Looking for ideas--reward offered!!

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
ed4copies

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Messages
24,763
Location
Racine, WI, USA.
The Monthly YouTube Live on ExoticBlanks will be discussing "tips and tricks".

I'm sure Mark and John will come prepared, so help me please!!

Send me (message) any good tips and tricks you may have and I will enter you in a drawing. In a week, I will draw one name and award a $50 gift certificate to ExoticBlanks!! If I receive more than 25 suggestions, I will award TWO $50 gift certificates.

Thanks to all who reply!!!

Ed
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I learned most of my tips from you and your videos - like pattern alignment during assembly on your video about assembling a junior series pen kit and making and using your color test stick for deciding what color to paint the tubes on a plastic pen. - Dave
 
Thanks Dave!! They qualify, you are the first entry in the drawing!! Also got one on Exotics email, he is also entered.
 
I was going ask if you want a message here on IAP? but seeing your response to Dave I guess I have my answer. Much the same as him, many of my tips have been told to me or I've picked them up reading on here.

  1. To preserve grain match on two piece pens I mark the inside of each tube with a sharpie to line up the grain when doing assembly
  2. To preserve grain match on a cigar holder I use a piece of blue tape on the inside of the tube instead of sharpie because it would be visible. The blue tape is far enough in the cigar holder that it clears the bushings.
  3. When I need to make off center holes in a 3/4 by 3/4 pen blank I use two pieces of a home depot paint stick glued together on one side of a blank and a single paint stick on the other side. It's all wrapped in a couple turns of plastic and then in my pen jaws on my chuck.
  4. I exclusively use carbide tools, each time I rotate the head on the cutters I mark the bottom of the cutter under what's been "used" with a sharpie. I always know what's an old vs new edge and the sharpie never gets worn off

It's been a long day, if I think of anything else I'll drop you a line
 
Last edited:
Hmm. Two tips: Stay out of dark alleys and don't play the horses.
Pen making: I separate each kit and store in lunch meat containers. I also include a note of the material or wood blank, size drill bit and tube size.
Organizing kits.jpg
 
For color resin casting, use the Part A cup to add/adjust dye and/or Mica Powder and mix your color thoroughly - since Part B is not added yet, there is no hurry, so you have plenty of time to ensure thorough mixing. Once the color is mixed, you can add Part B and start monitoring resin temperature.
 
One other trick is if you don't want to buy non stick finishing bushings for CA finishing, you can wrap a little plumbers tape over the edge of your bushing to prevent CA from getting on it
 
My tip would be, ask a lot of questions, about any given aspect, CA finish, drilling methods, etc. Don't take any advice as gospel, try them out. Settle on the method that works for you and further refine it. There's many methods for pretty much any aspect of penmaking and most of us are set in our ways. New avenues open up new possibilities, don't short change yourself by being so rigid that you refuse new products that come on the market. When it comes to segmenting, make jigs. In the segmenting area you will not be very successful without them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom