the burl... (the waste when you fitted the tubs) make some fine saw dust with sandpaper ... pack into the chip and saturate it with CA glue... you wont even be able to tell there was a chip there after you sand and finish the blank

 

[ChrisD123]

Hey Carlor! happens to the best to the best of us, personally when this happens to me i would take the tube off the mandrel and sand down the end until you have sanded far enough down that the chip is gone, having the tub an 1/8th inch shorter on the cap is not a problem for this particular pen kit and that the pen still looks flawless hope this helps

 

[carlor]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I think I'll try with the sawdust/CA idea first. If that doesn't work, I'll try the measuring/trimming. If that doesn't work I'll just have to abandon it and get new tubes and another blank to go with the kit.

Since I'm in a time crunch, I'll have to put it to the side and start another.


Thanks again,

Carlo.

 

[carlor]

Hey Carlor! happens to the best to the best of us, personally when this happens to me i would take the tube off the mandrel and sand down the end until you have sanded far enough down that the chip is gone, having the tub an 1/8th inch shorter on the cap is not a problem for this particular pen kit and that the pen still looks flawless hope this helps

Thanks for the answer. Whenever this has happened to me in the past, I've simply turned away all the wood and reused the brass tubes but I don't usually turn high end kits with expensive blanks.


Thanks again!

Carlo.

 

[cal91666]

If that doesn't work I'll just have to abandon it and get new tubes and another blank to go with the kit.

No need to get new tubes. Just turn the rest of the blank off of that set of tubes and sand smooth. Good luck!

 

[Crashmph]

I would try the CA/saw dust repair first. That should look pretty good. If you don't like it... you could put a contrasting oops band on the ends of each of the cap and post tubes. Just a thought. Been there and done that too many times. Good luck!

 

[cal91666]

The Majestic Jr. also has a pretty wide clip on it. CA/sawdust and hide under clip.

 

[jayk1998]

CA/sawdust and hide under clip.

Exactly what I was about to post.

I am king of the "hide it under the clip" technique.

 

[Tage]

if you have an end cut of the burl... (the waste when you fitted the tubs) make some fine saw dust with sandpaper ... pack into the chip and saturate it with CA glue... you wont even be able to tell there was a chip there after you sand and finish the blank

Then hide that portion with the clip.
Oops. Didn't read the post above, already suggested.

 

[Tom T]

Not sure where the clip goes on this pen. If this chip is the top, after you make the repair and when assembling the pen put the clip over that spot and it will never never show.
Figure all this out before pressing the pen together. Yes you know why I know to say that.

 

[Quality Pen]

I do believe the cap on this component set can easily handle losing that fraction of an inch in length. The clip would sit a little lower but I think there's enough space it wouldn't be metal on metal.

 

[GaryMGg]

I have a different opinion.
The chip is large relative to the size of the pen.
Shortening may throw the balance off--might not, but possibly.
More important, sawdust and CA will never look as good as a beautiful Amboyna blank turned proper.
Ebony rings would look good as would other solid bands.
You're not making a cheap object; don't sacrifice quality.

My $.03--FWIW to you.

 

[mark james]

Another thought... turn down 1/4" on each end of the tube, segement whatever compliments it.

KInd of like this:
View in Gallery

Very workable!

 

[TonyL]

I am very late to this party...but have use crushed turquoise colored stone and CA and was very impressed with how it came out. Just another idea. I did have to cut out more of the burl to make a larger area of stone.

 

[Smitty37]

Well an amboyna burl bottom with a Holly or Curly Maple cap makes a pretty good looking pen.....

 

[Wood Butcher]

I'm with Mark on this. If that ever happened to me, and I'm not saying it has and will deny it if those at the demo speak of it, I would "redesign" the original concept and tell no one.
WB

 

[Sabaharr]

I have seen this too many times on my lathe and I always say that next time I won't turn it that far and will sand the last bit to avoid it. Then I go and do it again. It has been my experience that filling with a sawdust and CA slurry always (remember guys I said MY EXPERIENCE) results in a darker area that the original burl. Being it is a burl this is not an uncommon natural occurrence, but you may not want that if the rest of the blank is fairly evenly colored. Trimming down the tube should only be done by sanding and it must be absolutely perpendicular to get a good fit on you pen parts. Careful with this. Do not attempt it by hand or with a barrel trimmer (trimmer will probably eat more burl off the tube). Given that it is worth saving for a nice burl, but if you can't save the burl then turn it off and glue up another piece.