Drilling and polishing acrylic rod

[Chuck Key]

How is everyone drilling and polishing the inside of their acrylic pen blanks?

Steps taken so far:

1. Prepare a new gripping section.
2. Drill and polish inside of blank.
3. Test fit and decide final shape of pen.

Chuckie

 

[JimGo]

I don't polish the INSIDE of my PR/acrylic blanks. I polish the outside, but not the inside. I leave the inside rough, so the glue has somewhere to attach.

 

[rtjw]

What are you trying to do. I only polish the outside. Are you trying for a clear pen?

 

[btboone]

If you are drilling to get as clear a finish on the hole as possible, I usually predrill with a smaller drill first and use lots of coolant. Use a flood of coolant if possible. Drilling the majority of the material out first removes the cause of the bulk of the heat, which will affect the surface. I go back in with a drill or ream maybe a 1/16" or 1/32" larger than the first and clean out the hole. If done with sharp tools, the hole may not need any cleanup.

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by JimGo
<br />I don't polish the INSIDE of my PR/acrylic blanks. I polish the outside, but not the inside. I leave the inside rough, so the glue has somewhere to attach.

That works great if using tubes and glue and can not see throught the blank. Not using either on this one and the blank is clear.

 

[woodscavenger]

Hmmmm.....sounds like an interesting one.....post a pic soon.

 

[driften]

I have been thinking about that some in the past also. There is a market for clear fountain pens. I have made a couple of tubeless pens and felt they would look better with the insides polished.... I guess I will try Bruce's idea next time. Otherwise I was thinking drill small and try and use some sort of shaft with sanding grit on it to sand and polish the inside.

 

[Chuck Key]

Originally posted by woodscavenger
<br />Hmmmm.....sounds like an interesting one.....post a pic soon.

Here is a scan of the final pen. I used an <s>old</s> oil type bath when drilling and buffed with micro mesh attached to a small rod.

Chuckie

Edited - See Text

 

[PenWorks]

Great looking Demonstrator John, I like it! and well done []

 

[btboone]

Good job. It's a clean and modern looking design.