One more strike and I'm out

[Band Saw Box]

I've tried to make two Jr. Gent FP in the last two days, the first was an acrylic blank and really came out nice. I was getting ready to shoot some photo when it rolled off the hard rail to out back steps. and I had to pick up the pieces to many to try and fix...or well these things happen. Next was a stabilized and dyed buckeye burl blank. I was working on a custom finial and broke off all but a very little bit of the tab on the bottom it was able to same it and it did look nice. Everything else went great until the assembly...the clip end was really loose so I sure some CA to keep it in place ( it had the upper and lower barrels put together) the finial on the lower barrel was loose too so I sure a bit of CA for that. The problem turned out that what I thought was a bit of CA turned out to be a Bit of CA and it glued everything together I was using thin CA..I did want to go inside and get my thick CA. I was just a little bit upset and well I chucked the pen across the yard. I guess I need to stay away from the shop for a while or maybe just not try a Jr. gent for a while. I know these things do happen but why does it happen to me....Why....Why does it happen to me.:frown:

 

[Cwalker935]

Don't you hate those type of days. Hopefully, your next trip to the shop will be one of those golden days when everything goes perfect.

 

[robutacion]

I always heard that bad things comes in lots of 3 so, you should force yourself to stuff something out and you will be done and over with, a smooth run after that UNLESS, you are like me that, when things start to go wrong, they comes is lots of 3,333

I know, it won't fix things but, better days will come...!

Cheers
George

 

[toddlajoie]

I think we've all had those kind of days AND those kinds of pens...

One thing I decided early on was that thin CA was dangerous, and only use it when you need it for it's wicking properties (i.e. if you don't want it to seep into every nook and cranny far away from where you applied it, use something else...) a VERY small amount of medium dries pretty quickly but doesn't run...

Now I very much prefer 2 part epoxy for gluing pen parts that need a little encouragement to stay in place. WAY easier to control, and I think it holds better...

 

[gratz]

How then would you feel about this one... I recently got a request to make a cake server and pen for a bridal shower (this Saturday by the way), was to be made from a piece of driftwood found on a Cape Cod beach near the families summer home, made them, sent them out for engraving, got them back and realized... I REQUESTED TO HAVE THE WRONG DATE PUT ON THEM!!!!! Spent the evening cutting them down, refinishing and sending them out for engraving again today... not going to make the shower (which was a bit of a risk from the start)... but if you want to talk about feeling stupid and annoyed!!!!

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Just a thought but you might want to get the second pen out of the yard. When I have those days and react that way the next weekend I'd be fixing the mower or a window because I ran over whatever I threw out days before. Don't worry you're not the only one that has days like that.

 

[Charlie_W]

Hey Dan,
I wonder what would happen if you soaked the entire pen in acetone? Would you be able to salvage the hardware? Would the acetone ruin the hardware?...what do you have to loose?

Just a thought.

 

[William Menard]

Dan, lesson learned and you may have helped other turners by letting them know its NEVER a positive while making pens. My first week experience, I was told to blow a little air in the CA bottle to keep the tip clean, did that, and lips glued up tighter than a snug fit on a pen kit. Wife was happy but I never did that again.