Experiences with M3

[Haynie]

I am looking for experiences with M3 metal blanks. I am sure folks here have used it but when I search M3, I get zero hits. This stuff is pricey and I would like some tales of wonder and woe so have an idea of what I would be getting in to.

 

[IPD_Mr]

Black fingers when polishing -Scary sharp tools, carbide prefered. Probably best to use a mask when turning. But results are worth it.

 

[Buzzzz4]

Very easy to turn and beautiful results. Sand as normal and use the polishes supplied. Mike is right about the black hands and black sanding dust. Wear a mask!

 

[Haynie]

oooo, purdy.

Now the woes. I want all sides.

Hey, Mr. Is that a kit pen?

 

[Buzzzz4]

That's the Imperial or Bamboo. I know there are some at Exotics right now.

 

[IPD_Mr]

oooo, purdy.

Now the woes. I want all sides.

Hey, Mr. Is that a kit pen?

Well the woes for me were the black hands and the first ones I did without carbide tools.

The kit is a black ti Imperial.

 

[Fibonacci]

I did a couple pens in it. It was fairly easy to turn, but is murder on your tools. You will have to sharpen much more often than with other materials.

The advice that I got from R and B crafts was to get some of the softer trustone to practice on, as it has very similar turning properties. I picked up the turquois with black web and found it to be good practice.

 

[apple320]

m3 Metal

Sorry to link to another board but here is one I did.

Same comments as everyone else.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/f...046233__hl__metal__fromsearch__1#entry2046233

 

[GoodTurns]

my only bad experience with any of the M3 blanks was fear the first time I turned one. I find it more consistent across the types than trustone (which varies from chippy to buttery). Sharp (carbide) tools and smooth cuts make a beautiful pen. Follow the instruction sheet for finishing and it's (nearly) foolproof!

I did a test with a small piece when someone asked about stability for kitless/tubeless applications...drilled and turned and polished a piece to a 1mm tube and it was SOLID...couldn't hand crush it.

 

[Texatdurango]

I am looking for experiences with M3 metal blanks. I am sure folks here have used it but when I search M3, I get zero hits. This stuff is pricey and I would like some tales of wonder and woe so have an idea of what I would be getting in to.

Here's an interesting thread from back in '07 when we first started turning this stuff that you might be interested in. http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1201&highlight=mokume In post #11 I posted several photos showing how it turned. Unlike popular belief it's not metal and turns more like a hard clay than acrylic and when drilled, it turns to powder.

You want hits, search for mokume and dozens of threads will pop up.

 

[Texatdurango]

my only bad experience with any of the M3 blanks was fear the first time I turned one. I find it more consistent across the types than trustone (which varies from chippy to buttery). Sharp (carbide) tools and smooth cuts make a beautiful pen. Follow the instruction sheet for finishing and it's (nearly) foolproof!

I did a test with a small piece when someone asked about stability for kitless/tubeless applications...drilled and turned and polished a piece to a 1mm tube and it was SOLID...couldn't hand crush it.

Speaking of kitless, I made two pens from the material and have already replaced both pens (not a pleasurable experience to eat two of these blanks). At first the threads seemed just fine but once the customers got them and started using them, the threads on both pens started stripping out after a few months time, different customers but both experienced the same results at about the same time.

 

[GoodTurns]

my only bad experience with any of the M3 blanks was fear the first time I turned one. I find it more consistent across the types than trustone (which varies from chippy to buttery). Sharp (carbide) tools and smooth cuts make a beautiful pen. Follow the instruction sheet for finishing and it's (nearly) foolproof!

I did a test with a small piece when someone asked about stability for kitless/tubeless applications...drilled and turned and polished a piece to a 1mm tube and it was SOLID...couldn't hand crush it.

Speaking of kitless, I made two pens from the material and have already replaced both pens (not a pleasurable experience to eat two of these blanks). At first the threads seemed just fine but once the customers got them and started using them, the threads on both pens started stripping out after a few months time, different customers but both experienced the same results at about the same time.

I can see that happening on the threads, hadn't considered it (my kitless days are ahead of me!) but can see the graininess of the threads shredding. Thanks for the heads up.