Ake Fay Nake Say

[Ed McDonnell]

I thought it sort of looked like what I was trying to achieve. The boss says she doesn't think it looks like that, but she likes it. What is it supposed to look like? What do you think?


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Ed

 

[Woodchipper]

Oink! Haven't heard Pig Latin in years. My cousin and I were fluent in that language. Now for the pen. It is rather unique but I feel that it would match a copper pen finish. BTW, where did you find a fake snake?

 

[Ed McDonnell]

...BTW, where did you find a fake snake?

It popped out of the box where I keep my hobby paints. Copper would have been cool. I wanted a lever kit for this one, and it was either brass or nickel. Since I had brass laying around.........

Ed

 

[magpens]

Etgay Atthay Ightray !

Pig Latin? . Not the dialect I use.

Anyway, that's a gorgeous pen !!

But we're gonna hafta demand that ya tell us how ya did it !!

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Hi Mal - My first attempt was just dabbing paint on a black cylinder. I was going for really small dabs around 0.04". There were over 800 dabs required and somewhere along the way I got sleepy / sloppy and the dabs started running together into big blobs. Polished off the paint and went for plan B.

For Plan B I engraved a BUNCH of ovals in the black PR cylinder that were 0.06" x 0.03" and 0.005" deep. That was enough to control the dabs and keep them from running together. I used a toothpick to apply the paint since I didn't have enough control with the size brushes I have. The tootpick was a little big, but a pin wouldn't hold enough paint. The toothpick worked fairly well as long as I cleaned the tip every couple of dabs.

I used 3 colors and just winged it with the pattern.

After the paint was dry I cast it in clear resin.

Ed

 

[magpens]

Thanks, Ed. . Looks and sounds very interesting and I have often mused about doing something a little like that.

I am curious also to know how you did such controlled engraving. . Do you have a CNC engraver ? . And if so, what type of cutting tool do you use for making the tiny ovals ?

 

[Ed McDonnell]

Hi Mal - I used a Taig CNC Mill with a 1/8" 30 degree (included angle) carbide single flute engraving bit with a 0.010" tip. I used to hand carve with a high speed rotary tool (dental drill) and micro bits for this type of thing, but the hands aren't as steady as they used to be and the eyes aren't quite as sharp. My brain still works though and CNC tools make up for what age is slowly taking away in other areas.

Ed

 

[magpens]

Thank you, Ed, for your description of the process.

 

[Woodchipper]

Oh, that kind of snake! My complements on the pen. Took a lot of work and a truckload of patience.
We had a younger cousin; we would converse in PL and he didn't understand anything we said, which was the the whole idea.

 

[Gary Beasley]

Looks more like native american beadwork, nicely done!

 

[TonyL]

I really like the blank; I would probably buy one of those. Nice work.

 

[thewishman]

Eryvay icenay!