My newest design!

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glycerine

glycerine

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Joined
Aug 7, 2009
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Location
Fayetteville, NC
I like to call this one "Tetris"... It's a walnut and aluminum segmented rhodium jr. gent. I showed this to a friend and he told me I needed to take it to a bricklayers convention... ...not a bad idea!
 

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Good question. It's a small piece of sheet aluminum that I picked up at the Home Depot. I already pulled off the sticker, but I measured it and it looks like it's 1/32.
 
Dan26 said:
Wow! That's cool. Is the aluminum hard on the tools?
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I actually took most of it off on my sander. Got it so close that all I really did was scrape it on the lathe. I think any metal will be harder on the tools than wood, but being so soft, I don't think aluminum would be too harsh.
 
On a piece like this, how is the ca/epoxy adhesion with all the glued surfaces. I can understand 2 pourus surfaces, but how about the wood against a smooth surface. Have held back from these with metal/plastic in due to this thought. Is it, maybe easier than I think?
 
glycerine said:
Do share with the rest of us!!
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Patience, grasshopper:tongue:

Actually, your title gave me the inspiration to create a blank that actually depicts a Tetris (LOVED that game) scene with several blocks already in place and another falling. Now I just have to work out how to make it look good.
 
Wow, nice looking pen.

I was just thinking the same thing (Tetris):cool:.
I guess I play on the computer too much...
 
bkersten said:
On a piece like this, how is the ca/epoxy adhesion with all the glued surfaces. I can understand 2 pourus surfaces, but how about the wood against a smooth surface. Have held back from these with metal/plastic in due to this thought. Is it, maybe easier than I think?
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It held up very well actually. I did use CA and not epoxy. Not sure I would even try it with epoxy. Of course I sanded the aluminum surfaces. I did split one part of the blank when drilling, but I think it was me rushing the bit and nothing to do with adhesion. On one side part the wood actually stayed with the aluminum, so the glue was very strong.
And once I had the tubes in place, I sanded away much of the material before I even took it to the lathe because I was afraid of my tools catching the aluminum and ripping it apart. I really think I was being paranoid though and you probably wouldn't have any issues as long as your tools are sharp.
By the way, I can't speak for plastic/acrylic with aluminum. Haven't done that yet...
 
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bgibb42 said:
Patience, grasshopper:tongue:

Actually, your title gave me the inspiration to create a blank that actually depicts a Tetris (LOVED that game) scene with several blocks already in place and another falling. Now I just have to work out how to make it look good.
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Ah... now that would be hard to do... Would be really cool if you could get those Russian buildings in the background!
 
daveeisler said:
Great pen, how did you avoid staining the wood when you sanded the piece, usually the dust from the aluminium will stain?
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I think some of the aluminum dust did get in the open grain, but it still looks fine. I cleaned the blank good with denatured alcohol after sanding and before coating with CA. That cleans it up real well.
 
If it had been maple, I'm sure it would have turned out pretty nasty. I have trouble just keeping the metal dust from the bushings off the ends when I'm turning lighter colored woods.
 
Very nice work. The aluminum and walnut look great together. If you build it so that the pattern repeats 6 times around the blank, instead of eight times, then the pattern will always line up, regardless of which thread you use when placing the cap on or posting it.
 
VisExp said:
Very nice work. The aluminum and walnut look great together. If you build it so that the pattern repeats 6 times around the blank, instead of eight times, then the pattern will always line up, regardless of which thread you use when placing the cap on or posting it.
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Yes, that's a good idea. The only reason I did eight is because it required less "thought". I cut the blank in half lengthwise on each side, and then again across the diagonals, so I just had to adjust my bandsaw to a 45 degree angle. I may try that next... or find components that have four start threads!
 
daveeisler said:
I will have to try that, I have been having bad luck with CA finish ? and dust from aluminium.
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Yeah, I put the alcohol on a paper towel and then rub it down really well and then off course turn the lathe on and continue. But make sure you leave the blank for a while before applying the ca to give the alcohol plenty of time to evaporate. When I first coated this particular pen, the CA clouded up on me and maybe it was because of something else, but I blame it on the alcohol, so I sanded down and started over. So I give it at least an hour to dry before applying the CA.
 
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