Coffee blank question

[ossaguy]

Hi All,

My wife enjoys her coffee so much,I'd like to make her a pen out of one like I saw/sniffed the other day when I was at the local Rockler store.

I was wondering if anyone here has any tips on turning/finishing one?

I've only turned wooden pens,and am very much the beginner.I've never tried making an acrylic pen.

I was wondering what chisel to use,and speed also?

As for finising,would I just MM to 12000.and leave it bare so the fragrance can be released freely?

Thanks for any tips!

Steve
San Diego

 

[mervyn]

Hi Steve, you can use whatever chisel you like to turn these as long as it is a very sharp tool, my one was turned using a 1/4" gouge, the question you asked about should I seal it, my suggestion is because it's for your wife and she loves her coffee then don't seal it, if you seal it you are going to lose some of that fragrance and it would make it more durable.

Going back to the turning, turn these blanks and drill with a little more time and care, the bean is soft and the resin is hard and it's easy to lose the center of the bean, now if this happens and no doubt it will try to collect some of the shavings that come from the turning, but better still buy a packet of ground percolated coffee mix up a little paste with thick CA and just fill the center of the bean or even if you lose a bean on the end of the blank you can still fill and repair the blank,
build up the hole and wait for the CA to set and return or sand it, I wouldn't go too mad with the Micro Mesh maybe stop on 1500 grit or a little higher, and then just leave it natural.

So when you're out hard at work Steve your wife will have the ladies round for a coffee morning she will be wanting to show her pen to the ladies and they will be wanting to smell the pen once she tells them it's made from coffee beans, why I don't know I think it's a women thing to smell things before they comment, LOL.

This is my one I turned using the tips I have given you Steve some other penturners will have other good ideas and tips on to turn the coffee bean blank.

Good luck Steve
Let us know how you get on.

Merv

 

[DurocShark]

Seal it. With CA. The beans will disintegrate over time, leaving holes where the beans were. Plus, you get brown stains on your fingers. And the smell after being in the hand is *NOT* as pleasant as you might think.

 

[ed4copies]

If you have never turned acrylic, I would NOT start with these.

Buy some alumilite blanks from someone and turn them first. Learn how it reacts to your turning techniques. (Exotics sells PR, but not alumilite--don't know of a good source for inexpensive blanks--suggestions???)

 

[wolftat]

I have some Alumilite blanks he can practice on.

 

[ed4copies]

Practice will most likely SAVE you blown blanks!!!

I have some Alumilite blanks he can practice on.

Solution!!!:biggrin::biggrin:

Steve, meet Neil!!!

 

[Rafael]

I made a coffee scoop with one of these (it was the 3rd thing I turned... ) and I purposefully went slow and took like cuts. Be careful of tearing out beans, I only managed to do it to one...

One way to fix it (if you happen to buy beans rather than grinds) is to thick CA in a bean of relatively the same size, then take SUPER light cuts to get back down to round on the bean before continuing. I managed to fix one tear out like that...

CA over the top then polish and it will look great.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I've never made a coffee bean pen, did do one from yellow split peas once... it turned out fine... I always use a really sharp skew to turn my plastics... after I saw ED do a demo on plastics a few years back.... anything else I use tends to make the blank chip. A sharp skew and light cuts will make cool ribbons that you have to wire brush away.

 

[low_48]

I did not finish the pens I turned, just polished with micromesh. They smelled great for about a week. I don't know if they oxidized or what, but the scent is completely gone now. I had a request for one, with smell, so I took it apart and polished again. They got one with smell, but it won't last. I used a skew and had no trouble with bean chip out at all.

 

[ElMostro]

Here are some finishing tips for the coffee blanks:
The key to an even finish is proper sanding for these blanks. This is what I do. I turn with normal tool, just make sure they are sharp. About a "hair" before you are done turning and before you start sanding do this; with the lathe off, dribble a little bit of THIN CA on one barrel then use one of the small plastic bags for the pen parts and spread the CA by hand turning the lathe and moving the bag along the blank. (Try to not let the CA pile up at the ends bec then the bushings may stick). Do this to both barrels, then let the CA cure. Then turn to final size with very sharp tool and light cuts followed by dry sanding to about 600. This sanding session will remove most of the CA on the surface but the key is to seal the pores of the beans. Wipe the blank with a dry cloth to remove any loose dust particles then do the CA routine again and this time when you sand go up to 2000. Wipe the blank again and do the CA routine one more time, after this the pores will be sealed so this time go up to 12000. I always put a final CA finich on the coffee bean pens bec od its durability. A CA finish will reduce the aroma a bit but it will keep the beans sealed. It seems like a lot but you will be happy with the finish. DO NOT WET SAND it makes a mess (DAMHIKT).
Good luck, Eugene.

 

[ssajn]

Everyone gave you some good advise. I've turned several coffee bean pens One thing I do is after drilling the blank is to coat the inside of the hole with thin CA. I figured this would help stabilize the bean from the inside. I can't say this helps but I've never lost a bean. I also stabilize with thin CA as I turn it and use a very sharp skew.

 

[Tom D]

All of the suggestions are right, the more you turn you will find more opinions than woodturners. Here is my opinion. I didn't use any tools, after several blowouts using a skew, scraper etc. I tried starting with 50 grit sandpaper. It worked great when it got cose to the right size I finished it using finer grits then a CA finish. I have done 5 pens and a letter opener using this method and they all turned out fine. If you like coffee pens.:devil:

 

[ossaguy]

Thanks everyone for all the great tips!

I really appreciate how the members here all help each other,it's always such a positive experience reading the posts on this site.

Steve
San Diego

 

[seamus7227]

Steve,

All great comments, I would say the same! Most importantly, take your time, and definitely stabilize with thin ca.

 

[islandturner]

Can you get coffee been blanks cast in clear resin with the tube painted black or dark brown? That might look better than this 'floating in milk' look...?

 

[DurocShark]

Can you get coffee been blanks cast in clear resin with the tube painted black or dark brown? That might look better than this 'floating in milk' look...?

I've done it. Against a dark color it works ok, but you don't really see the beans clearly. Lighter colors show the beans but also show the dust that got in the resin from the beans during the initial mixing.

It can be done, but requires much more effort in prepping the beans.