Finally Finished

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ashaw

Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2004
Messages
1,590
Location
Phila, PA, USA.
I have been working on a project that include 500 pens for a client. Tomorrow off to Washington DC to deliver the pens. The client is the National Geographic Society.

I was approached by them last August about to project. After a couple of samples the project was closed in December 2013. We pickup the material in January on the coldest day of the year.

The material was oak flooring from Alexander Graham Bell's office. The wood was over 100 years old. The wood was dimensioned and sent out to be stabilized. Cutting, Drilling and turning was the easy part. The CA finish was truly a bear. At first it was taking 10 - 15 minutes per barrel At the end it was taking me about 2 - 3 minutes. Thanks to Barry Gross in helping me with the CA.

Numbers
42 bottles of medium CA (2 oz bottles)
25 cans of accelerator.

A total of 10,000 +/- coats of CA was applied on all of the pens. 20 coats per barrel.
Eight coats were used about turning - Sanded out and mm and sent out for engraving.
After color fill an additional 12 coats were applied and sanded than final buffing.

I received permission from national Geographic to publish the picture of the Pen. I took some from my cell phone but need to retake with my camera.

The pen style was the Executive.
 
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Wow! First, Congratulations on the order! Next, what an honor to be given the opportunity to work with this wood!
I am glad you survived the task and get to deliver the pens in person!
If I may ask, which pen component finish did you choose?
 
It was a Chrome Executive. The pens are being used internally. Do not know what they truly will be used for. The refills used were the Schmidt easy flow 9000.

I get back to work on Thursday with two more 100+ orders except this time they are resin blanks.
 
So very happy for you Alan... Something as precious as handling a piece of history and creating a personalized enduring legacy in the form of a hand crafted pen in that volume is quite an accomplishment. At the MAPG you mention the scope of this project and so to hear this today it is only fitting to say... WELL DONE!!!
 
Congratulations on finishing that size order. I did 105 slimline pens just before Christmas 2011, all with a CA finish, trouble was I now have an allergy to CA.
Now I do 1 pen, and the eyes and nose start running also sneezing.:frown: Did you use a mask? If so what type?
Kryn
 
Wow, I have to imagine at times that was really rough but what a cool honor to get to work with that wood. Congratulations! Would love to see pics when you get the time, congrats on the next orders as well.
 
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ashaw said:
It was a Chrome Executive. The pens are being used internally. Do not know what they truly will be used for. The refills used were the Schmidt easy flow 9000.
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I bet the pens look great. The Exec is probably my personal favorite pen. I feel that it is very under-rated.
ashaw said:
I get back to work on Thursday with two more 100+ orders except this time they are resin blanks.
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I am jealous of those orders, but am even more so of your ability to get them done without letting all the other balls drop.
 
Thanks guys. Delivered the pens yesterday and they loved them. We are looking to do more work with them. We drove down yesterday the hottest day of the year with no AC lost 20 pounds yesterday just from the heat. I will have pictures to follow.
 
ashaw said:
Thanks guys. Delivered the pens yesterday and they loved them. We are looking to do more work with them. We drove down yesterday the hottest day of the year with no AC lost 20 pounds yesterday just from the heat. I will have pictures to follow.
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I hope not pics of your weight loss
 
500 pens...

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No pictures of weight lose. I got of the er yesterday. 2 Bags of IV I had heat exhaustion, my heart was doing a number on me. Feel much better today. I will have pictures early next week. I am out of the shop for a couple of days. I did keep one pen for myself per NATGEO.
 
Alan,
I am glad you are okay. The heat is brutal sometimes. One of those hot days, our neighbor was stick in a back up on the beltway...took 2 hours to go 3 miles and 3 hours to get home. I hope you can get your AC cranking again.
 
ashaw said:
No pictures of weight lose. I got of the er yesterday. 2 Bags of IV I had heat exhaustion, my heart was doing a number on me. Feel much better today. I will have pictures early next week. I am out of the shop for a couple of days. I did keep one pen for myself per NATGEO.
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Holy cow... good to hear you recovered but slow down -- no pen is worth your health!
 
Alan, sorry to hear about the trip to the hospital! Glad you're OK and this order is behind you. Hopefully you can relax for a few days while your body recoups.
 
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