Bengal Tiger Animal Skin Pen Blank acrylics

[bobs pens 1]

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/WXEEAS4.html

These exotic Bengal Tiger Animal Skin Pen Blank acrylics are expertly designed and crafted by distinguished European manufacturers and are ideal for animal lovers or hunters. Your finished pens will surely impress and delight any gift recipient. A note about our pen blank "bars": because of the manufacturing process, these blanks are not in a traditional pen blank form but in a 1-3/8" x 4-1/2" x 3/4" bar. Consequently, you can get from 1 pen blank (for larger sized pens) to 4 pen blanks (for single tube pens). Careful cutting and quartering is necessary to maximize the utility of these bars.

I like this color pattern but as a beginner I have had problems with this material breaking on me during the drilling process and turning.
My question to you is there another color pattern by another company in a standard size 3/4x 3/4 inch size I could try. The people who are fans of Auburn University love this color pattern and want this pen blank on thier pens. Many schools who have Tigers as their mascot would also like my old High School.
I cut the blank in half with a band saw and the drilled a 7 mm hole for the last pen set out of the four blanks two broke or cracked. The first blank I made a very nice Wall Street II pen and its making the circuit getting me future orders.
I have even thought of just cutting it 3/4 inches and try to get two Wall Street IIs out of it and just through away the other pieces.
Your remarks would be appreciated on this material. Bob a new beginner in the hobby from South Alabama.

 

[plantman]

Bob; I have used this blank and I think it will serve the purpose you want to use it for. Drill slowly, back the drill out every 1/2 inch, use sharp tools. Let the blank sit a few minutes before gluing the tube in until it cools. Heat is your enemy on acrylics. The blank looks realy nice when MM to 12,000 and than ploished wth plastic polish. I use One-Step Plastic Polish, but any good auto polish will work fine. Jim S

 

[t001xa22]

Bob, I agree with Jim; his advice is spot-on. I offer an example of a Sierra I did a while back. I followed the steps that Jim outlined and did not have a big problem with the material. My problem was that I did not have a thin-bladed saw (bandsaw), so my table saw kerf-cut took away some valuable thickness initially. I did have enough left over, though, for slimline applications.

Bill

 

[Justturnin]

When drilling I use a spray bottle of water and keep the inside of the acrylic wet while drilling. It acts as a lube and a coolant.

 

[Dakcrew]

When drilling I use a spray bottle of water and keep the inside of the acrylic wet while drilling. It acts as a lube and a coolant.

this is great idea! hadn't thought of this yet. this is why it is great here on the board....

Also another thing to remember is to have some throw away material (old flat plywood or similar) on the bottom of the vise that the blank rests in while drilling. this will help prevent blowout on the bottom end. And remember SHARP bits and tools are your friend.

this should look sharp when finished, have fun.

 

[t001xa22]

As an addition to Chris's comments about the water spray being used as a lubricant and cooler, I can say that during the hotter summer months, when my shop gets a little hotter internally, I add some crushed ice to my water spray bottle. For working sensitive materials like acetates and ebonites, this really helps preserve the materials even better. Just my $.02 worth.

Bill

 

[bobs pens 1]

Thank you for the comments. I was reading Barry Gros book last night and he used a spray lub when doing this. I thought about using water to help cool the hole and the blank when I was drilling it the other night.

They do make a pretty pen. Just wished there where more sources to order the Bengal Tiger blank or different methods of making it.

Great ideas however and I do use Colt Drill bits which are the top of the line.

bob

below are some comments from cutomers who used this product so I guess I have to agree with them.
Worst plastic I ever cut
The material is as brittle as glass. Sharp (tungsten carbide) tools and slow turn speeds won't help. Shattered three pens trying to cut this material. The color and pattern are pretty it is a shame the material is unworkable.

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Bengal Tiger Animal Skin Pen Blank Bar: 1-3/8 x 4-1/2 x 3/4One person found the following review helpful.
5.0

By Larry Lockhart
Review posted on November 28, 2010



pretty touchyDefinitely use a light touch as it will chip out easily. Looks great when finished.

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Bengal Tiger Animal Skin Pen Blank Bar: 1-3/8 x 4-1/2 x 3/4One person found the following review helpful.
3.0

By Tim Carter
Review posted on December 29, 2009



Cool looking but brittleMade this pen for a Cincinnati Bengals fan who loved it. Beware, the material is rather brittle and requires careful drilling to prevent breakout.

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Bengal Tiger Animal Skin Pen Blank Bar: 1-3/8 x 4-1/2 x 3/4One person found the following review helpful.
5.0

By Michael Brady
Review posted on November 19, 2009



Unique and Fun ProductThis is a very fun material and I have already had several orders from a few die-hard Bengals fans. The material takes a bit of a light touch to turn and you have to be careful not to over heat as you drill. I really enjoyed working with it. Finishes to a great shine with the plastic polish kit.

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[043Turning]

When drilling I use a spray bottle of water and keep the inside of the acrylic wet while drilling. It acts as a lube and a coolant.

just an extra tip ....add a small amount of the of dish washing liquard (1tps per pint) whilst the water does act as a coolent the dishwashing liquard will stop the swarf from binding giving cleaner, cooler, and more lubricated cutting action- Also use the same ratio to wet sand your acrylic blanks - it stops the build-up of crud in the paper. it tripples the life of normal papers and extends the life of MicroMesh at least 10 Fold

 

[bobs pens 1]

Thanks for the last post. This is a excellent idea and will try it tomorrow when I turn some pens as I got to work this evening.

I think this is a good blank its just you have to baby every thing you do with it to get a perfect result. It may take ten blanks befor I master it.

I have a friend who is a old pen turner who has a Fly Fishing Shop and he used his band saw to cut my blank for me. This smaller saw blade did so much better job than my table saw. Also, to get the end square I may turn them like Barry Gros showed in his book or video and then squrare them on a sander. Less tork on the blank and maybe will cut down on the fratured ends. It may be the drilling I thought I could use the soap and put it in ice water to cool the blank then as I get half way down the blank drilling take it out of the vice dip it in the water for a miniute to cool down then drill the other blank. Might cut say four blanks have 16 small blocks then drill them cool them and then after I am all done let them dry good come back the next day and glue them well do not use them again then come back the next day and turn them after I had a good nights sleep and feel good. I use to work in the operating room years ago as a nurse and the eye surgeons had a routine they did befor big time eye surgery. I think to me this blank is very much like this. One mistake and you are done. I got some coming in from Penn State Monday. Will let you know how I do and then take some pictures of my finished products. I am a beginner only started in Novemeber have made about 50 pens and getting better every time I turn on the lathe. My son has been turning in Houston area for 12 years. He showed me his secrets and what not to do and to do so It really helped me rather than start with no mentor. Thanks again for your help and I am sure others who read this who are like me will benifit from your great advise.