When things go pear shape...!

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robutacion

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Aug 6, 2009
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6,514
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Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Hi peoples,

I had a young man at school that contacted me many months ago asking me to help him with his school project/idea. He wanted to create an illuminated lamp that would have wood on each end but a translucent window/cast at its centre.

His original idea was casting some small yellow flowers, positioned with the flower heads at the front of the cast and all around in a circle, his dimensions were 150 round x 50mm thick.

He clearly specified the colour he wanted in the resin, he kept mentioning old yellow swirls see through so that the LED lights positioned on the top/embedded in the wood cap, could how the flowers well...!

We went backs and forwards about what flowers to get and its cost plus the drying process they would require so, and after awhile, he decided that would be better to change that to some type of burl wood outer surface spikes in a shape of a hill/mountain with this translucent yellow swirls going through it, creating an interesting piece when the LED would be turned on.

All of a certain I got a call from this young man, to let me know that, he was now running out of time to complete his project and that other kids were already working on theirs so, he was worry and needed this casting done ASAP. This was last week and I promised it to have it made and posted at the beginning of the following week, he was most happy with that...!:biggrin::wink:

I have had this piece of Peppercorn burl already stabilised for this project, it had to be tall enough so that the top centre of the burl would protrude from the top so that when he drilled thought it to instal the electric wire, the wire couldn't be seen, however, the diameter was a little too small for most burl caps, at 150mm diameter, the average eight wouldn't be any more than 30mm or so, get some that would have this tall bulge, was not easy so, I did hope that I didn't stuff things up as I would run into all sorts of troubles to find another suitable burl piece.

I order the Pearlex powder interference old gold that I didn't have any left when ready to get the mix done, I looked everywhere for a plastic mold that I could use but, I just couldn't find any that would suit so I decided to make one out of a wood bowl blank.

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Where I did make a big mistake was to add some gold power I had to the mix to create some extra swirls in the resin but, the whole thing turned to gold/solid colour and have lost most if not all its transparency, I had the feeling that, even before I poured it that I had it wrong but, I didn't have anything else ready, such as pen or knife blanks molds where I could pour that 1 litre of resin mix, I had a bad feeling then and all night I couldn't stop thinking of the damn thing, I wanted to get it out and see how dark/opaque it was...!:frown:

I used the bandsaw to cut it out, the wood bottom was just what I need to mount it on the lathe to finish it.

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I polished the front face so that I could see exactly what I got, and to demonstrate to this young man that, you could make its surface very shiny, something he was worried about, this polishing would be also needed at the piece top to allow the LED lights to penetrate well. In the next few pics you can see that regardless of what I did (more light, less light) I just couldn't see the wood inside and therefore the cast was useless...!:mad:

I was mad as hell, IU should have never added that old gold powder after I had the interference colour in, that would have been more than enough and I should have known better...!:eek::frown:

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Using a powerful flashlight, I positioned it at the top of the cast hoping that extra light would penetrate the resin but, didn't work, even though and as you will see on the last pic of this batch, a 5mm slice that I cut from the mold in the beginning, there seem to be lots of transparency but in 50mm thick, that was not the case...!

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I had no other choice than finding another piece of Peppercorn burl, dry and stabilise it in a hurry, I also had to deal with the mold that I had used before, I had to rebuilt it before I could pour anything on it.

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Next, I glued the second burl piece into the mold, it wasn't as tall as the first one, this one was just at the edge of the 50mm but the burl tip was not at the centre...!

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My next step was to make a new resin mix and hope that everything was going to turn out as I needed.

What do you guys think, am I going to stuff it up once again...?

Cheers
George
 
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DJBPenmaker

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Nov 10, 2016
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What a nightmare [emoji33] what can go wrong will go wrong as they say and just when it's most important!
I'd say you are going to get it spot on this time with all the lessons learnt and your experience so don't lose any sleep over it.

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RKB

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Mar 17, 2014
Messages
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Location
Apollo, PA
Love your stories George.

I am thinking that you will nail it the second time and the project will turn out fantastic.

As a side note: I am thinking that you may be a long lost "rellie" and that I need to come and visit my "new fam" and help you sort all that timber:biggrin:

Catch ya later.

Rod
 

robutacion

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Messages
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Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Thanks guys, I'm also convinced that I will get it right the second time, I will most disappoint otherwise...!:)

After another night waiting while the new blank slap in the pressure pot, I got it out and went straight to work with it, it looked a lot more transparent but I was a bit disappointed while I was turning it as I just couldn't see those gold swirls that I needed and expected.

After I got it to size and polished, it looked better from the lathe and after I hold it in my hands however, the first couple of pics I took, didn't seem to show those golden swirls, I tried in the shade against the sun (now setting)

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but when I turned it towards the sun, it came alive, exactly how I wanted it, what a relief...!:biggrin:

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I sent an email with these new pics/blank to the young man and he called me back straight away to let me know that he was most pleased with the second blank and that was exactly what he had imagined it in his head, I had the feeling and from experience that I had understood well what this young man needed/wanted/imagined so, it was nice to have his approval...!:biggrin:

Blank was posted this afternoon so, in a few days time, he will have it in his own hands.:)

I haven't done any casting for quite some time, I order a couple of boxes of the resin because I need to get some done soon, how soon, not sure but particularly pen blanks, I have a couple of hundred to cast, at least...!

Cheers
George
 

robutacion

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Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Love your stories George.

I am thinking that you will nail it the second time and the project will turn out fantastic.

As a side note: I am thinking that you may be a long lost "rellie" and that I need to come and visit my "new fam" and help you sort all that timber:biggrin:

Catch ya later.

Rod

You don't need to be a "rellie" even if a long lost one, to visit me and help me sort my woods, in fact, I need to select a few loads of logs from the storage paddock and bring them home for processing and store in the new storage areas/under cover but, with the wife Merissa out of question now and no one else around to give me a hand, that will probably take some time to get done, I do one load and I can't move for a week so, it will happen slowly...!

Apart from that, you or anyone are most welcome to come along and visit, I'm sure that no one will leave with empty hands, promise...!:wink:

PSL I've got at least 6 to 8 trailer loads of logs to get from the firewood processing plant before they change ownership in early September, I just don't know how I'm going to do it, not so much with the loading as I'm allowed to use the bobcat to load the logs, is unloading at my paddock that is getting hard to do mainly with big and heavy logs...!

Cheers
George
 
Last edited:

DJBPenmaker

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Nov 10, 2016
Messages
539
Location
Cheshire, UK
Gosh I wish I lived in Oz and somewhere reasonably close I'd be there like a shot to give you a hand.
The blank you've produced looks absolutely stunning, second time right, knew you would [emoji106][emoji106]

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robutacion

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Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Hi guys,

stuckinohio

I take great pleasure to help these young people with their school projects or other, this is not the first time and I hope not to be the last, I wish that they could be closer and meet in person but that yet has not been possible one day...!

The biggest surprise I get is after they contact me with an idea, because most of the times the items are small and will be a one off, they know that most people wouldn't take their requirements just because they don't want to spend the time to discuss and ascertain what really their needs are and off-course get involved with something that will not produce much profit if any or will quote a crazy high price that these kids can't afford as a way to push them away.

In one hand, I understand those big businesses are not interested in dealing with "things" that will not provide good profits, shortage of time and big projects are normally the main reason, I can't really blame them as I actually do know how it goes however, I'm happy that I'm a small fish in the sea and can give all the time I want to someone or something that I believe worth or deserve it and this is why I take pride to know some of these young people heard about me and know they can count on George's to listen, advise and suggest best methods/practises to achieve what they want/need, this process is something that I thrive on, profits are never the deterrent but I normally manage to cover my costs...!

So yes, I take really good care of them...!:biggrin:

DJBPenmaker

Yeah mate, it turned out good...!

As for your help, I know you are too far away for that to happen but, I appreciate immensely that you would be willing to come around and "play" with my timbers, you are no "spring chicken" either so, some of those logs would be too much for you too, however, nothing a good chainsaw wouldn't resolve...!:biggrin::wink:

Cheers
George
 

Curly

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Nov 20, 2010
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Saskatoon SK., Canada.
George.

To unload the logs. Can you tie a line to a bigger log or something solid on / in the ground, the other end of the line to the logs on the trailer, then carefully drive away, leaving the load behind?

Well done with the casting and helping the kid with his project.
 
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