Here is a Phoenix pen made with a cast of sweet gum balls and a mixture of blue resin. I was surprised when I started turning it as it was almost, I say almost, as hard as truestone when I got into the core. But, it came out fairly well I think. Thanks for looking and any comments welcome.
Sweet Gum Balls Anyone?
- Thread starter renowb
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OKLAHOMAN
Member
Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!Pun intended!
seamus7227
Member
very SWEET indeed!
Fred
Member
Very nice use of things that usually get burned by the millions down here where I live.
BigShed
Member
I had a sweet gum (liquidambar) in my front garden of my previous house, and hated those spiky balls. Lost count of the number of times I almost broke my neck over them.
It is good to see you have made such imaginative use of those pesky balls.
Great job and great looking pen.:good:
It is good to see you have made such imaginative use of those pesky balls.
Great job and great looking pen.:good:
Drstrangefart
Member
That just looks killer. And finally the right blank for that kit. The phoenix always looks kinda awkward imo, but that blank brought it all together.
rizaydog
Member
Awesome pen. That is very nice work. Great job.
neubee
Member
That is a great combination of materials; it really looks nice!
navycop
Member
+1 on sweet. It always amazes me that you guys can look at something and say "I wonder if I can make a pen out of that?" And then there it is..
ToddMR
Member
That looks really cool. Good job!
jbswearingen
Member
It's like a mini-cholla.
Finatic
Member
+++++ Awesome!!
Thanks for the comments. I actually don't have the tree in my yard. I actually "would not" have that tree in my yard. I went walking and on the sidewalk down the street was a bunch of these things, so I picked up a few. They hurt like H*&LL in that state.
edicehouse
Member
For it to be a real gum-ball, you need to leave that laying on the floor and step on it barefoot. . .
Turned Around
Member
i like it. good color choice for the resin.
SCR0LL3R
Member
bitshird
Member
Nice Pen, first I've noticed that component set, but your casting looks beautiful, and does go well with that pen.
leslie hines
Member
Great use of the gum balls really like the pen
navycop
Member
One question: Did you cut them in half first or cast them whole?
Brooks803
Member
Looks great Bill! I've got a tub of those things just begging for a resin bath. Just can't decide on how I want to do them.
grz5
Member
Any chance of you throwing up a tutorial on how you made the blanks? Would love to know so I can try to make my own.
Basically, real simple. I used a resin mold MC-4. Woodnwhimsies has them. This will hold 4 of the balls, tightly fitting. Some will stick out of the top, but I just kind of mashed them down. Then I mixed the resin and blue coloring, poured into the mold and let sit on my "running" drill press, since I don't have any chamber or vacuum, pressure chamber. With this, I get 2 blanks for a Phoenix or Sierras. After cured, I just cut it in 2 pieces, lengthwise. Drilled the hole and wallah! Turned that buggar down.
It took a lot of gap filling with CA and some of the turned blue material filled in nicely.
It took a lot of gap filling with CA and some of the turned blue material filled in nicely.
I cast them whole. I just made a mini procedure.
Trillium
Member
Inspired use of gum balls..I too have tromped on them by the thousands...not any more! Thanks for sharing!
Justturnin
Member
Freakin' AWESOME. I have collected a lot of those and have them in my shop drying. Once I get my pressure chamber set up they will be one of my first casts of this sourt.
johnm
Member
Those are totally great blanks!
navycop
Member
Thank you.
greg544
Member
Nice job Bill.
You are going to have to let me come over so I can learn how to do that! I only have 2 zillion sweet gum balls in my yard.
You are going to have to let me come over so I can learn how to do that! I only have 2 zillion sweet gum balls in my yard.
Dai Sensei
Member
What a fantastic result 
Dam it, now I have another thing to try casting :biggrin:
Dam it, now I have another thing to try casting :biggrin:
:biggrin:Trillium
Member
Dude, a seriously stunning use of those pesky seed pods that feel so rotten on bare feet! I need 42 of them for my block mold..I got seven already! Thanks for sharing such a cool idea!