The Med School Pen

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jrich7970

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2020
Messages
124
Location
South Jersey, USA
So, not sure if you guys remember, but I was trying to make a blank with tongue depressors. Well, that didn't work, but I found a nice acrylic blank. I made soooo many mistakes with this thing, I'm surprised it came out.

First off, after I glued the tubes in, I forgot to trim it with a barrel trimmer. I just went straight to turning.

Then, it was really difficult, I thought maybe the acrylic was really brittle or something, seemed to be bouncing all over, not smooth. Then I realized that the quill had come loose.

Then I remembered a while later that I had forgotten to trim it, so I pulled the blank off the mandrel, and one of the tubes just slipped out of the blank. So I glued it back in, made sure it was *REALLY* in there, then trimmed both pieces of the blank.

Then, let's see, I had an issue where I had taken a chunk out of one piece and had too smooth it over, and over, and over.

Then I started to polish it, and realized that I really hadn't gotten then ends really down to the bushings. So I had to do that again.

Then, as I was polishing it, I was using a slower speed, I realized that the mandrel was bent. I stuck with it though, but I can see that that's why I wasn't all the way down to the bushings.

FINALLY I got it done. And it turned out OK. But I want to try two other blanks that I am going to make out of wood.

Anyway...here it is, in the school colors, with a Caduceus clip.

Jeff
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jrich7970

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2020
Messages
124
Location
South Jersey, USA
So, this version was even worse, but I salvaged it. I was worried (and rightly so) that the yellowheart would end up getting material from the bloodwood in it when I sanded, and it did. You might not be able to see it in this pic. But what was even worse was, when I sanded it originally (yes, originally), I did a wet sand with 600 grit paper that was BLACK, and the black came off and embedded itself in the yellowheart. It looked terrible, and all the sanding in the world wasn't going to make it go away. So, I started turning it again and got the top layer off and down to the yellowheart again.

I think my lesson this time is, ditch the wet sanding with black sand paper. There's no reason I need to go up that high. 220, or maybe even 400, is fine.

Here's a pic. I haven't put the top on yet because I plan on making one of another design tomorrow, and I only have one Caduceus clip left. My wife and I will decide which pen we think she'll like best.

jeff

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