Copper wire pen

[bjbear76]

Has anyone made a pen by wrapping copper wire around the tube then turning it? I came across this tutorial some time back and thought I'd give it a try this past week. I ran into 2 problems: 1) how to keep the wire from slipping on the brass tube; 2) the wire end catching on the tool. Neither of these problems are mentioned in the tutorial. Any ideas?

http://www.penmakersguild.com/articles/copperwirepen.pdf

 

[razor524]

I do not think you are heating it enough for it to melt around the tube, which should solve your end catching problem also.

 

[jttheclockman]

It has been done by quite afew people. Most people are not here any more. This is an older idea. I think Don Ward did this some time ago (ITS VIRGIL)

The key is cleaning the tube and the wire. Both need to be clean and to do that you can use steel wool or a nonwoven version of steel wool which would be better. You need to use flux or solder that has flux in it such as electronic solder. You can grind the ends down before turning to eliminate the sharp edges. Do not solder while on the bushings. You need to use soft drawn wire to wrap easier. Depending of the kit you are using will determine the size wire needed. The instructions given in the tutorial are pretty good and should get you there. Good luck and look forward to seeing what you come up with.

If all else fails you can always go this route

 

[its_virgil]

Wow! JohnT has a great memory. I made a copper wire pen back in 2004 to give to the eletrician who wired my new house.
I pretty much followed the instructions in the tutorial referenced. Getting a good solder job is one of the keys and clean materials is a ker to a good solder job.
I esed a wire size that got me close to the diameter needed for the pen I made. A catch can peel the wire right off the tube:biggrin::biggrin:
Be sure to wrap the wire good and tight to the tube and secure it somehow prior to soldering.
Let me know if I can be of any further help.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[bruce119]

Below is a photo of a couple I did a wile ago. Sorry the only photos I can find I took a bunch when I made them but that was a different computer that has since passed on.

I am not going to read the article again but I did mine based on it. Now you say slipping. I think maybe you mite mean in the beginning. Anyway I used longer tubes than I needed, used a hose clamp to anchor the wire to my home made corian bushing. Then wile have the lathe turn very, very slowly wrapped the wire around the tube and anchored on the other end with another hose clamp. Now you did clean your tube and scuff it oh and used some flux. Now get out your torch heat it up and fill it with solder I did use silver solder. Soldering can be a tricky business it takes practice to get it to work for you. I used a piece of sheet metal under the blank to protect my lathe and ways from flame, melting flux & dripping molten solder.

Now that your past that let it cool get it off the lathe cut and grind the ends to get it close to size, length. Now the wire catching on you I suspect you do not have a good solid solder like I said it is very tricky I found it difficult to get the solder to flow. I have a metal lathe and had it spinning very slowly, just creeping, applied the heat and solder wile it turned and let it turned till it cooled. Otherwise I found the solder to just flow down and not fill the wire.

Well enough said good luck
I will not be doing it again



.

 

[jttheclockman]

Don don't ask me how I remembered that one I can not even remember what I had for dinner yesterday. I do remember a big discussion on the technique. I remember a few other people doing them but I believe they are not members here any more. We did lose many good people over the years for sure.

Snowing like the devil here now so I have to go shovel or something. Can't remember.

 

[glycerine]

I have used very small gauged wire and cast it in PR first. Never turned down the wire itself though...

 

[Phillikl]

Flux Flux Flux... Did I say flux? It's a wonderful thing when soldering! Remember the solder will follow the heat and hates dirt, sounds like you may have got a cold joint when attaching the wire. Not sure of your setup, but try getting the tube hot hot (may try from the inside first) and then try to solder it up. If the tube is hot enough, the solder should melt and coat the tube and shizam wire attached!

The flux will leave a film. You can buy flux cleaner, but it will cost about 15 times of what a little DNA and Dollar store fingernail polish remover (acetone, none flavored type) won't accomplish (I use about a 50/50 mix).

 

[bjbear76]

Thanks for all the input and ideas.
John, your copper pens are gorgeous!

Bruce, sounds like you've been there, done that! It's something I found interesting and thought I'd give it a try. I'll work on it some more this next week and let you know the results.