my first acrylic blowout, uggggh!! repair help??

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RonInSpringTX

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Spring, TX.
HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!(actually Spring, just N of Houston)
Okay, dudes & dudettes, was finishing a red/black/white acrylic polaris style pen last night, actually finishing, last stages, had put on the plastic polish, already rubbed it clean, I thought. Then I was going to "clean" it I guess you say, and near the tip it just kinda melted, blew up, whatever. Was turning around 2500 rpm, guess a little fast. Think I may cut the blank about 1" back. Should I just cut a small portion of an acrylic blank to fill in? I'm up for ideas!!!!
 
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Hank, you are right "IF" if can be done to look like it should be there. That pen kit is great for that look, but adding four of them to each end of a cigar just don't look right.
 
Hank, I have to agree with Lee. The Sierra you showed looked like segmenting was intended rather than being a repair. I don't think a cigar kit would work. Given the level of expertise that we all strive to achieve some mistakes just need to go into the spare parts bin.
 
Originally posted by Firefyter-emt

Hank, you are right "IF" if can be done to look like it should be there. That pen kit is great for that look, but adding four of them to each end of a cigar just don't look right.
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But it may look alright if you just put put the band at the tip and the clip end, leave the center alone.
 
Isn't a Polaris tube about 2 1/2 or 2 3/4 total length? One inch off one end will be a little strange. How about taking an inch off both ends then segmenting in a contrasting piece of something on both ends, maybe two or more additional segments on both ends. I like Corian for end cap segments.

I polish acrylic at full speed, my lathe is not variable, I don't change the belt when I can avoid it. But you do need to put less pressure on the polish cloth; polish it a little longer but with a lighter squeeze.
 
a couple of thoughts....You can try and save it, using that as process of segmenting....or you can chuck it into the dont do this again pile . both will be learning experiences....segment should looked planned, one can tell a fix job.

I have done both, lean more to the chuck it in the dont do that again pile. I always have extra tubes for just that.
 
I too dont like the opps band unless you can pull it off to look planned. And thats very rare (Hank I like the sierra you showed). I just blew out the top tube of a coolabah blank for a gent rollerball. It was a super piece too but as soon as I seen brass I didnt even consider a fix as it would look tacky IMO to scab a piece of something on top of an insane piece of Coolabah. But I also have lots of back up blanks so I just parted them down to brass and start over.
 
Originally posted by RonInSpringTX

HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!(actually Spring, just N of Houston)
Okay, dudes & dudettes, was finishing a red/black/white acrylic polaris style pen last night, actually finishing, last stages, had put on the plastic polish, already rubbed it clean, I thought. Then I was going to "clean" it I guess you say, and near the tip it just kinda melted, blew up, whatever. Was turning around 2500 rpm, guess a little fast. Think I may cut the blank about 1" back. Should I just cut a small portion of an acrylic blank to fill in? I'm up for ideas!!!!
Click to expand...
Ron, I tend to agree with those who say if you can't redo the pen to where it appears to be a designed feature such as a segmented pen, toss it in the trash and chalk it up to experience. To me, "Oops bands" look just like they sound.

Not every pen that comes off my lathe is destined to be in someones pocket and I expect the occasional mishap. The way I judge a pen when I think it's finished is to say... "Would I put this pen in a jewelry store showcase by itself so others could see the quality of work I do?"
 
Ron, you asked for repair ideas and I offered a few, but I'm really in the start over camp on this. My suggestion is that you carefully remove the blank from the mandrel, hold it tightly in your dominant hand, and throw it forcefully into a large trash container while screaming your favorite obscinity.

Of course I've been known to say loud and fourceful words to my drill press when it blows out a blank. I've kicked my band say when it refused to cut straight. I admit to having a preference for biligerent drama in this type of situation.
 
I like to take the bad blanks out to the range and use them for targets, it makes me feel a little better. If it is blown out, sometimes you just have to start over, unless you can pull it off like Hank did. Nice pen by the way.
 
BTW... The other reason that Hank's looked so good is that he used a soda can and black PR over say, african blackwood. These bands work much better in black PR than any other material in my opinion.
 
I have to ask, how is a customer going to have any idea that an oops band isn't planned? Unless they are told, of course. I am not saying they all look great, but I doubt a customer will ever say "Looks like you took a chunk out with your skew, nice save" :D
Does anyone have an experience where a customer pointed out something like this? Do pens with opps bands sell well, or not at all? I only sell about 30 pens a year so I really do not have a ton of experience talking with a lot of customers.
 
Originally posted by GBusardo

I have to ask, how is a customer going to have any idea that an oops band isn't planned? Unless they are told, of course. I am not saying they all look great, but I doubt a customer will ever say "Looks like you took a chunk out with your skew, nice save" :D
Does anyone have an experience where a customer pointed out something like this? Do pens with opps bands sell well, or not at all? I only sell about 30 pens a year so I really do not have a ton of experience talking with a lot of customers.
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Well I dont think its about noticing why you fixed it, but more on overall looks. Frankly I dont think they look good cuz to me they look patched together and I think most people would see it as just unappealing. Just my opinion but heck people are funny and you just never know what somebodies gonna like.
 
I have to agree with the comments on the pen that I linked. I have had three or four blow outs that were repairable and turned out well, but for several - in my mindset at that particular moment, I couldn't "see" a good combo in my mind's eye. Usually at this point, I take my frustration out on the blank and turn it down to the brass. [}:)] [:I]
 
using bands etc requires a sence of balance. many times a band dictated by a mistake will lack this balance. some look just, fine others not so much. Of course I have also seen intentional bands that where not so much either. As Berry pointed out, a band that is nearly half the length of the barrel is going to have a hard time looking balanced, proportional of whatever you prefer to call it. maybe a semented piece of several bands would work better.
 
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