Tru-stone Blue River Agate

[avbill]

I turned a blue river agate try-stone two years ago. It made a beautiful electra rollerball pen.

I'm preparing for major show next weekend and going through all my pens. I noticed a irregularity on the surface of the pen I can take my figure nail ad go across the pen lengthwise and feel unevenness. further inspections showed small [tiny] hairline cracks underneath the surface of the Blue-River Agate.

I'm glad I never sold the pen. BUT

Has anyone ever seen this happen before with tru-stone ?

 

[PTsideshow]

Can't speak to the problem from experience with tru stone but you may have the results of different expansion rates of the assorted materials. You have a thin layer of resin, the stone material, coloring should pigment should be minimal, glue also should be minimal, the brass tube inside the material. Plus any and repeated heat/cold cycles that the pen may have been exposed to. Sitting in a car hot and cold, the same for the shop.
The material may be turned to thin to be stable? Can't really say but some ideas to think about.
All materials have "Coefficient Of Expansion" and move at differing rates.
:clown:

 

[Wright]

Not a crack, but had an air bubble just the other day with Tru Stone and repaired it with CA.

 

[aerosupra]

I cracked tru-stone once when assembling the components...Pressed it together too hard I guess...I also dropped a blank onto my concrete floor and it split in two...

Those are my only negative experiences with tru-stone

 

[plantman]

Can't speak to the problem from experience with tru stone but you may have the results of different expansion rates of the assorted materials. You have a thin layer of resin, the stone material, coloring should pigment should be minimal, glue also should be minimal, the brass tube inside the material. Plus any and repeated heat/cold cycles that the pen may have been exposed to. Sitting in a car hot and cold, the same for the shop.
The material may be turned to thin to be stable? Can't really say but some ideas to think about.
All materials have "Coefficient Of Expansion" and move at differing rates.
:clown:

PT: I thing you are right on with the diffrent materials expanding in the change in temps. Most metals expand and contract, stone dosn't. Jim S