When do you chuck it?

[Bikerdad]

So, when do y'all give up on a kit? I have one remaining Biscayne, from Arizona Silhouette. I really like the kit, similar (perhaps even the same) as Craft Supplies' Roadster. I bought a number of them when I got them, and now there's just one left.

And I think it's cursed. :devil: So far, I've had two blanks blow up while turning. I've had two complete blank sets blow up while drilling. And I've had at least two tubes go wonky during glue up. One seizes before getting all the way in, the other was pushed out by expanding poly, rendering the blanks unusable.

When the tube seized last night while I was gluing up a bunch of blanks, the blank became a projectile...

The kit, methinks, is on it's last life. After the seizure last night, I grabbed another scrap of maple, drilled it, and using the epoxy I was using for some other blanks, glued a tube into it. So now, with two blanks, I'll take a shot sometime this week on turning it...

 

[jttheclockman]

Hate to tell you it is not the kit at all it is you my friend. Need to look at your process for drilling and turning your blanks and until you figure this out you will have problems on all kits. Many many threads here on drilling blanks and gluing blanks in and turning blanks. Take some time and do yourself a favor and do some reading. Do not give up. Focus on one problem at a time. Starts with drilling blanks. This hobby could be humbling but it is one of the easiest to manage they have 5 year old kids doing this.

 

[Bikerdad]

Hate to tell you it is not the kit at all it is you my friend. Need to look at your process for drilling and turning your blanks and until you figure this out you will have problems on all kits. Many many threads here on drilling blanks and gluing blanks in and turning blanks. Take some time and do yourself a favor and do some reading. Do not give up. Focus on one problem at a time. Starts with drilling blanks. This hobby could be humbling but it is one of the easiest to manage they have 5 year old kids doing this.

I know it's not the kit, except it sorta is. This ONE kit has 90% of the blowed up/messed up blanks. Heck, until two weekend ago, I'd never even had a blank blow up on drilling. I've got a fairly good idea why one of the pairs blowed up, simply too small (in cross section) of a blank, not even 5/8". I was uncertain if it would work out or not. Turned out to be "not", even though it was only a 7mm drill bit. Annoying, given that it was a commercial carob blank, part of box from somewhere or other years ago. I have a second carob blank, also undersized, which is almost certainly going to be used for something other than a pen. Not sure yet on the other pair that blowed up, suspect it was the particular orangeish mystery wood. I have a good idea with each problem WHY (except the orange mystery wood), the thing is, almost all of the screw ups (on my part) or bad luck I've had with pen turning have been concentrated on this ONE kit.

Mind you, I've got no intention of giving up on pen turning, heck, I tubed 17 blanks (about 10 kits) this weekend, and took apart an Exemplar and tweaked the length for better point projection, assembled a pen I turned last weekend, and turned and finished 3 more pens, which will be assembled tonite/tomorrow.

This one Biscayne though... :ghost: 'tis haunted, haunted I tell ya! (of course, there's something to be said for keeping it around, as long as it's a trouble magnet, then my other activities can proceed relatively bump-free.)

 

[RegisG]

Well, maybe you've used up all the blow-outs that you are due for awhile. Put it on the side. Bring it out in 6 months and try making it with some cheap blanks. Maybe there's a quota thing?? LOL
Regis

 

[Skie_M]

Undersized Carob blank ... it's got squared sides, yes?


Glue strips of wood on the sides for additional support while drilling ... you'll simply turn it away later, but that should keep it from blowing out on you during the drilling process.

 

[1080Wayne]

Undersized Carob blank ... it's got squared sides, yes?


Glue strips of wood on the sides for additional support while drilling ... you'll simply turn it away later, but that should keep it from blowing out on you during the drilling process.

And if by chance the blank is cross-cut , will reduce the chance of a wreck while turning .

 

[TattooedTurner]

Undersized Carob blank ... it's got squared sides, yes?


Glue strips of wood on the sides for additional support while drilling ... you'll simply turn it away later, but that should keep it from blowing out on you during the drilling process.

Great advice! I have a beautiful piece of highly figured maple that's only 1/2" square x 6" long left over from another project. This will allow me to drill it and make a (slim) pen, rather than looking at it and wondering what I could do with such a beautiful yet small piece of wood. Thank you!

 

[tomas]

So, when do y'all give up on a kit? I have one remaining Biscayne, from Arizona Silhouette. I really like the kit, similar (perhaps even the same) as Craft Supplies' Roadster. I bought a number of them when I got them, and now there's just one left.

And I think it's cursed. :devil: So far, I've had two blanks blow up while turning. I've had two complete blank sets blow up while drilling. And I've had at least two tubes go wonky during glue up. One seizes before getting all the way in, the other was pushed out by expanding poly, rendering the blanks unusable.

When the tube seized last night while I was gluing up a bunch of blanks, the blank became a projectile...

The kit, methinks, is on it's last life. After the seizure last night, I grabbed another scrap of maple, drilled it, and using the epoxy I was using for some other blanks, glued a tube into it. So now, with two blanks, I'll take a shot sometime this week on turning it...

I'm with John, I think it is not the kit. Are your blanks totally dried? Sometimes I have found a pocket of moisture in the middle of a blank which causes the drilled hole to warp. This can also happen from a dull bit and/or trying to drill too fast. Knots can also do this. I make it a point to dry fit the tube in the blank before gluing it.

Just my $0.02.

Tomas

 

[Bikerdad]

I'm with John, I think it is not the kit. Are your blanks totally dried?

10+ years in the desert, oh yeah, they're dry.

This can also happen from a dull bit and/or trying to drill too fast

Went sloooooow and steady, with lots of backing out to clear the chips, on the second try of each pair.

I make it a point to dry fit the tube in the blank before gluing it.

I did, slip fit was good, methinks that's why I was so very annoyed with it.

Just my $0.02.

Tomas

I appreciate it. I think I'll probably take Regis's advice and set it aside for a while. The blanks I'll be using are cheap, recovered/recycled walnut and some scrap maple from my workbench build.

 

[Skie_M]

Or you could just participate in a PITH event and send it off as an incomplete kit along with a finished pen and some blanks and kiss the headache goodbye for good! I'm sure anybody would love to try the kit out!