Coffee Sierra

[Stevej72]

I think this is my best coffee blank so far. It is dark french roast coffee beans ground on the coarsest setting and then sifted to get out the real fine stuff. I cast it with Alumilite in 3/4 inch PVC about 2 3/4 in long.

After about an hour it was still not cured all the way hard (maybe because it is only 64 degrees in the basement and such a small amount of Alumilite). So, I heated the oven to 150 degrees and turned it off and put the blanks in. After another hour they were still not cured and I left them there.

Shortly after that my wife (not knowing the blanks were in the oven) turned on the oven to 325 degrees. When it was up to temp and she was putting whatever she was baking into the oven she found my PVC tubes. At that time they were very hot and I assumed ruined. But, after cooling they were completely hardened and turned great. I'm not sure if this is a manufacturers approved way of curing or not, but it works.

 

[LostintheWoods]

"Too many cooks spoil the broth." Sounds like you got lucky this time, Steve....very nice-looking pen!

 

[Mather323]

Fine work Steve, I have been working with the coffee with the CA with no luck at all gald so see one completed, Very Nice!![]

 

[jhs494]

Nice job! That would be quite a conversation piece over coffee in the A.M.

 

[R2]

Nice![][][] I wonder how that would go with some unrefined sugar in a separate band?

 

[GaryMGg]

Really nice Steve.

 

[Tanner]

Looks great Steve! If you color the tube and inside of the blank white, would you have a coffee and cream pen?[:0]

 

[badger]

That looks fantastic, I think you've got it. Same one to one ratio?

I'm going to head to michaels or Tap plastics this weekend and get some clear resin to try this out.

badger

 

[johnnycnc]

That's a great look,Steve.
Very nice,rich tones.[8D]

 

[rhahnfl]

Great looking pen Steve. What's the payback for using "her" oven? []

 

[Dave_M]

Very nice.

 

[Stevej72]

Thanks for all the nice comments.

I did use the 1 to 1 ratio of coffee to Alumilite.

I was wondering how to make it look like coffee with cream, I will try painting the inside of the blank white and see what I get. The other thing I thought was coloring the Alumilite the color of coffee with cream, but I have no idea on how to do that.

The idea of a seperate band of sugar is great. I wonder if I could cast sugar in about an 1/8 inch thickness and have it still look like sugar?

 

[wudnhed]

Wow, great idea Steve, imaginative and looking good!!!!

 

[hughbie]

as for the sugar, cast the whole thing in coffee and then while your turning, try cutting a grove and filling it with CA and sugar, using the 'inlay' technique. that might just work.

just a thought. i just finished my first inlay of used coffee grounds on a pen. looked great. i'm gonna have to post a pic of that one.

 

[Stevej72]

I'll have to try cutting the groove and fill with sugar and CA. I tried to cast about a 1/4 inch layer of Alumilite with sugar in it and it turned out terrible as the sugar disolved.

 

[badger]

I just picked up a couple pounds of spent grounds from my local Starbucks with my morning coffee. Unfortunatly, they are fresh and soaking wet from the machines.

I'm just going to assume I have to have them dry before casting, correct?

 

[gerryr]

Originally posted by badger
<br />
I'm just going to assume I have to have them dry before casting, correct?

Yes, Alumilite doesn't like moisture.

Nice job on the pen, Steve. That's an interesting way to get the blanks cured.[:0]

 

[PR_Princess]

Steve, I had the same problem some time ago with ground coffee not curing. Too porous I think. I will have to give your wife's method a try!!! [8D]

 

[ed4copies]

Steve,

When your wife raised the temp, didn't anyone notice the SMELL?????

 

[simomatra]

Nice save looks good

You could also run some cream through there as well

 

[PR_Princess]

Anazingly, powdered creamer DOES set up. []

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Now if you could get it to smell like coffee, you'll have something!! BTW looks good.

 

[hughbie]

badger.........yes.....spread it out in your shop and you might even set a small fan and let it dry completely.

 

[Stevej72]

Thanks for the comments!

Curing it in the oven didn't smell too bad. We didn't even notice until she opened the door and then there was just a mild odor.

I put it back on the lathe and cut a groove and tried the idea of CA with sugar and it didn't work as the sugar turned clear. Next I tried white acylic paint with the sugar and it is drying now.