Using aluminum as an accent stripe?

[Pen Willie]

Has anyone used sheet aluminum as an accent stripe or band in an acrylic blank? If so, how do you finish the final product? I would assume the aluminum would turn after a short period of time if not coated. I'm thinking something very thin like 18ga sheet material. I'm pretty sure I saw it done somewhere, just can remember where. Thank goodness it's the mind going first!

 

[Ruby pen turning]

If you know how to do a Super glue coating, the acrylic with aluminum can be done the same way as wood would be done.

 

[Pen Willie]

I've never tried CA on acrylic, only wood. I have some old scrap acrylic blank pieces I can play with. Thanks for the info.

 

[Dalecamino]

I only use CA if there is wood incorporated in the blank. Unless, there are chips in the acrylic somewhere, but that hasn't happened yet. I made a few of these two years ago. No tarnish yet, and if they do, a little polish will make them new again.

 

[Pen Willie]

Awesome PEN! Thanks for the input. I have a 50th birthday gift pen that was requested in all black. To me it's missing something so I thought I would at least try to spice it up some with a thread of aluminum through it somehow. Any specific issues I should watch out for? I was told to drill the blank with a standard twist drill rather than a brad point, is that true?

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

Bill - Drilling can be done with either bit. BUT, twist drill bits won't "blow out" the bottom of the blank as brad point bits are prone to do. With either bit, it's important to know where you are depthwise and slow down as you get to the bottom of the blank (but don't slow down to the point you're burning the blank (esp true for acrylics).

 

[paintspill]

turn carefully at the aluminum. it turns down slower than the wood around it so if your not careful the aluminum can be raised. which still might look cool if thats what your after. as for the aluminum. pop (soda) cans work good. they are thin and soft. just sand off the paint so you don't see the color and the glue gets a better grip.

 

[IPD_Mr]

I only use CA if there is wood incorporated in the blank. Unless, there are chips in the acrylic somewhere, but that hasn't happened yet. I made a few of these two years ago. No tarnish yet, and if they do, a little polish will make them new again.

Exactly. One of my first segments was done with aluminum and nothing over the aluminum. It still looks bright and shiny. I would imagine it would take quite a while for it to turn unless it is in an environment that would accelerate the process and that wouldn't be to good for the other metal parts of the pen.

 

[Jim Burr]

I just finished and mailed a pen off for a Canadian swap that was a sandwich of bloodwood, White ash burl and aluminium. I used Devcon clear epoxy and clamps for 24 hours. Turned beautifully and it was a closed-end at that! After the skew work, I hit it with 600 then CA as usual. It is bright and shiny!

 

[ctubbs]

Aluminum has a very interesting property in that it will oxidize almost instantly upon being exposed to air. The cool part of this is it's oxide is essentially transparent and very tough. Unless it is exposed to a rather harsh environment, the very thin layer of oxide will protect the metal very well from any further oxidation. Now how cool is that, I ask you.
Charles

 

[Dalecamino]

Check out this tutorial. At the end there is a page of patterns you can print out. Just cut them out and glue onto your squared blanks.

http://content.penturners.org/library/pen_blanks/curved_metal_segmenting.pdf

 

[PTsideshow]

Very cool, thanks for reminding me about it
:clown: