Segmented Idea, what do you think?

[wiset1]

This is an idea I had for a segmenting project this weekend. I still have to apply a couple more coats of CA to it and do a good polishing before I can even think about adding a kit to it. So the question is...do you think it's worthy of being finished and set into a full sized Majestic kit? This is the cap!

The wood is African Blackwood on the outside, White styrene, aluminum accent, then buckeye burl in the center. The wood on the bottom is Maple Burl. I plan to do something close to this for the bottom. While the lines don't fit flush on the aluminum it's an effort that I just want to see done. Honest feedback...The look will change when and if the Majestic kit goes on.

 

[NewLondon88]

I can't say that the styrene does anything for me, but then people have told me
that my taste is somewhere in the vicinity of my back pocket.
But I like the aluminum accents quite a bit, and separating the two burls with
the aluminum looks great. Not sure about the blackwood on this particular
combination though.
As for the aluminum join, I wonder if you could get a touch of solder to
help smooth that transition? I don't know if it would work, but the seam
does tend to draw the eye to it.
I like it so far..

 

[wizard]

Tim, My answer to your question is an unequivocal YESSS!!! Beautiful job..You are learning segmenting faster than lightning...Does the styrene come with streaks like that naturally? Great job Tim. Regards, Doc

 

[GaryMGg]

I think it looks real good. Nice tight joints.

 

[PaulDoug]

I think it looks great and deserves it's place in a kit. I agree with Newlondon88, I'd prefer to see it done with aluminum accent. Just personal choice.

 

[wiset1]

I can't say that the styrene does anything for me, but then people have told me
that my taste is somewhere in the vicinity of my back pocket.
But I like the aluminum accents quite a bit, and separating the two burls with
the aluminum looks great. Not sure about the blackwood on this particular
combination though.
As for the aluminum join, I wonder if you could get a touch of solder to
help smooth that transition? I don't know if it would work, but the seam
does tend to draw the eye to it.
I like it so far..

Really great feedback! I wasn't overly fond of the styrene after turning it as this was my first time working with it. The solder idea is a good one that I'll have to address on the next pen. My main issue with the blackwood and the white styrene was the dust from the blackwood went into the fibers of the styrene making it look dirty. I guess I have to try it to learn what the issues are.

Thank you for the honest feedback!

 

[soligen]

I really like this, but what you have to ask yourself is:

1) I'm I "happy enough" with it? (Simply by you posting this, I suspect the answer is no)

2) How long would it take to re-do it?

3) Do you have a plan you think will improve the results on the next try?

If the answer to 3 is "Yes", then the effort to re-do it is well spend becasue it devlopes your skills and processes.

As an example from my own experience, even with all the tutorials, it took me 3 or 4 tries to get a celtic knot good enough to put on a kit. But, I learned a lot in the attempts.

If you decide to put it on a kit, I think it will still make a very nice pen. Just depends if it has sufficiently reached a level of accuracy you are happy with, bearing in mind there is no such thing as perfection.

If you decide to re-do it, absolutely do not think of this blank as time wasted - think of it as time learning.

 

[wiset1]

I also want to thank Paul, Gary, and Doc for the feedback they left as well.

Doc, the segmenting is a result of working to bring my drawings to life, but I still have a LONG way to go. I thinki when I get a proper shop to do this in I'll get some of the tools needed to step up the process and quality of the pens.

Again, Thank you!

 

[soligen]

COncerning the styrene, i'd go with much thinner white so there is more blackwood on teh outside and put aluminum on both sides of it

 

[wiset1]

I really like this, but what you have to ask yourself is:

1) I'm I "happy enough" with it? (Simply by you posting this, I suspect the answer is no)

2) How long would it take to re-do it?

3) Do you have a plan you think will improve the results on the next try?

If the answer to 3 is "Yes", then the effort to re-do it is well spend becasue it devlopes your skills and processes.

As an example from my own experience, even with all the tutorials, it took me 3 or 4 tries to get a celtic knot good enough to put on a kit. But, I learned a lot in the attempts.

If you decide to put it on a kit, I think it will still make a very nice pen. Just depends if it has sufficiently reached a level of accuracy you are happy with, bearing in mind there is no such thing as perfection.

If you decide to re-do it, absolutely do not think of this blank as time wasted - think of it as time learning.

Thanks!

Truth is...I'm not happy with the white styrene and how it finished. I may just finish the pen and add it to the cheaper silver majestic kit and throw it in storage with the rest of my pens. As noted, I've learned from this and may just turn around and make another one without the styrene and replace it with a different wood like a birdseye maple or something...who knows.

Well, thank you!

 

[wiset1]

COncerning the styrene, i'd go with much thinner white so there is more blackwood on teh outside and put aluminum on both sides of it

Dennis,

I have some on order now. The white used was the only stock they had at my local store and it was more or less a test. I should try these tests on less complex ideas:biggrin:

 

[IPD_Mrs]

You have gotten some great feed back on this design/attempt - that being said let me say what I think if you don't mind.
I do love the wood combinations. Like others have said I'm not fond of the styrene and would prefer to see an aluminum used here (or perhaps a third offsetting wood though that starts to get a bit busy sometimes so in all fairness that may become another "attempt" depending on how it comes out...). The part of the seam that draws my attention away from the overall beauty of the pen is that it doesn't match up at the point and it's "over" the other wood look so there is black under it (IE it doesn't fit into place where you can't see any of the variance of woods between it and the red wood. (I hope I am making that clear.)
Overall I think it is a great look and one that anyone should be happy to purchase an put in their collection or use as a daily writer!

Good luck on this endeavor - I think you will have a winner here when all is said and done.

Linda

 

[PenMan1]

You gonna sell it or marry it? I think this will sell very quickly. If you've got to live with it for the rest of your life, take your time and get it exactly the way you want it.

 

[wiset1]

Thanks Linda,

I do understand, and this has been a huge help to me. In all honesty I think I'll toss out that styrene since it really does noting for me at that thickness. The thinner sheets should accent well on the next attempt.

Thnaks again!

 

[wiset1]

You gonna sell it or marry it? I think this will sell very quickly. If you've got to live with it for the rest of your life, take your time and get it exactly the way you want it.

:biggrin:
Well said! I just don't like to half @ss anything you know? Good point though

 

[boxerman]

I like it. I think it would make nice looking pen. Maybe just change the metal top to a different color. Great job though.

 

[Drstrangefart]

I don't mind the styrene being there, I think it looks good. All aluminum accent would probably be much nicer. I would still finish that pen, though.

 

[wiset1]

I just need to find thick aluminum that would fill the gap, but as noted, perhaps more Blackwood and a thinner accent. Who knows...

 

[SteveG]

Aloha Tim. You can see from all the responses, your concept is well received and well executed. For myself, I have been toying with this very idea also, but not to the point of making a prototype. You might think about using a miter joint on the thin accent pieces. Getting it even close by sanding a 45* would all but make the seam or joint line disappear. I like the wood combinations. Sometimes LESS is MORE, so doing this for the cap and leaving the mating blank be simply the single wood may be the best look. Consider that on your future attempts. Keep up the good work. A copy of this photo and (hopefully) the follow on attempts will be in my "inspiration" file.

 

[Drstrangefart]

I just need to find thick aluminum that would fill the gap, but as noted, perhaps more Blackwood and a thinner accent. Who knows...

I'd look at thicker aluminum first and try the other if you can't find what you need. You CAN melt your own aluminum and pour it onto a cookie sheet and mill it down to size, but that requires some extra equipment.

 

[sptfr43]

I think it would look much better without the styrene and blackwood. Beautiful pictures by the way!

 

[wiset1]

I just need to find thick aluminum that would fill the gap, but as noted, perhaps more Blackwood and a thinner accent. Who knows...

I'd look at thicker aluminum first and try the other if you can't find what you need. You CAN melt your own aluminum and pour it onto a cookie sheet and mill it down to size, but that requires some extra equipment.

That's just too much effort :biggrin: My wife would have my head if I tried doing something like that in the kitchen

I think the best thing to do is just finish this one up and learn from it.

My thanks goes out to everyone!!!!

 

[broitblat]

I like it. I think the "dirty" styrene looks better than if it were pure white. I wonder, however, if this might be too busy for a Majestic.

-Barry

 

[edavisj316]

First, I think the concept is great. Now being hyper-critical, which you need to be, to critique such work, my attention went strait to the seam on the aluminum. I agree, if you mitered the joint it would all but disappear. This could be done on a bench sander. Without reading the text the blackwood and styrene looked like a glair.
Talk about an optical illusion. I am not really feeling the styrene. I wander what it would look like if you replaced it with the Maple, or put the blackwood in place of the styrene and the maple on the outside.

Very good work!

 

[hebertjo]

Tim -

From what I can tell you did a great job gluing up the segments and drilling the design on center. For that alone you should be proud! However I agree with others that the white syrene looks bad. If you use it such that all you see is the end then it would not look so bad. because it is on the curve you are exposing a lot of it and that might be the issue.

I really like the combination of the buckeye and maple and aluminum. They work for me. One other thing I do not like is the way the syrene and blackwood curve as you get close to the end. I much prefer straight bushing to bushing turning on segmented pens. Just my opinion others may vary.

My comments are meant to be constructive, I think you did a fantastic job and you have to try things so you know what works and what does not.

good luck,

 

[G1Pens]

I like the wood combination. I agree that it would look better with either all aluminum or a thinner white. I personally think the key is what you do with the bottom/pen body. I don't know if a repeat of that same design will work.

 

[wiset1]

Tim -

From what I can tell you did a great job gluing up the segments and drilling the design on center. For that alone you should be proud! However I agree with others that the white syrene looks bad. If you use it such that all you see is the end then it would not look so bad. because it is on the curve you are exposing a lot of it and that might be the issue.

I really like the combination of the buckeye and maple and aluminum. They work for me. One other thing I do not like is the way the syrene and blackwood curve as you get close to the end. I much prefer straight bushing to bushing turning on segmented pens. Just my opinion others may vary.

My comments are meant to be constructive, I think you did a fantastic job and you have to try things so you know what works and what does not.

good luck,

There are some very good points here! I also like a direct look to the lines, but that styrene was a bit thick and resulted in the roll over at the tip. I think I'll just end up doing another one when all is said and done.

I also figured out that I did things the hard way. I made a full sized blank with all the woods, styrene, and aluminum first. Then I cut a wedge out on a band saw so the lines to lay the aluminum accent and the Maple burl lacked that fine touch. Next time I'll strip it down the middle and sand in a 45 degree angle to fit everything together like it should be. These are the things we learn when testing the waters

Thanks again everyone!

 

[wiset1]

I like the wood combination. I agree that it would look better with either all aluminum or a thinner white. I personally think the key is what you do with the bottom/pen body. I don't know if a repeat of that same design will work.

My plan is to lay the same set-up (Blackwood, Styrene, Aluminum, and Buckeye) on its side and stack some maple on the top and bottom. I made a 6 inch blank out of the stuff...might as well use a bit more of it so I don't waste the wood.

 

[ctubbs]

Tim, you are doing some beautiful work. Your mind must be running wide open even when you sleep. I do agree with the miter joint. That was my first thought when I saw that beautiful turning. Do they make a pick guard material similar to what you are looking for? Just a thought. By the way, do not give up on the idea you have here. I think you have hit upon a great idea in segmenting. Keep up the good work.
Charels

 

[wiset1]

Tim, you are doing some beautiful work. Your mind must be running wide open even when you sleep. I do agree with the miter joint. That was my first thought when I saw that beautiful turning. Do they make a pick guard material similar to what you are looking for? Just a thought. By the way, do not give up on the idea you have here. I think you have hit upon a great idea in segmenting. Keep up the good work.
Charels

Thanks Charles! I think you hit it right on the head...I'm always drawing up ideas for elaborate designs that my current tool set won't allow. Once I make it back to the U.S. and have a little shop to work out of I'll get some more tools that will make all of this much easier. At the moment, military housing in Germany doesn't afford me much space. A couple more months and I'll be in DC. Then I can start having some fun.

Good idea with the pick guard material. I was just playing my guitar today...time to get some more picks, ha ha ha.

 

[MartinPens]

Great feedback. Can't wait to see the next version. I think what you've started is a great design. If it needs a home, let me know and I'll send you my address. : )

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[wiset1]

Great feedback. Can't wait to see the next version. I think what you've started is a great design. If it needs a home, let me know and I'll send you my address. : )

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

More than happy to send it your way if I can get one of those cigar pens in trade:biggrin:

 

[InvisibleMan]

This really is nicely done, and will look great on a pen.

For my tastes, it's too busy. I'd love to see the same thing with only the buckeye burl, aluminum and maple burl.

 

[workinforwood]

I like it Tim..nice combo of colors..looks nice and even on the sides..very nice.

 

[wiset1]

I like it Tim..nice combo of colors..looks nice and even on the sides..very nice.

Thanks Jeff! Coming from you I guess the pen has a chance:biggrin:

I have to get some more of your pinecone blanks. I love those things!

 

[Gary Beasley]

You might replace the styrene with some white holly. You could probably get it down to whatever thickness makes the job look right.

 

[Rangertrek]

Tim, I think is looks terrific! :biggrin:
I like the choice of materials and the quality workmanship.
That should be one spectacular pen when finished.

 

[NewLondon88]

More than happy to send it your way if I can get one of those cigar pens in trade:biggrin:

Wait .. what was that sound? Did someone drop a pin? :tongue:

 

[Katsin]

Looks great!

 

[wiset1]

More than happy to send it your way if I can get one of those cigar pens in trade:biggrin:

Wait .. what was that sound? Did someone drop a pin? :tongue:

Funny:biggrin: