Nuts To You All !!

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plantman

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Walnuts, that is !! This is one of several blanks I cast the other day. As you can see I had nothing to do, and all day to do it. The kit is a CSUSA Artisan European Soft Touch Stylus/Pen in a Gun Metal finish. The blanks are PR with Pearlex Carbon Black and Super Copper powders added. The design comes from segmented Walnut shells glued on all four sides to a central shaft. Turned round, sanded to 1200, and 8 coats of thick CA added. Resanded to 1200 and polished with One-Step plastic polish. The Walnuts are as they fell from the tree with the thick protective coating covering the nut, not as you would buy them at the store. I segmented them on the band saw into 1/8 inch slabs and resawed the slabs to fit my center shaft. Before casting I rounded the rough edges and corners on the belt sander. After casting I used a Sure-Foam file on my mid size lathe to round the blank. Next it went to my mini metal lathe for final turning to size and finishing. Jim S
 

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Band Saw Box

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That is a really cool looking pen Jim. I like the coloring of the blank, your fit and finish is fantastic. Well done.
 

JohnU

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Ottawa, Illinois
Your too quick for me. I have a pile of them drying in my basement as I type. lol
I think it looks awesome! I love the natural edge of the black walnuts. They are no fun to pick clean but they sure make a nice looking "one of a kind" pen. Nice work!
 

stonepecker

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central Minnesota
Wait till this fall..........I usually pick up somewhere between 600-900 nuts just to get them out of my yard. The rest disappear until spring when I have about 2 dozen seedlings in my yard.
Looks like I might just have to peal a few of them for fun.

GREAT looking pen.
 

plantman

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Green Bay, Wi
Wait till this fall..........I usually pick up somewhere between 600-900 nuts just to get them out of my yard. The rest disappear until spring when I have about 2 dozen seedlings in my yard.
Looks like I might just have to peal a few of them for fun.

GREAT looking pen.

:eek: Don't peal the outer shell off !! Thats what gives you the feathered edge. I have also sliced the nuts in 1/8 inch crosss sections, routed out an oval in a box lid, glued the section in the oval, filled the routed oval with black body filler, and sanded smooth. Makes a very interesting design. If you have to many nuts, just send a box my way. Jim S
 

BSea

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Little Rock, Arkansas
You know yesterday when I 1st saw this thread, I really liked the pen, and wanted to give it a try. Then this morning I looked at it again, and I thought . . . . . . . . ummm not so much. But this afternoon I really like it again. So I guess you could say. . . . . . .

Sometimes you feel like a nut . . . . . Sometimes you don't. :biggrin:

But on the serious side. That's a really nice pen. :good:
 

JohnU

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Wait till this fall..........I usually pick up somewhere between 600-900 nuts just to get them out of my yard. The rest disappear until spring when I have about 2 dozen seedlings in my yard.
Looks like I might just have to peal a few of them for fun.

GREAT looking pen.

I have about 12 black walnut trees on my property with 5 around the side and front of the house. I usually spend 2 days a week for a good month picking up walnuts. Apparently I don't have enough squirrel in the area. I sliced a couple up a couple years ago and then put it on the "to do" list, just to find a use for the nut shells. Lately I was thinking of smashing them in to jagged pieces and then cast them like acorn caps. Just never go around to it yet. Now that I see some of you wanting nuts..... I think I know a yard where you can pick up all you want. lol
 

stonepecker

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central Minnesota
Who has done this before that is willing to make a vid showing us dummies how this is done.
I have the nuts. I have the desire.......I just don't have the knowledge.

Thanks,
 

plantman

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Green Bay, Wi
You know yesterday when I 1st saw this thread, I really liked the pen, and wanted to give it a try. Then this morning I looked at it again, and I thought . . . . . . . . ummm not so much. But this afternoon I really like it again. So I guess you could say. . . . . . .

Sometimes you feel like a nut . . . . . Sometimes you don't. :biggrin:

But on the serious side. That's a really nice pen. :good:

Bob; You realy crack me up !!! Jim S
 

OZturner

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Sydney. NSW. Australia
Great Blank, Jim.
I am exhausted just reading your description of the steps required to make them.
Glad it's you and not me.
Terrific Work, Fantastic result.
Brian.
 

plantman

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Green Bay, Wi
Your too quick for me. I have a pile of them drying in my basement as I type. lol
I think it looks awesome! I love the natural edge of the black walnuts. They are no fun to pick clean but they sure make a nice looking "one of a kind" pen. Nice work!

John; I am out of walnuts. If you are interested, send me a shoe box of nuts along with your favorite pen kit, and I will make the kit up for you. Jim S
 

plantman

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Jan 2, 2012
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3,437
Location
Green Bay, Wi
Great Blank, Jim.
I am exhausted just reading your description of the steps required to make them.
Glad it's you and not me.
Terrific Work, Fantastic result.
Brian.

Thank You Brian: It's about the same as doing the egg shells. Second blank went a lot faster because I had an idea of what I was about to do, and how to go about it, sort of !!! I ran out of Walnuts so I won't be trying any more until I can find another sorce. Jim S
 
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