What would be the best option...???

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robutacion

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Aug 6, 2009
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Hi everyone,

Yesterday I made some Resifill blanks from my last piece (until I find some more, maybe...!) of #7 Spotted Gum root which as in fact a number a small burls growing under ground on the root surface. Most was cut and gone long ago but I kept a small piece and for over a year, I forgot I had it as it went behind lots of other stuff, so it simple disappeared..!

A few days ago, and while looking for something else (is always the way, huh...???) I found this little strange looking piece and I decided to slice it up into pen blanks, aware that I would endup with 1 or 2 solid full blanks (I got 2) the rest would be for Resifills.

I'm doing some other Resifills to and while working with resins I decided to use them with some new colours I got from my last order and see what would come up. None of the other Spotted Gum root material was used in any Resifills before nor I had any casting gear when I processed that wood so all the small edges and cap ends were dumped/fireplace.

After I got them out of the molds and cut them all out I notice that they did come up very pretty and ideal for using with some of the best kits out there, and this is the reason why I'm here writing this. I've turned one random blank out of the 18 done, with enough wood left for 11 more Resifills to be done later, and after I round it and finished with CA, I got pleasantly pleased with the results, once more justifying putting them on something special.

My questions are;

- What kit would you put it/them on...??? (no price limitations...!)

- Would it be a fountain or a pen styles...???

- What plating colour would you choose, and why...???

I haven't made my mind yet on what I would like to put these type blanks on but, if you have an idea/opinion, I would like to hear it...!:wink::biggrin:

PS: The pics are all from the same blanks (sample) taken, after I finished the CA finish late last night...!:)

Thank you...!:wink:

Cheers
George
 

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IPD_Mrs

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Jun 27, 2007
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I am a huge Black Ti fan and I think that would be the plating of choice for that blank. Something like a Jr. Gent and knocking the center band rings down to the one ring would make it that much better.
 

witz1976

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Jun 28, 2009
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Bucksport, Maine, USA
Ohh boy those are nice. I would use Black TI, Platinum, Silver, basically the white metals. I think gold would not match up well. As for the pen style...I personally would go for the Gent style as too much glitz of the kit would distract from the beautiful resin & wood burl.

Have fun though & thanks for sharing!
 

David Keller

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Enid,OK
I'll cast another vote for the black titanium platings mainly because I don't like gold kits. I'd vote for something simple like the Jr. Gent kit because I tend to lean toward simpler kit styles. The zen would be a great choice as well.
 

el_d

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Apr 26, 2007
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Lockhart, Tx, USA.
Long kit with Bl/Ti plating.

If you use your pen alot the screw on cap gets to be cumbersome and the long click makes for a reqally nice "display" of custom work.
 

robutacion

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Hi peoples,

Thanks for all the nice comments and suggestions made so far, it certainly makes a lot of sense the use some of the kits and platings suggested, but I'm not convinced yet, I may need a few more ideas...!:wink::biggrin:

Curtis (oh geezzz...!, this forum name is going to make things a little confusing sometime in the future, great name tough...!:biggrin:)
Anyway, yes all my Resifills (the name of my resin casted blanks) are pressurised in a pressure pot at about 80 PSI to make sure all cravesses are filled properly.

Note: While most all resin castings do not require such pressures (about 40PSI is OK) I use a pressure pot that is factory rated at 120PSI, this is very important to have in mind, as most common and cheap pots do not have such pressure ratings, 80PSI would be the best you can find but still I wouldn't recommend pushing your luck with them, they are just not build strong enough to be take over 60PSI.

There has been some reported accidents among our members and I want to make sure you and anyone out there thinking in start casting to be perfectly aware of what they should be looking for , when it comes to pressure pots...!

Apart from that, and the fact that too much exposure to the PR resin can make you really sick, which guys in the US can void by using the alternative resin called Alumilite, this is a product that I which I could get here in Australia but so far, and after many contacts made, I have been unsuccessful to find. And as I was saying, apart from all this casting is fun and exciting, not mentioning the great (sometimes not so great) blanks that we all are capable to produce with a little time and effort...!

Sorry for my long response to your short question but, I felt that you (and others) may be influenced to start casting wood and resin blanks and these are real and handy pieces of advice, free of charge...!!!:biggrin:

Cheers
George
 

jskeen

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Hey George; As you know, I like using the jr gent's, and think a platinum or black ti would look good with the color combo in these blanks. However, I would get rid of the gold trim on the platinum kits and replace with a custom centerband and finial. I really think that the combination of platinum and black ti in a statesman would play well off the silver and black edges around the wood in these. Jr or full size, whichever you like better, but I would put at least one of these on a platinum and black ti statesman.
 

robutacion

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All gone...!

Hi everyone,

Once again, thank you for all the suggestions...!:biggrin:

While my intention was to use some of these blanks myself out of the 17 I had left + the sample I turned, reason of this thread, I had an offer that I couldn't refuse from my good friend Bruce (Gofer), oldest and best customer for these Resifills of mine, from day one.

We wanted them all, I've manage to keep my sample (those are not for sale, are my private stash, sort of speak...!:wink:), after all I can make always more, right...??? (not exactly as I have found on the attempts...!:mad:).

Anyway, I was glad to let him have them but I've made it as a "condition" that he would make a pen with one of the kits that was mentioned the most in the suggestions, and post it here, after all, is like he is making the pen(s) on my behalf...!:cool:

I know that Bruce will make good the promise but I didn't wanted to say anything until he got the blanks in his hands as, he have been experiencing some "problems" in getting stuff for overseas, particularly from me, his package has arrive today in his hands so, I'm now comfortable to disclose what has happened...!:)

I have made 5 batches (18 per batch) of Resifills since this one and, the only material (Spotted Gum burl) I had left was enough for 11 blanks which I used with different colours deliberately (I wish I hadn't), they are OK but not as impressive as the blue ones so my next material of choice was the Vine "wood" of which I have been making a good selection of Resifills from but, 2 of the attempts I made to replicated this blue ones to a point obviously, as the raw wood material is not the same, using the same amounts, colours and pouring techniques, as I could have though the identical waiting times but the results where totally different.

The darker colours of the vine wood have definitely altered the way the final colours look, but apart from all that the colour separation and dispersion that you see in the blue ones (in this thread), haven't happened...!:mad:

All come out great but by their own merit and not because I knew how they would come out. This is obviously made possible or more a fact due to the natural beauty of the vine material used as the base material in the blank, these seem to look stunning regardless what colours or mixes I use in the resins, certainly a added bonus playing in my favour.

None of these new Resifills are yet listed anywhere or offered for sale, I may change that soon tough...!:wink::biggrin:

So now Bruce, the ball is now in your court, mate...!:wink::)

Make us proud, no pressure...!:eek::biggrin:

Cheers
George
 
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Gofer

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Nothing like a little bit of pressure for a guy with less than 100 pens finished to date. But I am ready to give it everything I have. I have selected a Blk Ti kit for the first attempt and if everything goes right I will be posting 3 and not just one.

I am hoping to get some shop time this weekend (have not been in it in 3 weeks :( ) and will let everyone know how it goes.

Bruce
 

robutacion

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Nothing like a little bit of pressure for a guy with less than 100 pens finished to date. But I am ready to give it everything I have. I have selected a Blk Ti kit for the first attempt and if everything goes right I will be posting 3 and not just one.

I am hoping to get some shop time this weekend (have not been in it in 3 weeks :( ) and will let everyone know how it goes.

Bruce

Thanks mate, I'm glad you will be able to get some sawdust going...!:wink:

Now, you sound like the Eastern weather in Australia lately, "when it rains it pours"...! I was thinking of 1 pen, and you are getting 3 done, I can't complain about that, for sure...!

I've seen your work mate, no excuses...!:eek::) Is this a bit more of pressure on...??? nah...! no pressure here...!:rolleyes::biggrin:

Good luck...!

Cheers
George
 

robutacion

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Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Well better late than never, I finally got the pens done and some decent pics taken. Pics are here: http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?p=1186369#post1186369

Thanks again to George for letting me get my grubby mitts on the entire batch of blanks.

Bruce

Hi Bruce,

Well, I said no pressure from my end, I reckon you were to one to stress about it more than I did. I knew that, you would do some when the time/conditions were right, and looking at the results I reckon the wait was well worth it, thank you...!:wink:

Cheers
George
 
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