Is it Stabilization or...

[JD Combs Sr]

...Casting? Someone may have tried this before but I don't recall seeing it, using Cactus Juice to stabilize a roll of cloth creating a Micarta roll/pen blank. I gave it a try and here is the process I used.


This is the results, two views of the same pen.
This one shows the "cross grain" and the next one the "end grain" view. (My definitions)


A couple of comments on the process:
1. The roll or bundle still had some porosity to it so took a little thin CA during the final cuts to keep from having "tear-out" and "de-lamination". Which problem the CA took care of depended on the lamination orientations, "end-grain"(edges of the fabric) tore-out slightly and cross-grain de-laminated "sometimes". I think that a second processing with C-Juice would solve most of these problems and I will be trying that on the next go around.
2. When I pull the blank out of the oven and it had cooled I looked at it and it was very wide compared to thickness and I instantly thought, "Oh good, it will make 2 blanks", well it did but I think if I had taken a single blank out of the center section it would have been better looking. I will also be trying that on the next go around.

Comments and suggestions appreciated.

 

[robutacion]

Yes, you would have a better "pattern" by rolling the denim, big enough for a single blank..!

For better results, I would suggest that you try to wrap the material as tight as possible before putting it in the Juice, and to make sure no bubbles are trapped, after you got it out of the vacuum chamber, put that same container in the pressure pot and give it as much pressure as the pot is rated for and let it be there overnight.

Only after you pressurized it, you should cook it to set the juice, the results should be, bubble/small hollows in the blanks and instead a perfect solid blank.

Cactus Juice is in fact, a better option to created these type of blanks, the thin viscosity of the Juice, compared with normal casting resins, will penetrate the material a lot easier and faster...!

Still, the pen did come out pretty good, you will always require the use of CA so, no problems there...!

Cheers
George

 

[edstreet]

D) None of the above.

It's laminate. See here. http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/denim-nouveau-sceptre-ballpoint-115980/?highlight=denim+micarta

 

[SteveG]

This is a very nice process with a cool result. I have never done anything like this, but it seems like you would get the desired better result if you found a way to compress the fabric in a cylindrical shape instead of between two flats. Something like wrap it tightly on a dowel rod just smaller than the pen tube to be used, then finish with a layer or two of a porous, firmer material. Finally compress further with screw-type hose clamps. After juicing that, you might like the result. You have taken a really cool idea and transformed it into something you can see and hold!

 

[Jim Burr]

JD, you come up with the coolest stuff!!! Well done as always!

 

[BayouPenturner]

great pen, good job.

 

[JD Combs Sr]

Yes, you would have a better "pattern" by rolling the denim, big enough for a single blank..!
For better results, I would suggest that you try to wrap the material as tight as possible before putting it in the Juice, and to make sure no bubbles are trapped, after you got it out of the vacuum chamber, put that same container in the pressure pot and give it as much pressure as the pot is rated for and let it be there overnight.
Only after you pressurized it, you should cook it to set the juice, the results should be, bubble/small hollows in the blanks and instead a perfect solid blank.
Cactus Juice is in fact, a better option to created these type of blanks, the thin viscosity of the Juice, compared with normal casting resins, will penetrate the material a lot easier and faster...!
Still, the pen did come out pretty good, you will always require the use of CA so, no problems there...!
Cheers
George

George, thanks for all the comments and suggestions. I had actually tried the wrapped around a stick idea but had trouble getting it tight enough, still like the idea though and am still trying to come up with a good process.

D) None of the above.
It's laminate. See here. http://www.penturners.org/forum/f13/denim-nouveau-sceptre-ballpoint-115980/?highlight=denim+micarta

Nice Ed, that's exactly the process that inspired me to try something easier than epoxy.

JD, you come up with the coolest stuff!!! Well done as always!

Thanks Jim, always appreciate your comments. I added the black Tee to be a little different then other denim micarta. Have plans to use different color "accent" layers in the denim.

great pen, good job.

Thanks Jim, appreciate the encouragement.