Walnut Pen Rack

[THarvey]

Rack holds 16 pens. The holes are large enough to hold cigar pens. I wasn't pleased with the finial I turned, so I replaced it with one from an European. Everything from one 5/4 Walnut board.

I still have some work to do on the finish.

Comments welcome.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Cool Idea, but I think it's a little heavy to really show off your pens well... maybe if you made it from thinner boards so that it doesn't hide so much of your pens..

 

[THarvey]

Cool Idea, but I think it's a little heavy to really show off your pens well... maybe if you made it from thinner boards so that it doesn't hide so much of your pens..

Thanks.

I just used what I had on hand. I like the weighty base. Wish I have thinned the upper to 3/8" instead of 3/4".

If I do another, I doubt I will include the four holes in the middle.

 

[hewunch]

I like the design a bunch. You might see if you can't get a piece of acrylic or lexan for the top round so that it won't keep folks from seeing part of the pen. Then you could keep the 4 in the middle.

 

[THarvey]

I like the design a bunch. You might see if you can't get a piece of acrylic or lexan for the top round so that it won't keep folks from seeing part of the pen. Then you could keep the 4 in the middle.

I almost cut a piece of lexan for the top.

How do you polish the edges after cutting and drilling lexan sheets?

 

[bitshird]

I almost cut a piece of lexan for the top.

How do you polish the edges after cutting and drilling lexan sheets?

Tim that would be so cool, nice rack, I'd like to have one like that for my desk.

 

[ldb2000]

Looks great Tim . I agree about the top . You would polish it the same as an acrylic blank .

 

[THarvey]

Looks great Tim . I agree about the top . You would polish it the same as an acrylic blank .

I spin those on the lathe. The speed helps the polish.

What about the holes? Would a Dremel buffing pad take the cut marks out? May just have to try an experiment. I have wood and Lexan. Only thing missing is time. :biggrin:

 

[ldb2000]

I spin those on the lathe. The speed helps the polish.

What about the holes? Would a Dremel buffing pad take the cut marks out? May just have to try an experiment. I have wood and Lexan. Only thing missing is time. :biggrin:

You can still use the MM to polish the edges by hand and final polish with a good plastic polish . It takes a little longer but comes out great . I build Subwoofer boxes from Plexiglas and this is the method I use to polish the cut edges . I tried heat but it is a hit or miss deal the MM and polish works everytime .

 

[rjwolfe3]

Looks very nice and I agree with the above comments!

 

[jleiwig]

I spin those on the lathe. The speed helps the polish.

What about the holes? Would a Dremel buffing pad take the cut marks out? May just have to try an experiment. I have wood and Lexan. Only thing missing is time. :biggrin:

Spin the lexan on the lathe too. Chuck a bolt into your collet chuck with a nut on either side of the lexan and spin away.

 

[THarvey]

Spin the lexan on the lathe too. Chuck a bolt into your collet chuck with a nut on either side of the lexan and spin away.

That is good for the outer edge.

I am trying to find away to polish the pen holes. I have some heavy scratch remover, for lexan headlight covers. I think I will try a little of it with my Dremel buffer. (Anyone done this? OR, have other suggestions?)

 

[jttheclockman]

The rack turned out really well and there have been some comments that you may or may not take in consideation. I would like to add a couple and they are strickly just an opinion and I incorporated them in when making one for myself. I did not like the hole idea because a person has to constanly take the pen in and out of the hole with the possibility of scratching. The next thing was yes they may be safer from tipping if someone turns the turntable really quick but while i am watching that will not happen. Next with the half holes such as I have I feel you get to see the pen in its entirety and is easy to pick off and place back. Anyway this was my rack and if any of the ideas help feel free to use them. Good luck and thanks for showing.

 

[THarvey]

The rack turned out really well and there have been some comments that you may or may not take in consideation. I would like to add a couple and they are strickly just an opinion and I incorporated them in when making one for myself. I did not like the hole idea because a person has to constanly take the pen in and out of the hole with the possibility of scratching. The next thing was yes they may be safer from tipping if someone turns the turntable really quick but while i am watching that will not happen. Next with the half holes such as I have I feel you get to see the pen in its entirety and is easy to pick off and place back. Anyway this was my rack and if any of the ideas help feel free to use them. Good luck and thanks for showing.

That is beautiful. I love the design. How big is the base?

 

[jttheclockman]

Tim

The bottom base is about 11" in diam. and the next layer is about 7-1/2" diam.

Here is what it looks like with some pens on it.

 

[nava1uni]

You can polish the edges of acrylic with a propane torch. If you lightly pass it along the edge it will make the marks disappear and leave a shiny edge. Tap plastics employee gave me this tip and it works great. Just don't leave the torch in one spot too long or it will melt. Do several passes and it will work great.