Don't Fear the Gator

[plano_harry]

This is my first gator (and first SOYP, but who's counting?) I put off trying gator because of the fear factor and high cost of failure. After seeing Tom Barron turn one at our North Texas pen meeting, I thought, I can do that... Tom's Mangrove Red seems to have this crazy glow in the center of the teeth sockets which makes it look internally lit. Probably didn't get there in my photos, but this thing looks battery powered in person! I was thinking of Retro or Gent hardware, but when I saw the finished result, I upgraded to non-posting Jr. Statesman

No problems drilling (just kept the bit cool for safety) or turning (stopped frequently for CA bath). Definitely going to do more of these!

I hope you like it -- all C&C are welcome.

Harry

 

[George417]

Let the gator fear you. Excellent work and a great finish

 

[kronewi]

I am getting ready to turn one of these myself. Hopefully mine turns out a nice as yours. Great job!

 

[Linarestribe]

Looks great. Did you paint the tubes or the blank and what color?

 

[skiprat]

Great attention to detail by making the sockets line up !! Even the extra effort with the photo presentation deserves merit. Very well done !!

 

[Jjartwood]

Beautiful,with that caliber work you should be posting alot more pics of your work
the rest of us need to see nice work like that.
(it keeps us honest)
Nice
Mark

 

[Lenny]

Price it high then tell potential customers you can make them one cheaper but THEY are going to have to get the jawbone for that one! :biggrin:

Great looking pen!

 

[thewishman]

That is a very manly pen. The color combination looks very good.

 

[longbeard]

Yours turned out way better than mine. Really looks great.
I see you "humped'' yours just a little, whereas i did not, i lost some of the teeth sockets on mine and i even drilled just a hair off center. I put it on a chrome Atrax FP.

 

[theidlemind]

Nice Gator.
My one attempt blew up on me, you have inspired me to try again.
Very, very nice.

 

[seamus7227]

Wow! Harry you did a great job on that! How was the smell?

 

[plano_harry]

Wow! Harry you did a great job on that! How was the smell?

Thanks Seamus, it really didn't bother me. Smelled a little like the dentist grinding on you but not bad. I think Tom must deoderize his blanks :biggrin:

 

[plano_harry]

Looks great. Did you paint the tubes or the blank and what color?

I went with a dark red on the hole, nothing on the tubes. Did not tint the epoxy. Forgot to mention, I went after with a woodchuck penpro on edge like a skew -- that is my fallback approach when failure is not an option.

Harry

 

[tkbarron]

Nice work Harry! That's is a beautiful pen. I'm happy to hear it turned out well. Great work on the photography too!

Tom

 

[toyotaman]

Beautifully awesome. Those colors are great together.

 

[SDB777]

The red acrylic works well with the bone and it does well with the kit it is on. Well thought out, and well turned!





Scott (bone up for the bone) B

 

[mikespenturningz]

Nice pen. I like the way you have the jaw going down the center of the pen really good placement.