Contaminate or Void in Rod - How to Fix??

[d_bondi]

Hello Everyone.

Here are two pictures of a kitless section that I am working on. At first, this looked like a void to me, but the rectangular shape has me doubting that. I did hit it with a little ultra thin CA between the two pictures and it feels solid when I run a fingernail or hobby knife blade over it.

Any suggestions on how to fix it?

I'm not sure that I want to try to dig it out and fill with CA, but maybe that would be best.

I can always make a new section from some other contrasting material, but I really want to keep the continuity of the gradient of the rod intact if possible.

Thanks in advance for your help!!

.

 

[Mortalis]

Can you turn it away? It appears you have a lot of finishing to do with the scratches going around the piece. Lite cuts with a skew. Dont think I'd try with carbide tools. Might make it worse.

 

[d_bondi]

Can you turn it away? It appears you have a lot of finishing to do with the scratches going around the piece. Lite cuts with a skew. Dont think I'd try with carbide tools. Might make it worse.

I already turned it down as far as I dare without making the section too small for the pen. The up close photo makes the scratches look pretty bad, but they will come out with 800 or 600 grit wet sanding.

 

[duncsuss]

The pix make it look like there's plenty of material to be removed before the section would be finished, but if you say it's close to the limit we'll have to believe you. (Although I like to make my sections "pinched at the waist", so I'd be turning more away.) The part that meets the barrel would remain the current dimension, but there'd be a smooth curve in and then back out at the open end where the nib housing fits in.

My tool of choice for this is not a skew, but a home-made rounded scraper with a slight bevel on the top surface as well as the normal bevel. (Which Stuart Batty calls a "negative rake scraper".) Note that it is essential to have a slight burr along the top edge - this makes sure that it removes a wispy shaving. Carbide "negative rake" inserts do not have a burr, and they simply don't give the same result. Might as well use the edge of a steel rule.

But - if there's nothing to take away, I guess your options are limited. Do you have a micro-motor tool or NSK Presto (air turbine, like a dental drill)? You might be able to remove the ugly spot then fill it with CA and sanding dust - I would only attempt that if all other options had been attempted or ruled out.

 

[d_bondi]

The pix make it look like there's plenty of material to be removed before the section would be finished, but if you say it's close to the limit we'll have to believe you. (Although I like to make my sections "pinched at the waist", so I'd be turning more away.) The part that meets the barrel would remain the current dimension, but there'd be a smooth curve in and then back out at the open end where the nib housing fits in.

My tool of choice for this is not a skew, but a home-made rounded scraper with a slight bevel on the top surface as well as the normal bevel. (Which Stuart Batty calls a "negative rake scraper".) Note that it is essential to have a slight burr along the top edge - this makes sure that it removes a wispy shaving. Carbide "negative rake" inserts do not have a burr, and they simply don't give the same result. Might as well use the edge of a steel rule.

But - if there's nothing to take away, I guess your options are limited. Do you have a micro-motor tool or NSK Presto (air turbine, like a dental drill)? You might be able to remove the ugly spot then fill it with CA and sanding dust - I would only attempt that if all other options had been attempted or ruled out.

I sincerely appreciate the observations.

The first photo is before I started turning the pinch. The second one isn't at a very good angle. I like the pinch on my sections to be between the midpoint and the nib end. I have probably turned it a bit more after the second photo, the difference in diameter between where it meets the barrel tenon and the pinch is 1.4mm. Perhaps I'll tinker with the shape a bit more.

I don't have a dental drill, but I do have a rotary tool (Milwaukee version of a Dremel) and I have some pretty small diamond carving burrs. I guess I could try this.

The location of this imperfection is unfortunate, its midpoint is right at the end of the nib housing threads.

If I try to use a skew on this, I'll likely end up with shrapnel.

Thanks!

 

[JohnU]

I've encountered blemishes and things in casts that didn't work for me. I've had success with taking a razor blade and scraping/scratching over the spot to lights remove the surface that I build back up with CA. Once the final CA finish is applied, you can't see where the surface was filled.
I've only used this technique on blanks with brass tubes so in your case it will all depend on how deep the spot is. Best of luck with the fix.

 

[d_bondi]

I've encountered blemishes and things in casts that didn't work for me. I've had success with taking a razor blade and scraping/scratching over the spot to lights remove the surface that I build back up with CA. Once the final CA finish is applied, you can't see where the surface was filled.
I've only used this technique on blanks with brass tubes so in your case it will all depend on how deep the spot is. Best of luck with the fix.

Thanks John!

Fix (combination of suggestions) is in process. I'll post the results when done.

 

[TonyL]

i have used a uv cure like solorez to correct those. they become unnoticeable and structurely intact

 

[SabertoothBunny]

I would CA or a UV curing resin.

 

[duncsuss]

The location of this imperfection is unfortunate, its midpoint is right at the end of the nib housing threads.

If you're unlucky and break trhough into the nib housing threads, you could maybe run the tap through again and chase out any CA that sneaks in. But I admit, the rabbit hole is getting deeper and deeper ... good luck!

 

[NJturner]

Hi David - I bet this is one of the pens your trying to finish for the DC Show..... always when there is a time crunch, something weird shows up!

As a caster, it looks to me like there was probably some left over debris in the casting tube when this blank was poured and it got embedded in your blank. I just did a pour of clear resin for a demonstrator pen and I got two small slivers of blue resin from a previous pour in the clear rod - shame on me for not checking better! I am finding that as my silicone vertical molds are slowly breaking down, it's getting tougher to get them totally clean between pours (as well as getting the rods out), as the worn divets in the mold walls are holding some remaining resin gunk.

Similar to what JohnU said, I would scratch it back a bit with a razor and then try filling the divet with some UV curing resin vs CA. I think the UV resin would be a little more durable in the long run for this repair than the CA.

Good luck - see ya Friday at the show!

Kevin

 

[d_bondi]

If you're unlucky and break trhough into the nib housing threads, you could maybe run the tap through again and chase out any CA that sneaks in. But I admit, the rabbit hole is getting deeper and deeper ... good luck!

Thanks Duncan. I managed to stay out of the internal threads. I'll be polishing it later today and will post the results.

 

[d_bondi]

Hi David - I bet this is one of the pens your trying to finish for the DC Show..... always when there is a time crunch, something weird shows up!

As a caster, it looks to me like there was probably some left over debris in the casting tube when this blank was poured and it got embedded in your blank. I just did a pour of clear resin for a demonstrator pen and I got two small slivers of blue resin from a previous pour in the clear rod - shame on me for not checking better! I am finding that as my silicone vertical molds are slowly breaking down, it's getting tougher to get them totally clean between pours (as well as getting the rods out), as the worn divets in the mold walls are holding some remaining resin gunk.

Similar to what JohnU said, I would scratch it back a bit with a razor and then try filling the divet with some UV curing resin vs CA. I think the UV resin would be a little more durable in the long run for this repair than the CA.

Good luck - see ya Friday at the show!

Kevin

Exactly This!!

Yes, working on three pens. All the same pour, but different orientations/cuts for the Cap/Section/Barrel from the rod that has a color gradient from one end to the other. It is a new formulation I have been working on with a caster. I can't wait to get them polished today. I think they are going to be awesome!

See you in a few days! Travel Safe!

David

 

[JohnU]

Similar to what JohnU said, I would scratch it back a bit with a razor and then try filling the divet with some UV curing resin vs CA. I think the UV resin would be a little more durable in the long run for this repair than the ca.

Actually it's just the opposite. The issue with UV resin is it continues to harden in day light and sun, getting brittle and yellowish. A quality CA like Gluboost Fill n Finish will outlast the resin in normal use. It's more flexible and durable compared to resins which is why it's such a good finish for pens.

 

[d_bondi]

Actually it's just the opposite. The issue with UV resin is it continues to harden in day light and sun, getting brittle and yellowish. A quality CA like Gluboost Fill n Finish will outlast the resin in normal use. It's more flexible and durable compared to resins which is why it's such a good finish for pens.

Thanks John. I didn't have any UV resin, but I do have GluBoost which is what I used!

 

[d_bondi]

Thanks again for everyone's encouragement!

I knew I was going to have to "dig" out the inclusion and you guys gave me what I needed to just do it. Here it is after the repair and after wet sanding with Zona papers (1-6). It isn't polished yet, but looks pretty good all things considered.

EDIT: And as luck would have it, the repair is on the bottom side of the section (feed side of the nib), so that helps!



And the finished pen. I think it was worth the effort to save the section!

 

[howsitwork]

good result , worth the effort