A bandit took my diamonds

[SteveJ]

I like the bandit kit from exotics since it challenges me to do something special with the center band. After putting diamonds in the band and on the finial I decided the barrels needed them as well.

All the cuts were made on the laser.

The finial is a little disappointing with the variation in the color.

 

[JohnU]

Challenge you it did… and you succeeded!
The band It is one of my favs for that exact reason. Beautiful execution!

 

[bugradx2]

That's amazing! Nice work!

 

[Jim15]

Awesome work.

 

[mark james]

Well done, Steve! All looks great, but I really like the top finial. The center band is great. I love what you are doing.

 

[KenB259]

You nailed it. Great work.

 

[Dalecamino]

That is excellent Steve!

 

[Dieseldoc]

Steve a winner for sure, awesome work.

 

[LouCee]

Looks great, very nice work!

 

[SteveJ]

Well done, Steve! All looks great, but I really like the top finial. The center band is great. I love what you are doing.

The finials are always a nice touch. I'm surprised that more people don't do them. I've found the hardest part is punching out the existing finial!

 

[sorcerertd]

Nice! That's a lot of diamonds. Looks like a lot of very well done work.

 

[jttheclockman]

Never thought I would have seen the day on this forum where you sold out. Went to the dark side and lasers. That is like me a scrollsawer for a long time going to use a laser to cut my work. That will never happen. Have fun with your new toy. Pen looks good. I like the Yin Yang look.

 

[Alan Morrison]

I like that, Steve, understated compared to some laser pens shown here. The centre band is excellent ( looks like a reel from a one armed bandit )

 

[jttheclockman]

I like that, Steve, understated compared to some laser pens shown here. The centre band is excellent ( looks like a reel from a one armed bandit )

Alan I hope you are not thinking of this path too.

 

[Alan Morrison]

Alan I hope you are not thinking of this path too.

You'll be glad to hear that I don't own a laser.
I bought a second hand CNC Router for making wall plaques, box lids, etc, but the computer aspect of it nearly has me beaten. I need a 6 year old child to show me how to operate the computer. Old dogs, new tricks.

 

[jttheclockman]

You'll be glad to hear that I don't own a laser.
I bought a second hand CNC Router for making wall plaques, box lids, etc, but the computer aspect of it nearly has me beaten. I need a 6 year old child to show me how to operate the computer. Old dogs, new tricks.

That a boy!!! Not many of old dogs left.

 

[SteveJ]

Never thought I would have seen the day on this forum where you sold out. Went to the dark side and lasers. That is like me a scrollsawer for a long time going to use a laser to cut my work. That will never happen. Have fun with your new toy. Pen looks good. I like the Yin Yang look.

I almost messaged you to warn you to look away before I posted this!

I enjoy the process of hand cutting pieces for segments (I try to use hand tools when possible) and will continue to do so most of the time.

It was the center band which made me turn to the laser. Those diamonds are tiny and don't lend themselves to cutting by hand. After working on them for way you long I decided to try the laser. Even that took me days of shop time to get correct.

After I got the center band to fit i decided I may as well cut the barrels on the laser as well. The barrels are pretty easy to do on the laser. I do like the lack of glue joints with diamonds cut on the laser instead of by hand.

In the future I expect I will do a bit of both, probably sticking with one method for each pen.

 

[Alan Morrison]

I almost messaged you to warn you to look away before I posted this!

Ha Ha! You're a brave man, Steve!

 

[jttheclockman]

I almost messaged you to warn you to look away before I posted this!

I enjoy the process of hand cutting pieces for segments (I try to use hand tools when possible) and will continue to do so most of the time.

It was the center band which made me turn to the laser. Those diamonds are tiny and don't lend themselves to cutting by hand. After working on them for way you long I decided to try the laser. Even that took me days of shop time to get correct.

After I got the center band to fit i decided I may as well cut the barrels on the laser as well. The barrels are pretty easy to do on the laser. I do like the lack of glue joints with diamonds cut on the laser instead of by hand.

In the future I expect I will do a bit of both, probably sticking with one method for each pen.

Ha, I had to look twice to see who made that pen and when I read laser I had to reread it. There are not many of us old dogs left like I told Alan. I always admire the work you 2 do cutting the designs you do by hand. I know for fact the talent it takes to do that and the difficulties. I am just having fun with you. Nice work. For some reason and I can not figure it out but the diamond shape in woodworking is so fitting for lack of a better word. It flows in so many designs. Whichever method, keep up the great work. I am sure the more you work with the laser things will become easier and you can push the boundries more. One of these days I will be freed up to get back to creating again myself. In the mean time I enjoy looking at projects here.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Very nice! I've turned a few of those kits and really like them. To be honest when I fist started reading and looking at the pictures I thought why didn't you do something with the finial. Need to say you didn't disappoint me. Ha ha. Well done.