Seascape

[workinforwood]

Well how about that, I did have time to crack out one more pen! I don't have any pen kits other than a few cigars and something like this sure wouldn't look good on a cigar. This is my first PC pen. It was a 10 hr build. Half that time was messing around with the PC and especially the fish canes. It is way more difficult that you'd think, first you have to get the clay on the tubes, then you have to slice these thin as you can and apply them to the pen and roll them in. I destroyed a cane trying to cut it with a polymer clay knife. I had much greater success switching to a square box cutter type knife like the ones you scrape windows with. I still think some of my fish where a bit too thick, and that I needed to bake the pen about 4-5 min longer perhaps

I bought this button filler pen on Ebay a while back because of the 14k gold nib on it..it was a dirt cheap find, the clip all mangled on it. The sac inside is gone and the mechanism that squeezes the sac is a bit rusty. I used the parts from that pen to make a completely new pen. This pen does not yet function because I ordered some sacs but don't have them yet. I am hoping maybe someone at the Chicago Show can fire this pen up on site.

The body of the pen is Brass and the finish is CA. The clip is something laying around here looking for a home. The finial cap to hide the button filler is M8x1, the pen cap is 10x.75. It is a tiny bit long, about 1/2" shorter would have been slick, but it is at least not a girthy pen. The cap is 1/2" diameter. Thanks for looking.

 

[workinforwood]

This is a better pic, and it shows the button filler cap removed. Took me a while to get a better pic, I can't seem to remember how to lower the shutter speed and increase the focus zone. I hate cameras!!!

 

[lorbay]

Very nice Jeff that is sweet.

Lin.

 

[Pioneerpens]

It looks great Jeff!!

 

[Mark]

That's a great looking pen. Lots of time wrapped up in that one. Nicely Done..

 

[skiprat]

Wow Jeff, I was trying to think of something that would be slightly insulting / cheeky, but that really is very very impressive work!!!:wink:
Very well done!!

 

[workinforwood]

Wow Jeff, I was trying to think of something that would be slightly insulting / cheeky, but that really is very very impressive work!!!:wink:
Very well done!!

I had a little issue with one of the sea horses where I spun a bit of it away, so I did what Steve always does..put the clip there! :biggrin:

 

[Phunky_2003]

That is pretty impressive. I like how you made it a unique pen getting that from ebay. The details on the endcaps ? really set it off. Very nice.

I've picked up a few pieces from ebay to try stuff similar, but so far nothing compares to what you've done here.

 

[mbroberg]

That's awesome Jeff!

 

[johnnycnc]

Looks great Jeff!
nice rebuild around the nib.

 

[RichB]

Everything has been said except that is ALL OUT FANTASTIC. I really enjoy looking at your work Jeff. RichB

 

[Toni]

Jeff almost missed thisThose are NOT the easiest canes to use by far!! I have issues myself using them, cant quite cut them thin enough either as the canes are like butter:biggrin: looking into finding a better blade to slice them.

Great pen, you beat me to a fish scene!! You did an awsome job and I love the finial(is that right)!! I bet that fly's off the shelf fast!!

Toni

 

[workinforwood]

Yes, thanks Toni, those are finials. They are not glued in place either. I just drilled a hole the size I wanted it to be then filled it with clay, the hole being no different than if you were to remove the disc off a Jr Gent cap. After baked, the clay stuck just fine and then I used thin CA to seal them. I had to roll the sea turtle to make it a bit smaller and that cane became mostly trash. The square blades you use for scraping windows work really well...like a razor blade. If I was going to do this regularly, I would build a little jig to turn that blade into a guillotine and I would get or make some tubes to put the canes into. I think if the cane was inside a tube, you push the cane out from the tube just a hair then plunge down with the home made guillotine, then you would get perfect even slices and the cane can't deform because it would be surrounded by a tube. That's my theory anyhow.

Thanks Rich and others too!

 

[Toni]

Jeff thanks for the explanation on the finial. Not all polymer clay canes are like that, those canes are the softest canes I HAVE EVER USED!! You wouldnt need a guillotine for mine..LOL

Never used a window scraper will see if we have anything down here.

 

[Constant Laubscher]

Great pen and workmanship!

 

[DRScherz]

WOW, Fantastic looking pen!

What would happen if you froze the cane prior to cutting? It might stiffen it up a liitle and make it easier to cut without deformation.

 

[Toni]

the problem with freezing pc is the rapid defrost that occurs and the cane starts to sweat, releases water as well you end up waiting for it to thaw and then mopping up the puddle..LOL

 

[PaulDoug]

You people and your PC pens,,,, Got to say they are awesome!

 

[PR_Princess]

Very nice Jeff! Love the seascape and the extra touches you did on the finial. I also really like the rebuild around the nib too!! And I don't think that you'll have any problem finding something at the Chicago show to finish this beauty up. Actually, I hope that it sticks around long enough so that I can see it!

Geeze it looks like Toni has converted another one to the "Dark side"!! :biggrin:

 

[CaptG]

Awesome work Jeff. Now I see what you were talking about when you were explaining it to me.

 

[workinforwood]

Thanks guys. The wife has already tried to steal it. I guess I have to make one for her too, she can't have this one because it's just way too nice and being a fountain pen she would always be complaining about something like filling it with ink or having to remove a cap to use it. I made a contact for someone at the show to bag the feed and replace the inner spring.

I'm not converting to PC, but it is interesting stuff and I had to experience it. The finished material is not all rock hard and brittle like we consciously expect clay to be. You do not have to go buy a pasta machine either. I'm sure a machine would be good if you want to make lots, but otherwise, just a chunk of thick acrylic rod works fine for conditioning the clay. Just roll it...it's like making a pizza with all the toppings.