Some advice on circuit board blank

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TurtleTom

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I have been a 100% wood blank turner till now.
I am going to make a circuit board pen for a friend and would like to know what should I practice on to get proficient enough that I don't ruin too many of these pen blanks before I get a keeper.
 
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Sabaharr

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It is very much like turning an acrylic blank. Give a few of them a try. I did 2 of them about 3 weeks ago and had them sold within 10 minutes of posting them. They were my first.
 

TurtleTom

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I have a couple of copper colored acrylics I've been trying to get up enough nerve to turn. I guess that's on now.

I got a couple of brass TBC bushings made using mostly the parting tool. I like using them. This batch of red oak I'm using has a lot of worthless blanks. I made one that fit the blanks before the tube gets glued. That way I can see if I like it enough, or if it has too many cracks. I made the OD about 5/8" so I have lots of friction surface, so I don't have to keep stopping to adjust the tailstock. 5/8" is small enough to tell me if it is a keeper or not.
I suppose I could glue it and turn the wood off the tube if I didn't like it.
 
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mecompco

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Tom, I've done a few circuit boards--they are the Sierra blanks from Exotic blanks. The only problem I've had is that they seem to like to chip out on the ends if you're not really careful. If they do, a little CA will fix them right up and the repair won't be noticeable. I TBC as well, and took mine down reasonably close to the bushings, then used a fine-tooth file and 150 grit to get the profile I wanted. Dry sanded up to 600, then used all the MM pads wet (I always sand laterally as well as I always seem to have radial scratches, especially near the bushings) and two coats of Mequires at high speed for a final polish. They come out really nice.

Regards,
Michael

PS Here is a pic of my favorite--it is now my carry pen:

 
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Ric

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Hello T.T.
I am not the most experienced pen turner around, but I have turned a couple of circuit board pens (14 so far)
My best advice that "I" could give you would be to ensure that you take your time, do not be too aggressive, take very small cuts & ensure that your tools are as sharp as they could possibly be.
I guess that is advice for most everything that we turn, but it seems very prevalent for this application.
Also, when I turn the circuit blanks after I have them "rounded" I use a carbide cutter to do the most of the machining. That way I know my cutting edge is always sharp.
If you find that you like making these types of pens, than i would recommend that you purchase a carbide cutter, that is of course unless you are a "Jedi Master" on the skew.
Thanx for listening....Ric
IF LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS....MAKE MOJITOS !
 

TurtleTom

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I would never have thought a plane would work on acrylics. I'll try it. I have several carbide chisels I've made, they're about all I use anymore, except the skew of course.

And thanks again,
Tom
 

ed4copies

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WmDnSB91Ug This is one video on turning circuit boards, there are two--the other uses the "D" shaped blank, this uses the square blank.

If I were to remake this vid today, I would talk about turning the ends from the "outside-in" instead of the way I did it on the vid--center of blank, out. The "outside-in" technique was shown to me by Jerry Sambrook and it makes a lot of sense---the material you are cutting is being supported by the material behind it, reinforcing and making a major chip-out less likely.

Hope this helps,

Ed
 

TurtleTom

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WmDnSB91Ug This is one video on turning circuit boards, there are two--the other uses the "D" shaped blank, this uses the square blank.

If I were to remake this vid today, I would talk about turning the ends from the "outside-in" instead of the way I did it on the vid--center of blank, out. The "outside-in" technique was shown to me by Jerry Sambrook and it makes a lot of sense---the material you are cutting is being supported by the material behind it, reinforcing and making a major chip-out less likely.

Hope this helps,

Ed

I've been watching the circuit board pen video and the acrylics video, and thanks for putting all the videos online for us to watch. I'm sure you don't get enough thanks for this.
I learned the outside in technique early in woodturning, it saves a lot of wood. I like to use the parting tool to take off 1/32" at a time on the ends till I get past the danger zone then on to the skew of course.
 

efrulla

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They are not all the same

I have turned a few of these. The only advice that I can give is that each blank is unique in its properties. I turned 2 blanks in one day. The first turned flawlessly and the second was the pen blank from hell if you know what I mean. So if one gives you an issue the next might not.
 

TurtleTom

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Murphy's law says the first blank you try of a new variety will be easy but the next one being of the expensive variety will be that most exceptional Devil's Blank. I turned 2 acrylic blanks today, piece of cake. Now when the circuit board blank gets here I'm supposed to expect it to be easy, right?
 
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