A few SS Cable Cast Pens

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Dai Sensei

Dai Sensei

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Joined
Jan 14, 2009
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482
Location
Gold Coast Queensland Australia
Gawdelpus (John) gave me some of the SS cable off-cuts he scored the other day
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. So I thought I would have a go at casting a few. Basically, due to the thickness of the combined cable and resin, the only kits that will work (from Aus anyway) are the Cigar and the Dayacom Elegant Beauty.

I plugged the brass tubes with home made silicon plugs that extend beyond the tube to support the SS cable. I secure the cable on the tube/plugs with cable ties then cast in resin under low pressure. To do something different, I also added some tint to the resin on some of them. I also used blackened tubes, so the brass didn't show through the cable weave.

Biggest problem with these casts is the trimming of the blank. Tried the bandsaw first, but it tended to tear the cable weaving slightly, so ended up using a fine toothed metal cutting blade on the scrollsaw - too lazy for the hacksaw
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. The main thing is to cut them as close as possible to the sleeves, as the sanding/trimming process heats the cable, and can discolour it. So little bits at a time dunking in water regularly to ensure the cable stays cool. The clear Cigar shows the one cut with the bandsaw and overheated
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, live and learn.

The other problem that became obvious after turning, was a straight tube is better on the tinted casts, as the thicker the pen the darker the colour
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. I'll stick to clear now on the Cigars, and only colour the EBs. Might also get some more tint, this stuff was starting to go off and didn't mix too well (it is over 5 years old
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).

Cheers

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Those look really unique...I have not seen anything like that before, personally. Really nicely done.

Grub
 
Thoes are really sharp. I really like the blue cigar. I had to cut hydaulic 7mm line that was made with SS braided and clear flexible plastic cover. ( for hydraulic disc breaks on my bike) But WOW what a pain in the arse it was to get it clean cut on the edges.

So props to you for doing that with such perfection.
 
I have a couple casted and just waiting to be spun. As you say the cutting is the hard part. You can also try using a dremel with a metal cutting wheel. Works OK. You can try using the edge of a gringing wheel and that works too. I like the tint idea. May have to give that a whirl.

Nice work on all of them. great photo also. Thanks for showing. How did you glue up your blank???
 
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Thanks for the comments.

jttheclockman said:
I have a couple casted and just waiting to be spun. As you say the cutting is the hard part. You can also try using a dremel with a metal cutting wheel. Works OK. You can try using the edge of a gringing wheel and that works too. I like the tint idea. May have to give that a whirl.

Nice work on all of them. great photo also. Thanks for showing. How did you glue up your blank???
Click to expand...

The sleeve is in the middle of the braid before the casting, so effectively gets cast in.

I have a metal cutting carbide blade for my drop saw, so i am going to give that a go, the scroll saw is too cumbersum. I've been sanding with the disk sander, dipping in the water regularly. I even tried the wetgrind, that worked the best of all, but way too slow. The side of my normal grinder also worked, but I didn't like the build of of resin.

I'll keep playing with the technique, including better ways of holding them in the molds.

Cheers
 
Dai Sensei said:
Thanks for the comments.



The sleeve is in the middle of the braid before the casting, so effectively gets cast in.

I have a metal cutting carbide blade for my drop saw, so i am going to give that a go, the scroll saw is too cumbersum. I've been sanding with the disk sander, dipping in the water regularly. I even tried the wetgrind, that worked the best of all, but way too slow. The side of my normal grinder also worked, but I didn't like the build of of resin.

I'll keep playing with the technique, including better ways of holding them in the molds.

Cheers
Click to expand...


I just casted one tonight and will see over the weekend how it comes out. I just did it for a sierra for now. I found that if I cut the strands close to finish size I should be able to mill it without a problem. I experimented with another one the other day but the casting did not work well. But I did try my new carbide mill on it from Nolan and it worked like a charm. So that should solve that part. Need to get this casting down pat. Almost there. I found out a few things I was doing wrong so I should be on my way with that part of this pen turning stuff. Boy we are having fun.:smile:
 
jttheclockman said:
I just casted one tonight and will see over the weekend how it comes out. I just did it for a sierra for now. I found that if I cut the strands close to finish size I should be able to mill it without a problem. I experimented with another one the other day but the casting did not work well. But I did try my new carbide mill on it from Nolan and it worked like a charm. So that should solve that part. Need to get this casting down pat. Almost there. I found out a few things I was doing wrong so I should be on my way with that part of this pen turning stuff. Boy we are having fun.:smile:
Click to expand...

Enjoy the ride, there are so many different pen kits and pen materials to try. This forum certainly opens up the mind to things I would normally have never thought of.

Be careful with the Sierra and SS, I have found the cable I use here too thick and it comes through the resin.

Good luck
 
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