monophoto
Member
Sometimes things just don't go right.
I purchased some Majestic Squire kits. I made the first pen using some nice walnut, only to discover that the point would not fully retract into the body. Apparently, I had somehow made the barrel 1-7/8" long instead of the 2" that the kit called for. Don't have a clue how I managed to do that - must have trimmed too much while squaring the blank.
Fortunately, I was able to disassemble the pen without wrecking any of the hardware. I had purchased a length of 3/8" brass tube at the hardware store, so I cut a length a bit longer than 2", drilled half of a canarywood blank with a 3/8" bit, sanded the tube, applied glue - only to discover that the tube wouldn't fit into the hole. Turns out that the 3/8" tubing from the hardware store is actually 23/64". The ID is pretty close to the 3/8" tube that comes with the kit - the wall thickness is a bit greater
For the third attempt, I used a 10mm drill bit to drill the other half of that canarywood blank. Turned the blank, finished it in CA, assembled the pen, only to discover that the point would not extend beyond the end of the barrel. Turns out that I had made the tube/blank 2-1/8" long this time. The only good news here was that I wasn't really happy with the CA finish, and the canarywood blank was rather boring.
For the fourth attempt, I used a padauk blank. Carefully drilled the blank with the 10mm bit, but as the bit was approaching the end of the blank, I heard a crack - yup, the blank had split from one end to the other. I carefully pried the crack open, put some medium CA into the crack, and then clamped it closed. Will try to work with that one some other day.
For the fifth attempt, I used the other end of the padauk blank. Carefully (far MORE carefully) drilled the blank with the 10mm bit, carefully glued in the tube, and set it aside to cure.
Some days I feel like Charley Brown - that big, black cloud seems parked over my head!
I purchased some Majestic Squire kits. I made the first pen using some nice walnut, only to discover that the point would not fully retract into the body. Apparently, I had somehow made the barrel 1-7/8" long instead of the 2" that the kit called for. Don't have a clue how I managed to do that - must have trimmed too much while squaring the blank.
Fortunately, I was able to disassemble the pen without wrecking any of the hardware. I had purchased a length of 3/8" brass tube at the hardware store, so I cut a length a bit longer than 2", drilled half of a canarywood blank with a 3/8" bit, sanded the tube, applied glue - only to discover that the tube wouldn't fit into the hole. Turns out that the 3/8" tubing from the hardware store is actually 23/64". The ID is pretty close to the 3/8" tube that comes with the kit - the wall thickness is a bit greater
For the third attempt, I used a 10mm drill bit to drill the other half of that canarywood blank. Turned the blank, finished it in CA, assembled the pen, only to discover that the point would not extend beyond the end of the barrel. Turns out that I had made the tube/blank 2-1/8" long this time. The only good news here was that I wasn't really happy with the CA finish, and the canarywood blank was rather boring.
For the fourth attempt, I used a padauk blank. Carefully drilled the blank with the 10mm bit, but as the bit was approaching the end of the blank, I heard a crack - yup, the blank had split from one end to the other. I carefully pried the crack open, put some medium CA into the crack, and then clamped it closed. Will try to work with that one some other day.
For the fifth attempt, I used the other end of the padauk blank. Carefully (far MORE carefully) drilled the blank with the 10mm bit, carefully glued in the tube, and set it aside to cure.
Some days I feel like Charley Brown - that big, black cloud seems parked over my head!
