Metals

[hornet406]

I have noticed many people adding metal to their segmented pens. I was wondering what type is normally used, what thickness and where could it be purchased. I have never seen a pen like that in person, but would like to give it a try.

Do you turn these blanks with normal lathe tools? how does the metals affect the cut or how often you must sharpen?

 

[jttheclockman]

I have noticed many people adding metal to their segmented pens. I was wondering what type is normally used, what thickness and where could it be purchased. I have never seen a pen like that in person, but would like to give it a try.

Do you turn these blanks with normal lathe tools? how does the metals affect the cut or how often you must sharpen?

Home Depot. Yes you can use wood tools but a nice carbide cutter makes the job a whole lot easier. Sharpening depends on you. Remember the tool must do the cutting with little force applied. If you have to lean into it you will get hurt. Start with aluminum. You can get sheet or roofing flashing for real thin stuff and then go to the isles where there is the angles and other pieces of flat stock. Good place to start.

Then you too can make things like this Panache pen.

 

[PTsideshow]

Any large hobby shop might have the K&S metals tube sheet and solid displays. Micheal's, Hobby Lobby, as said Home Despot, Highes have it but are a little pricey. Tractor supply stores, some welding supplies may still sell the gas welding rod or TIG rod buy the pound. Aluminum, Bronze, stainless and copper.
You can buy wire and remove the insulation from it. The trouble with using pop cans,beer cans is both the inside and outsides have a resin heat set coating to prevent counterfeiting and the transfer metal taste to the product. It is a pain to remove other than abrasive means.
Some sheet metal shop will see the drop and scrap copper, aluminum.
And of course there are on line sources.

A caveat on the flashing and other sheet stock, it will have either an oily coating from manufacture or a protective coating to prevent or slow corrosion, it will need to be removed before adhesive is applied and the surface Scuffed up so there is some tooth for the adhesive to grab. DNA or acetone will work.
:clown:

 

[wiset1]

These guys covered it pretty well. I get mine at the Home Depot and as long as you scratch it up a bit with something like 100 grit you'll be fine

 

[alamocdc]

I cheat. I use beer, er, I mean, soda cans. Cut the ops and bottoms off, split one side and sand both sides with a DA sander at 220 grit.

Yep, I recycle!

 

[ossaguy]

I was wondering how you keep the aluminum from discoloring the wood when sanding?

When I first started turning pens,that was a problem with getting the bushing residue in the wood.

Steve

 

[jttheclockman]

I was wondering how you keep the aluminum from discoloring the wood when sanding?

When I first started turning pens,that was a problem with getting the bushing residue in the wood.

Steve

Don't sand.

I don't sand. I go right from skew to MM. In this case I used acrylics for the main body along with aluminum so even easier not to contaminate.

 

[alamocdc]

What John said. Stabilized wood resists sanding stains too. For non-stabilized saturate the blank with CA before "sanding". Like John, I usually go straight from the skew to MM.