can segments

[workinforwood]

Pop cans look great sandwiching things like credit cards. I decided to try brickwork with popcan mortar. Maybe it's been done before, who knows. I cut open the pop cans and sanded both sides. I sliced them into 1/2" strips and sandwiched them between 1/2 square strips of hardwood, in my case lapacho. After drying, I sanded them flat in the drum sander, cut another wider 1" strip and sandwiched it between, so I now have basically 1" square block by however long, in my case about 32" long. I sliced it up on the chop saw into 1/8 slices. Cut up more popcans to put between the slices. The slices are alternated during assembly for the brick effect. My first attempt, lazy I guess, I used CA glue and just hand pressed pieces. The end result was a junky blank, like the tower of Piza. I drilled it anyhow to see how it drilled, it's a tough drill, but do-able. Tossed it on and turned it and it exploded at the ends. Back to the drawing board. I added 1/8 slices to be the ends of each blank with no popcans in it for strength to the project. One blank, the solid piece is an extra 3/16 thick because the kit being used is a rollerball screwtop with a 3/16 mortise for the cap. Built a jig with a slot down the bottom for the turned pieces to fit down into. Mixed up epoxy this time because it dries slower so I can have some working time. Wax paper line the jig...glue and place each piece in jig. Each barrel has a small piece of wax paper inbetween too, so they don't accidently become glued together. My jig holds enough for 3 blanks, and that is plenty enough to do at one time. Slowly it is clamped together and everything pushed down and aligned at the same time until it's all good and tight together. Allow at least a few days dry time before drilling. I made myself enough for 3 pens.
Had a small problem turning the first one, which is still on the lathe with the finish drying. I turned it gently and the barrels are perfect, but the can lines aren't perfectly straight. So on the next one, I need to pay more attention on drilling. My drilling job wasn't square enough to the horizontal lines is all. I'll post a pic of the finished pen when the finish is dry enough to sand and buff. It'll still sell. The next one will be even better as I cover my bases.

 

[gwilki]

Great idea! I can't quite understand what you did after the initial glue up. You had a blank what was 1 x 1 and long. Then, you "cut a 1" strip and sandwiched it in between". Can you explain that bit, please? It will likely all come together in my feeble mind when I see the pen, but you've got me very curious.

 

[workinforwood]

a one inch wide strip of can. You have actually 4 pieces of 1/2 x 1/2 by however long wood. you cut (2) 1/2" wide strips of can and make (2) seperate sandwiches. So basically each sandwich becomes 1" wide by 1/2" wide. You sand them to be flat and then you place a 1" wide strip of can inbetween, creating your final 1" x 1" long block as seen in the second picture above, only much longer of course. That is what is leftover after re-slicing it into 1/8" thick sections. Eventually it gets too small to safely slice on a chop saw.

 

[emtmike]

And whats the pen look like?

 

[great12b4ever]

I can't wait to see the pen.

Rob

 

[workinforwood]

I'll just call this a teaser pic then, because the picture isn't too great and there is a problem with the kit. The female threads on the cap won't thread and the gel cartridge has a leak in it! Woodcraft is sending me a new kit. When I get the new kit, I'll install the parts and take the pen outside for better lighting. Right now I have to go to work for a couple days, so I don't have time to fiddle with focusing the camera. It's easier done with proper sunlight, not shop lighting.

 

[gwilki]

Tks workinforwood. I'm really looking forward to seeing a good pic.

 

[GaryMGg]

Even from that dingy pic, it looks like your work is real good.
One thing I notice in the second photo is the slice doesn't quite line up.
I think you'd get a more perfect fit if you ripped 1" square stock,
ran a 1" wide mortar, glued it, then turn it 90-degrees, rip again and glue
another 1" wide mortar. It'd take longer but the opportunity for misalignment
should be less.

 

[Johnathan]

I'd love to see a better photo but I can tell that's a great looking pen.

 

[workinforwood]

You're correct about that Gary, and I think your idea is probably easier than the method I used. But also it doesn't have to be 100%, just really close will work, because you are drilling out the center, so then the mirco mis-alignment disappears. My theory is that the harder the wood, the better when using pop cans because popcans are harder to turn. A softer wood might groove in a bit making for a wavy pen. And I like the darker richer colors with the silver. I think Ipe would be a great choice too. It's quite a bummer that I had to disassemble part of the pen and wait for some new parts. I never had a problem with woodcraft parts before, other than their click pens of course, but the customer service was good.