ScoJo
Member
Do what I did. Attempt an inlay on your second pen. I'm gonna throw this thing across the garage.
New Guys (Like Me) - Wanna Get Discouraged?
- Thread starter ScoJo
- Start date
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woody350ep
Member
hahaha, yeah man, I just attempted my first inlay on a vase. I messed up enough that the inlay became the top lol.
USAFVET98
Member
It cant be that bad.. Besides, your not supposed to get it right the first couple of times. Im sure everyone on here messes up a pen every once in a while. Especially with inlays. Dont give up. In fact, Post a picture of your wreck of a pen, tell everyone what you did and whats wrong with it, and I guarantee you will get enough feedback with advice on how to get it right.
Trust me, to even attemp an inlay on your second pen is gutsy.
Good luck with it, and dont give up.
Trust me, to even attemp an inlay on your second pen is gutsy.
Good luck with it, and dont give up.
ScoJo
Member
Thanks for the encouragement. I put it down for now - will finish it off tomorrow. I'll post the pics here in this thread when it is done and maybe the resulting discussion will help some of us newbies out.
In the meantime, what is the best way to clean epoxy off a drill bit?
In the meantime, what is the best way to clean epoxy off a drill bit?
hughbie
Member
i would soak it in acetone over night in a sealed coffee can....either that or chip it off with a small screwdriver or awl
nava1uni
Member
Use a dental pick and just get under the edge and it should come off fairly easily. I sometimes use a brass brush to clean acrylic, glue, etc. off my bits.
leehljp
Member Liaison
There is nothing that breeds failure like an unexpected success on the first try! :biggrin: DAMHIKT.
Below is striped pen I made last year. Made 5 blanks like that since and none were good enough to finish. :frown: :
http://www.penturners.org/photos/images/940/1_Baron_PenStripes.jpg
But you did gain a great benefit - experience!
Below is striped pen I made last year. Made 5 blanks like that since and none were good enough to finish. :frown: :
http://www.penturners.org/photos/images/940/1_Baron_PenStripes.jpg
But you did gain a great benefit - experience!
TribalRR
Member
"Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward...." -Edison
ScoJo
Member
Here is the picture:
Being a Steeler fan (depressing today), I went for a yellowheart pen with black and white. The inlay came apart when I drilled the pen (twice), but I still managed to line up the grain. Lesson #1: rough up the inlay with sandpaper before trying to epoxy it. Lesson #2: 5 minute epoxy takes longer to set up to the point where you can drill the blank than I expected. This style of pen made it obvious to me that my pen is slightly out of round at the nib. The fit is better at the end with the twist mechanism. One thing I know is that I don't have a 60 degree live center, which I have read can cause this (the nib end was turned at the far end of the mandrel from the head stock). Is there anything else I could be doing wrong? Where can I get a reasonable live center? Online, somewhere? The Woodcraft catalog lists one at $20, but it is not in my local store.
One more thing. The description of this pen in the catalog lists an approximate length of 5.5" - this one is more like 5". Given that I cut the blank to the length specified and that the brass tubing fit, I'm guessing that's a typo. I would have preferred it longer.
Being a Steeler fan (depressing today), I went for a yellowheart pen with black and white. The inlay came apart when I drilled the pen (twice), but I still managed to line up the grain. Lesson #1: rough up the inlay with sandpaper before trying to epoxy it. Lesson #2: 5 minute epoxy takes longer to set up to the point where you can drill the blank than I expected. This style of pen made it obvious to me that my pen is slightly out of round at the nib. The fit is better at the end with the twist mechanism. One thing I know is that I don't have a 60 degree live center, which I have read can cause this (the nib end was turned at the far end of the mandrel from the head stock). Is there anything else I could be doing wrong? Where can I get a reasonable live center? Online, somewhere? The Woodcraft catalog lists one at $20, but it is not in my local store.
One more thing. The description of this pen in the catalog lists an approximate length of 5.5" - this one is more like 5". Given that I cut the blank to the length specified and that the brass tubing fit, I'm guessing that's a typo. I would have preferred it longer.
woody350ep
Member
Actually, not THAT bad. And I bet if you were to show that to 30 people, nobody would notice. We are all our own worst critics. Take, for example, that Buckeye Burl Cigar I posted a couple days ago. Nobody noticed anything wrong with it, except I saw just a few very very minor spots that bug me. No one will know it though.
BTW, I got a live center and dead center from LandfillLumber on here. He had them a few weeks ago, and I think he still has some. They both do their job, and I think I paid around 30-35 with shipping for the two of them.
BTW, I got a live center and dead center from LandfillLumber on here. He had them a few weeks ago, and I think he still has some. They both do their job, and I think I paid around 30-35 with shipping for the two of them.
thewishman
Member
Scott, you did well with the segmenting. Nice job for a second pen.
A couple of suggestions - try stopping the lathe and rotating the top bushing one direction and the bottom bushing the opposite direction about 90 degrees. Do that three times during the last stages of turning to combat the out-of-roundness. Keep the most critical end of the pen nearest the headstock (on two barreled pens I turn and sand the top barrel clip end at the headstock and then switch and do the nib end in that same position) to make it the most true.
A couple of suggestions - try stopping the lathe and rotating the top bushing one direction and the bottom bushing the opposite direction about 90 degrees. Do that three times during the last stages of turning to combat the out-of-roundness. Keep the most critical end of the pen nearest the headstock (on two barreled pens I turn and sand the top barrel clip end at the headstock and then switch and do the nib end in that same position) to make it the most true.
randyrls
Member
Make sure when you clamp the blank for drilling, that you support it underneath with a scrap block. The inlay will certainly break loose otherwise.
I applaud your gutsy move.
VisExp
Member
Scott, you did a great job on your second pen! Blowing up blanks while drilling and turning is part of the fun of segmenting The key is to learn by observation so you don't make the same mistake to often. Don't look on it as a failure, look at it as an opportunity to learn what not to do next time.
The key is to learn by observation so you don't make the same mistake to often. Don't look on it as a failure, look at it as an opportunity to learn what not to do next time.
USAFVET98
Member
Good job. What do you think the flaws are? I dont see any..
Here is the picture:
Being a Steeler fan (depressing today), I went for a yellowheart pen with black and white. The inlay came apart when I drilled the pen (twice), but I still managed to line up the grain. Lesson #1: rough up the inlay with sandpaper before trying to epoxy it. Lesson #2: 5 minute epoxy takes longer to set up to the point where you can drill the blank than I expected. This style of pen made it obvious to me that my pen is slightly out of round at the nib. The fit is better at the end with the twist mechanism. One thing I know is that I don't have a 60 degree live center, which I have read can cause this (the nib end was turned at the far end of the mandrel from the head stock). Is there anything else I could be doing wrong? Where can I get a reasonable live center? Online, somewhere? The Woodcraft catalog lists one at $20, but it is not in my local store.
One more thing. The description of this pen in the catalog lists an approximate length of 5.5" - this one is more like 5". Given that I cut the blank to the length specified and that the brass tubing fit, I'm guessing that's a typo. I would have preferred it longer.
Ligget
Member
Great job, heck I still throw things accross my workshop if it doesn`t work!
rherrell
Member
Don't feel alone, I'm a Carolina fan.:frown:
GouletPens
Member
Next time use CA instead of epoxy. Spray CA accelerant on the pickguard, med. CA on the wood, put them together, and you have a damn strong bond in 30 seconds. Either that or use the epoxy and let it sit for a couple hours. I actually DID inlay my second pen I ever made with this method, it still looks good today, and I've done every one like it since with consistent results.
Anyone can screw up, it's what comes after that can prove what you're really capable of. - me
Anyone can screw up, it's what comes after that can prove what you're really capable of. - me
rick_lindsey
Member
I was getting nasty out-of-round till I switched from the "defautl" woodturning live center to a 60 degree live center. My next pen after the transition turned out *much* better (at least with regard to out-of-roundness... I still have a long way to go on the turning part of this game ). I managed to get my 4 christmas pens done, but ended up pitching every barrel I tried with the wrong live center (actually, I still have a practice slimline in walnut that my 7yo daughter wants so I'm going to give it to her).
I also switched to a short mandrel, turning one barrel at a time, and I'm pleased with the roundness I've gotten (though I still don't always match the nib... see my previous comment about my turning skills ). I suspect most of the improvement came from the right live center (I did turn one more pen, both barrels at the same time after switching livecenters but before going short mandrel, and it turned out pretty good... It's a fatline with no centerband so any out-of-round is pretty obvious, and it's very minimal) but I figure every little thing to help is more better, right?
-Rick
). I managed to get my 4 christmas pens done, but ended up pitching every barrel I tried with the wrong live center (actually, I still have a practice slimline in walnut that my 7yo daughter wants so I'm going to give it to her).I also switched to a short mandrel, turning one barrel at a time, and I'm pleased with the roundness I've gotten (though I still don't always match the nib... see my previous comment about my turning skills
). I suspect most of the improvement came from the right live center (I did turn one more pen, both barrels at the same time after switching livecenters but before going short mandrel, and it turned out pretty good... It's a fatline with no centerband so any out-of-round is pretty obvious, and it's very minimal) but I figure every little thing to help is more better, right?-Rick
wolftat
Product Reviews Manager
I don't see anything wrong with the pen, it looks pretty good. Throwing things across the shop is a natural action when turning. I have been turning for almost 30 years and have a throw accuracy level that is unbelievable. I find the impact to be somewhat therapeutic. Keep working on the inlays/segmenting and it will get easier with time. I know a lot of people recommend using epoxy, but I have had great luck with CA. The only way to know what is right is to try different ways and materials.
My final thought is that I take about 20% of my finished pens and trash them because I am not happy with the final results. Others have looked at the box and asked me what is wrong with the pens since they do not see anything that is not right. We are more critical of our own work sometimes than others are.
Okay one more final thought. I went through live and dead centers like mad until I bought a set from JohnnyCNC and they are still working great without any of the wear that the others shown.
My final thought is that I take about 20% of my finished pens and trash them because I am not happy with the final results. Others have looked at the box and asked me what is wrong with the pens since they do not see anything that is not right. We are more critical of our own work sometimes than others are.
Okay one more final thought. I went through live and dead centers like mad until I bought a set from JohnnyCNC and they are still working great without any of the wear that the others shown.
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ScoJo
Member
Okay, here's an oops. I was showing this to a friend and he dropped it onto a concrete floor. This chipped up the black hardware, so I used it as an opportunity to try to take the pen apart. Once I had it apart, I decided to put it back on the mandrel to try to correct the out of round part at the nib. The good news is I managed to make the fit with the nib much better. But in the process, I sanded down to the black paint on the bushings, which got black into all of the deeper grain of the yellowheart. I stopped anyway and refinished with friction polish, figuring if I sanded more in an attempt to get the black out of the yellowheart the blank would end up too small for the hardware.
How do I avoid this in the future? Sand all the paint off of the bushings ahead of time? Make sure I don't use new bushings with light colored woods?
How do I avoid this in the future? Sand all the paint off of the bushings ahead of time? Make sure I don't use new bushings with light colored woods?
bitshird
Member
You have to watch out on light colored woods, even after you have sanded the oxide coatin g off, just the steel dust will muck the grain and leave nasties on the wood. I think your pen looked pretty good for your second trey, but get a real live center, and quit messing with mandrels, turn between centers, way better results.
fernhills
Member
I love the sound of wood bouncing across the floor in the morning!!!!
pipeyeti
Member
You should stick to pipes. LOL. Scott in the future if you ever have any ? feel free to give me a call. My number is on my web site.
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workinforwood
Member
It looks good from where I'm sitting. I wouldn't call it an inlay..which is what attracted me to the thread to offer assistance. It's a segment. I use gorilla glue for segments and clamp it together, unless I'm in a hurry, then some Med CA works fine.