jodoidg
Member
Making a wedding pen for my daughter, was going to use holly but remembered I had some Alt. Ivory from CSUSA sale. Any tricks on how to finish[?]
Thanks
John
Thanks
John
Alternative Ivory
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Russb
Member
No finish needed. Suggest sanding with micromesh and then plastic polish or what I use, Brasso.
ashaw
Member
John
Made one for my godson who is getting married this year. I was pleased how it turned out. ONe thing to watch out for is heat. The alt. products seem to be more pron to pits and due to heat during the turning process. But the finish product looks great.
good luck.
Made one for my godson who is getting married this year. I was pleased how it turned out. ONe thing to watch out for is heat. The alt. products seem to be more pron to pits and due to heat during the turning process. But the finish product looks great.
good luck.
davidrei
Member
I'll second ashaw's comment. Slow your lathe down a bit. I tried to turn some alt. ivory at way too high of a speed, and couldn't figure our why there were so many 'voids' inside. Of course the blank promptly disintegrated on me. Wasn't till later that I figured out what really happened. I haven't attempted alt. ivory again (though I plan to), so I can't tell you what a good speed will be. All I can say is that 3000+ rpm is way too fast.
ed4copies
Local Chapter Manager
Sorry to be contradictory, but speed is in the eye of the beholder.
SHARP tools and good technique are required with all the alternative materials. They CAN be turned at 3000 rpm as several of us will tell you. HOWEVER, if you are attempting to take too much off at a time, you WILL crack (shatter) the material. This is especially true at the ends. Turn the ends carefully. I turn from the outside in and take really small amounts off at a time. Also sharpen my skew a couple times for just ONE pen. This stuff is temperamental, but it is a great pen, when it is completed and the joints are correct.
GOOD LUCK and PRACTICE makes more nearly perfect. (When I start an alternative material, I am still not SURE I will get a usable pen-about 90% completion rate.)
SHARP tools and good technique are required with all the alternative materials. They CAN be turned at 3000 rpm as several of us will tell you. HOWEVER, if you are attempting to take too much off at a time, you WILL crack (shatter) the material. This is especially true at the ends. Turn the ends carefully. I turn from the outside in and take really small amounts off at a time. Also sharpen my skew a couple times for just ONE pen. This stuff is temperamental, but it is a great pen, when it is completed and the joints are correct.
GOOD LUCK and PRACTICE makes more nearly perfect. (When I start an alternative material, I am still not SURE I will get a usable pen-about 90% completion rate.)
huntersilver
Member
I agree, the time I used the Alt Ivory it
broke completly up. If I remember they sugessted using
a scraper. I may try using a gouge next time.
broke completly up. If I remember they sugessted using
a scraper. I may try using a gouge next time.
jodoidg
Member
Many thanks [
]. This is my first ivory & Emperor. I used a scraper & ran 800 rpm,(& a very light touch). Ran through all the MM a few times to get all the scratches out. Then white dia. on the buffer and of course a top coat of TSW. I'm very pleased thanks again for all the advice.John
kf4knf
Member
Nice pen! Looks like its fit for a king!
Yea that stuff tends to pit alot if you are not cutting right. I use very little pressure but keep it constantly in contact witht he material and sharpen my tools about every 10 mins. Count on nearly 30 mins to turn it down to size. Maybe I am just a slow cutter. []
Yea that stuff tends to pit alot if you are not cutting right. I use very little pressure but keep it constantly in contact witht he material and sharpen my tools about every 10 mins. Count on nearly 30 mins to turn it down to size. Maybe I am just a slow cutter. [
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