Hand Made Center Bands

[thostorey]

I'm very interested in techinques, materials and ideas (I'm at a loss) I mostly turn (to give away) European and Slimline pens.

Tom

 

[its_virgil]

Anything that will turn will work. Wood, plastic,(I get scraps from a sign maker), old credit cards, picguard...Make'em thin, make'em thick, or try using none at all...on the slimlines of course. Look in my folder here or my yahoo album at http://www.tinyurl.com/38hor for some ideas. Look on Russ Fairfield's website at http://www.woodturnerruss.com/Pen10.html for great ideas and also, Scott G. has an excellent article posted here on making wooden CB's. Browse the folders..there are some excellent ideas for making CB's.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by thostorey
<br />I'm very interested in techinques, materials and ideas (I'm at a loss) I mostly turn (to give away) European and Slimline pens.

Tom

 

[Guest]

If your blank is long enough take an end from your off cut and drill "cross grain"
The effect is interesting.
The same wood will take the finish differently,but subtly.
You should have at least an inch with a standard blank.
Caution, make sure your chisels are sharp.Use a light touch.

 

[Fred in NC]

One common technique is to mount the centerband material between the barrels, instead of the center bushing. I drill 1/4" so it fits the mandrel without a tube.

To avoid damaging the barrels, I put a carboard washer between the centerband material and each barrel. I use "chipboard" which is the backing for legal pads, etc. with a hole punched in it. This gives me a little leeways to turn to the edge of the barrel and centerband without damaging the adjacent wood.

 

[wpenm]

I keep a grocery sack near my radial saw and I through all my cut offs in it. When I want to make some of my own center bands, I pick out the pieces I want, drill a 1/4" hole in them, take them to the band saw and cross cut them to 1/4". Then I mount four or five onto the mandrel and turn them.I check them for size with a micrometer. When I'm done turning and finishing them I put the extra bands in a small parts container for use on other pens.

 

[thostorey]

WPENM .. Having drilled a 1/4" hole in them, I guess you simply slide the turned band onto the twist mechanism and sandwich it between the top and bottom blank?

 

[Guest]

I normally put a brass tube in any center band.
I think it's more professional and less chance of the center band breaking.

 

[thostorey]

Hi Eagle. I'm having a bit of trouble understanding how the various center bands are fixed in place. Are they free-floating between the two blanks? are they glued to one blank or the other? The tube you put in your center bands, are they just the length of the band? How are they fixed to the rest of the pen? Bear with me, I'll get it yet[]

Cheers, Tom

 

[Guest]

Originally posted by thostorey
<br />Hi Eagle. I'm having a bit of trouble understanding how the various center bands are fixed in place. Are they free-floating between the two blanks
That is the easiest way to turn them .I omit the center bushing(Also omit the mindless center ring)Take a brass tube and punch a hole in 2 pieces of wax paper,put these on the mandrel on either end of the "center band" are they glued to one blank or the other?
When I make a slim line to look like a "Mont Blanc" I turn the general shape and part off a section of the top blank and glue what ever I am going to make the center band out on that. The tube you put in your center bands, are they just the length of the band?
I always buy the ten inch tubes so I have "extras" in emergencies.
Another source is tubes from slimline pencil kits.They are short than pen kits tubes.Since I omit the center band on pencils(I use the 10" tubes and cut them to length)I always have a supply of short tubes. How are they fixed to the rest of the pen?
I see no reason in many instances to glue them to the pen per se.Free floating is fine,It depends on what is easiest an looks the best
Bear with me, I'll get it yet[]

Cheers, Tom