Rough day in the shop

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jttheclockman

jttheclockman

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Joined
Feb 22, 2005
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NJ, USA.
Had one of those nightmare days in the shop today. Set out to make my first watch part pen blank. I chose the JR majestic as my kit. In fact was going to enter into the segmenting contest but that all went by the board. Maybe next year. Lower barrel went fine and this was the segmented part. Being this year they were allowing casting also I decided to do the watch part. Well turns out that if you spin bushing to bushing which I always like to do, there is not enough room for watch dial with hands because the cap is tapered and not the same diameter all the way through. When I measured the kit bushing I measured the top part of the cap but assumed the bottom was the same which most kits are. You sometimes get different measurements on the nib ends. But as the saying goes assume means one thing and it came back and bit me. I cut into the hands by just a smidge. So if you use that kit maybe best to bulge it or find another kit.

Then I moved onto a casting that I was going to enter into the advanced casting contest. Everything was going well until I went to assemble. Cap came out great but the matching nib had a blow out of a piece when I pressed the nib on. So that is another contest that went by the boards.

So much work to get nowhere. Things do happen and I know all about it but this was not cool. I did learn alot while doing the watch part pen blank that will be a help in the future because I think I can do these. So I guess not a total loss. The other pen I will try to make another lower blank at some other date. This stuff happens to us all.:smile::smile:
 
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I feel for you John. Sounds like my evening too. I had my first blowout in a long time. I rushed to turn and should have let it set over night. I was able to find the pieces and glued them back together with sawdust and thin CA to fill in the cracks and one small void. Next I sanded through the CA finish on the cap, the finish wasn't completely cured when I started sanding. I've cleaned it up and recoated it with CA. Shut it down for the evening and letting it dry overnight. I'll see what I screw up tomorrow.

Is it called the Bash because I want to break out the BIG hammer and Bash my mistakes trying to get an entry ready?

Could you recast your blank to save the watch parts. Folks do multiple pours all the time. Might be worth a try for the small cost of resin.

Better luck tomorrow.

Danny

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I know the feeling I sanded through my CA finish on one pen. I know it has been at least two years since I did that last. Then drilled two blanks for the pretty wood contest and had two holes that the brass would only go a third way through. I remember a discussion on here about that happening. I had experienced this maybe twice before, but two back two back? It is extremely figured wood and when you looked into the hole it would be shiny then dull rings about every quarter inch. So my guess is it is something to do with the wild grain pattern. Anyway hopefully they will turn better than they drill.
 
Just hate to say it but it looks like I am not alone. yes it has been about a year since I turned a pen but all the rookie mistakes seem to be happening at once. No I can not recast the watch part because the hands were black and now some parts they are brass and some black and looks weird. I will keep it around for reminders in the future. I bit off a little more than I can chew this year entering so many contests and still have not got my photos done. Hopefully I will settled down again and get my act back together. I forgot the disappointing feeling when things go wrong on such simple projects. Oh well always next year. :smile::smile:
 
John, I too have had the unfortunate experience of an unwanted encounter between my chisel and the watch hands. I do not like the look of turning thicker to avoid such an event, and did something on a non-watch blank I had casted for a Zen. I needed more depth to incorporate Ni'i'hau shells (special, highly prized shells originating from the beaches and waters of the 'forbidden island' Ni'i'hau, offshore from Kauai). IOT do this I stepped down from kit tube to the smallest diameter tube that would accommodate the refill. The ends were the original tube size that would accept the components, but most of the length was down to an 8mm tube size. This provided greater casting depth for the shells while still allowing for the straight profile turning most appropriate for the Zen. Perhaps that approach would allow the depth needed to cast a watch face w/hands, without having to widen out the turning IOT clear the face/hands. I realize there are internal clearance considerations that may well preclude this approach on a cap-style pen, but there may be some application in which it would work. :smile:

Too bad your best effort went 'timeless'. I really mean that. :frown:
 
SteveG said:
John, I too have had the unfortunate experience of an unwanted encounter between my chisel and the watch hands. I do not like the look of turning thicker to avoid such an event, and did something on a non-watch blank I had casted for a Zen. I needed more depth to incorporate Ni'i'hau shells (special, highly prized shells originating from the beaches and waters of the 'forbidden island' Ni'i'hau, offshore from Kauai). IOT do this I stepped down from kit tube to the smallest diameter tube that would accommodate the refill. The ends were the original tube size that would accept the components, but most of the length was down to an 8mm tube size. This provided greater casting depth for the shells while still allowing for the straight profile turning most appropriate for the Zen. Perhaps that approach would allow the depth needed to cast a watch face w/hands, without having to widen out the turning IOT clear the face/hands. I realize there are internal clearance considerations that may well preclude this approach on a cap-style pen, but there may be some application in which it would work. :smile:

Too bad your best effort went 'timeless'. I really mean that. :frown:
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Oh I have to see that. Please post a photo and any photos that led up to that. Maybe a little detail as to your method. If you care to share. This maybe an answer for many of the things I want to do. have to say never heard of doing this. Interesting. :smile::smile:
 
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Said this in one of my other posts but bears repeating and said loud.

A simple round piece of material so thin can cause so many problems and yet when done so satisfying. Go figure.:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
John if you turn through a watch part pen and hit something that doesn't cut through paint you can do a CA finish and nobody will ever be the wiser.
 
My pen photos are often marginal in quality, and not organized. :eek: In spite of that, I found a photo of one of the Zen style pens I had made with the step-down tube. I will soon post a short tutorial describing the process I used. :smile::smile:
 
Curly said:
John if you turn through a watch part pen and hit something that doesn't cut through paint you can do a CA finish and nobody will ever be the wiser.
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Yea pete I know that trick but this I hit the hands and they took some of the black paint off and it does not look right. Notice when I started to polish it out because I thought i had done good. But live to try it again another day. I would show it here but it is a different theme pen that I have not seen done yet. So will see what I can do next time.

SteveG said:
My pen photos are often marginal in quality, and not organized. :eek: In spite of that, I found a photo of one of the Zen style pens I had made with the step-down tube. I will soon post a short tutorial describing the process I used. :smile::smile:
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Will be looking for it Steve. could be something for the library too. Because I bet it could help many here. :smile::smile:
 
Gary Beasley said:
Did it just take paint or did it scrape metal too? I would think a bit of careful work could restore the paint to acceptable levels.
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I would have to take a closer look. I assume if it took paint it took metal too. Just may not be worth the effort. As I said I learned a few things doing my first one so it counts for something.:smile::smile::smile:
 
More4dan said:
Since the hands are the highest item, could you turn down a little further and remove them but save the rest? Definitely a last ditch effort.


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Not really because they are basically laying on the watch dial and as good as I think I am, I am not that good:biggrin::biggrin: I may play around with it some because it is a waste anyways.
 
More4dan said:
More4dan said:
Since the hands are the highest item, could you turn down a little further and remove them but save the rest? Definitely a last ditch effort.


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If one were really good with a dremil tool???


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My hands are not that steady any more. I tried to trim a blank down using a dremel tool. Wound up ripping off the pieces that I had glued to a tube. Another one of those gotcha moments in the shop a few days ago. Like I said this pen turning stuff will humble you at times.
 
SteveG said:
My pen photos are often marginal in quality, and not organized. :eek: In spite of that, I found a photo of one of the Zen style pens I had made with the step-down tube. I will soon post a short tutorial describing the process I used. :smile::smile:
Click to expand...

Hope you did not forget us:smile::smile::smile:
 
jttheclockman said:
SteveG said:
My pen photos are often marginal in quality, and not organized. :eek: In spite of that, I found a photo of one of the Zen style pens I had made with the step-down tube. I will soon post a short tutorial describing the process I used. :smile::smile:
Click to expand...

Hope you did not forget us:smile::smile::smile:
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I have been down sick for a few weeks...intend to post 'Tut' as soon as I am able. Perhaps in a week. I have some worthwhile insights that may prove helpful.
 
SteveG said:
jttheclockman said:
SteveG said:
My pen photos are often marginal in quality, and not organized. :eek: In spite of that, I found a photo of one of the Zen style pens I had made with the step-down tube. I will soon post a short tutorial describing the process I used. :smile::smile:
Click to expand...

Hope you did not forget us:smile::smile::smile:
Click to expand...



I have been down sick for a few weeks...intend to post 'Tut' as soon as I am able. Perhaps in a week. I have some worthwhile insights that may prove helpful.
Click to expand...


Health is more important. Get well we will still be here.:doctor::doctor:
 
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