Tinned Copper Braided sleeves tube-in pen blanks

[RonRocheleau]

Here are some new blanks I just made using Tinned Copper Braided sleeves and Alumilite Slow resin. I made them tube-in for Cigar upper and lower, Sierra, and Gallant pen kits. I've turned 3 pens to show the finished pens with these blanks. Let me know what you think.

Use the link below for a 20% discount on your complete order, if you purchase 3 or more items in my Etsy store

rarwoodworking - Etsy

Shop Craft supplies for clock crafters and pen makers. by rarwoodworking located in Clermont, Florida. Smooth shipping! Has a history of shipping on time with tracking. Speedy replies! Has a history of replying to messages quickly. Rave reviews! Average review rating is 4.8 or higher

rarwoodworking.etsy.com

 

[jttheclockman]

Hello Ron. May I make a couple suggestions because you are now in the selling stage of these I see. I make a lot of braided blanks and have at times started out with tinned copper material. If you look at your blanks in the photos I see a few things wrong or begs me to make a helpful suggestions. The material you are using is allowing the tube to show through and the adhesive underneath. One of 2 things is happening and I believe you are using the wrong size for the tubes you are using. One size does not fit all. You are stretching the braiding so much it opens the weave and thus the see through effect. 1/2" is the minimum I use and go up to 5/8" The second thing, there is much better quality material out there if you want to keep with the braided copper. I suggest you look around. Finally the last thing is when selling braided blanks and depends on the material, some people do not have the ability to trim them down. The metals can be very hard. Now copper is fairly soft but when leaving so much on an end for them to sand off can be troublesome. Now I am speaking to you with some experience so take my thoughts anyway you choose but I do believe you need to adjust your product.

 

[RonRocheleau]

Hello Ron. May I make a couple suggestions because you are now in the selling stage of these I see. I make a lot of braided blanks and have at times started out with tinned copper material. If you look at your blanks in the photos I see a few things wrong or begs me to make a helpful suggestions. The material you are using is allowing the tube to show through and the adhesive underneath. One of 2 things is happening and I believe you are using the wrong size for the tubes you are using. One size does not fit all. You are stretching the braiding so much it opens the weave and thus the see through effect. 1/2" is the minimum I use and go up to 5/8" The second thing, there is much better quality material out there if you want to keep with the braided copper. I suggest you look around. Finally the last thing is when selling braided blanks and depends on the material, some people do not have the ability to trim them down. The metals can be very hard. Now copper is fairly soft but when leaving so much on an end for them to sand off can be troublesome. Now I am speaking to you with some experience so take my thoughts anyway you choose but I do believe you need to adjust your product.

Thank you John for taking the time to offer some advice I do appreciate it. I agree with some of your criticisms. I am experimenting with several types and sizes of braided copper and there may be other braided sleeves that are better. Can you suggest a better source? I am not aware of an easy way to distinguish from the pictures I see online or the descriptions of the products. As to the look and the brass tube showing a bit, that was my intent. I like the way that looks. I will try some other size braids and also paint the tubes if I find it necessary to hide the brass. I do not see any adhesive visible in the blanks. I use CA and even before casting it is not visible in the braid. I think there is some compression and distortion in the braid in a few locations from my handling during the process and I am working on better methods to eliminate that. The copper braid is trimmed and sanded flush to the ends of the tube by me before casting. The pen maker should not need to make any tool contact with the metal braid, so that is not an issue. Only the resin needs to sanded off the blank to properly size the tube before or during turning. I like to turn the blank to a cylinder nearly to final size and then sand the ends of the blank to the tube, and then do final turning and polishing. There is very little sanding to do to the ends using this approach. This also eliminates the possibility ot a blowout or damage to the ends because I do not use a blank trimming tool. Thanks for your comments.

 

[jttheclockman]

OK The photo on the left is the one I looked at in the last set of photos for being long on the tube. That is what sparked that comment. As far as the look of the tube, that is a taste thing and not my taste but you are selling them. Keeping the braids from fraying on the ends is a job for sure. I am well aware of this. As I said I moved away from the tinned copper material but I will check my sources to see if any are still available. I know my list of sites needs to be cleaned out because some go way back. I get most my braiding off ebay these days except for the stainless steel and Brass because they are basic Home Depot water lines. As far as distinguishing them you will see closed weave as opposed to open weave. You have open weave and that seems to be what you want so may not be able to help in a source but will check.

https://www.electriduct.com/Braided-Sleeving.html#158

Amazon has alot to choose from and there are lots of sites. The source I use to use is no longer in business. Again I am not into show the tube because no matter what you do that cable does not lay flat and the same pattern circles the tube. If used as a closed mesh you can avoid this and if it does not lay flat you do not notice it as much. My opinion only. I do not sell blanks but I have made plenty of the braided ones over the years. I looked for my copy of a tinted braided copper pen and did not find it but if I do I will post.

 

[RonRocheleau]

OK The photo on the left is the one I looked at in the last set of photos for being long on the tube. That is what sparked that comment. As far as the look of the tube, that is a taste thing and not my taste but you are selling them. Keeping the braids from fraying on the ends is a job for sure. I am well aware of this. As I said I moved away from the tinned copper material but I will check my sources to see if any are still available. I know my list of sites needs to be cleaned out because some go way back. I get most my braiding off ebay these days except for the stainless steel and Brass because they are basic Home Depot water lines. As far as distinguishing them you will see closed weave as opposed to open weave. You have open weave and that seems to be what you want so may not be able to help in a source but will check.

https://www.electriduct.com/Braided-Sleeving.html#158

Amazon has alot to choose from and there are lots of sites. The source I use to use is no longer in business. Again I am not into show the tube because no matter what you do that cable does not lay flat and the same pattern circles the tube. If used as a closed mesh you can avoid this and if it does not lay flat you do not notice it as much. My opinion only. I do not sell blanks but I have made plenty of the braided ones over the years. I looked for my copy of a tinted braided copper pen and did not find it but if I do I will post.

 

[RonRocheleau]

Thanks again John. I got this braid on Amazon and ordered some on Ebay. That order is coming from China so we'll see what I get. You are right about the care needed to avoid fraying on the ends of the tube. I think my process has improved in that regard. I'm using CA all around the ends and small curved scissors to get a cleaner cut at the ends. I was twisting the braid at the ends to tighten it and that deformed the sleeve. Now I am trying a straight pull at both ends to tighten the sleeve. That seems to work better. Thanks for the link. I will check out those products. I had not considered steel or brass braided sleeve. I will have to see if I can find that thin enough for use. I appreciate all your help and comments.

 

[jttheclockman]

Thanks again John. I got this braid on Amazon and ordered some on Ebay. That order is coming from China so we'll see what I get. You are right about the care needed to avoid fraying on the ends of the tube. I think my process has improved in that regard. I'm using CA all around the ends and small curved scissors to get a cleaner cut at the ends. I was twisting the braid at the ends to tighten it and that deformed the sleeve. Now I am trying a straight pull at both ends to tighten the sleeve. That seems to work better. Thanks for the link. I will check out those products. I had not considered steel or brass braided sleeve. I will have to see if I can find that thin enough for use. I appreciate all your help and comments.

Stick around Ron you may just get to see some in the upcoming Bash days. I have explained my method a few times here and in fact Wayne was kind enough to screen grab some details and put an article in the library. Now that is just how I do it. I am a Silmar41 resin guy. Have been since I started some 19 years ago here. My methods may not work for everyone but as I always said any questions are always welcomed. There is a great amount of different braiding material out there.