Thread: Wicked Snake Wood customer Order

Hey Ian,
great pen as always,
a couple of things though,
1st -excuse my ignorance but what is RMO burl?
2nd- it doesn't matter who you ask everyone will do their CA differently, even if ever so slightly, eg I do 3-4 coats thin and then I use medium, but I go by measurement rather than counting coats (digi calipers) I sometimes get the drag marks as well but I usually pick them up before I put the next coat on, so if I see them I wet sand with some wet and dry to remove them, dry the blank then continue coating the blank,
It would be the same principle as when you are casting a blank that if you see a flaw and than coat over it you will always notice it,
Hope that helps in some small way mate,
cheers Ben

Look good to me !!!

I love this pen despite the drag marks

Originally Posted by Beedeejay

Hey Ian,
great pen as always,
a couple of things though,
1st -excuse my ignorance but what is RMO burl?
2nd- it doesn't matter who you ask everyone will do their CA differently, even if ever so slightly, eg I do 3-4 coats thin and then I use medium, but I go by measurement rather than counting coats (digi calipers) I sometimes get the drag marks as well but I usually pick them up before I put the next coat on, so if I see them I wet sand with some wet and dry to remove them, dry the blank then continue coating the blank,
It would be the same principle as when you are casting a blank that if you see a flaw and than coat over it you will always notice it,
Hope that helps in some small way mate,
cheers Ben

Hey Ben
Thanks mate D
RMO is Red Morrel Burl
Mate thanks for the feed back and info D

Originally Posted by spankingpigeon

Look good to me !!!

Thanks Brad D

Originally Posted by corbs

I love this pen despite the drag marks

Thanks Andrew and thanks for the chat on FB a pleasure as always D

Ian

another beauty ian , after you sanded to 12000 what did you do to finish it ?

Ian thats another fine looking pen IMO. I agree with with what Ben said, remove any flaws asap so they dont get trapped between layers and then proceed. One thing though if using wet sanding between coats it is imperative that you make sure all moisture has been removed before continuing or you will create futher problems.

Beautiful combination Ian

Originally Posted by Nai84

..Now the finished I used Miter Fix and CA this is my first time using this finish so how did I go u ask ok lol but I noticed some drag Mark ( now I put 10 coats of thin CA and then 5 thick but I had do a bit of sanding to get it to look good is this normal????

Mitre fix is just another brand of CA that has the CA and accelerator. Answer to your question, yes and no. The ripples are caused by too much CA applied and too high a speed. As the thick & medium CA's take longer to cure the centrifugal forces tend to form the ripples. Using thick and medium are harder to use than just thin, but they fill all little defects and give a deeper depth of finish IMHO, you just need to develop the knack of applying it. Slow your lathe to 900 max and apply CA to middle of blank then spread to ends. I use 0000 steel wool in a length wise stroke every 3-4 coats to ensure no ripples, if you don't, they just build up more and are harder to remove.

If your blank is not truely round, from sanding etc, this can also cause huge ripples as the centrifugal forces throw the CA out .

Originally Posted by mkypenturner

another beauty ian , after you sanded to 12000 what did you do to finish it ?

Thanks mate
I polished it after the CA was sanded

Originally Posted by tdrumnut

Ian thats another fine looking pen IMO. I agree with with what Ben said, remove any flaws asap so they dont get trapped between layers and then proceed. One thing though if using wet sanding between coats it is imperative that you make sure all moisture has been removed before continuing or you will create futher problems.

Thanks Trev
I will take on board what u have all said and work on my techniques

Originally Posted by dai sensei

Beautiful combination Ian



Mitre fix is just another brand of CA that has the CA and accelerator. Answer to your question, yes and no. The ripples are caused by too much CA applied and too high a speed. As the thick & medium CA's take longer to cure the centrifugal forces tend to form the ripples. Using thick and medium are harder to use than just thin, but they fill all little defects and give a deeper depth of finish IMHO, you just need to develop the knack of applying it. Slow your lathe to 900 max and apply CA to middle of blank then spread to ends. I use 0000 steel wool in a length wise stroke every 3-4 coats to ensure no ripples, if you don't, they just build up more and are harder to remove.

If your blank is not truely round, from sanding etc, this can also cause huge ripples as the centrifugal forces throw the CA out .

Thanks Neil
Thanks heaps for the info and will work on my techniques

Many thanks to all for the help and info

Ian

well mate i must say that it looks great on the bottom section, that top bit with the snake WELL......

but really you have done a great job with these especially getting the snake skin and the wood to mesh so well, i am guessing that the snake skin goes under the wood marginally or do you cut it around the burl edges (painfull if yes)

with the CA finish, i never use accelerator, my finishes are BLO/CA and i use medium to finish always, but i am sure if you 100 people how to do a CA finish you will 100 different answers

all the best

MIK

Originally Posted by MBUMIK

well mate i must say that it looks great on the bottom section, that top bit with the snake WELL......

but really you have done a great job with these especially getting the snake skin and the wood to mesh so well, i am guessing that the snake skin goes under the wood marginally or do you cut it around the burl edges (painfull if yes)

with the CA finish, i never use accelerator, my finishes are BLO/CA and i use medium to finish always, but i am sure if you 100 people how to do a CA finish you will 100 different answers

all the best

MIK

MIK

Mate thanks I will convert u one day lol

Mate can't give away all my secrets ;-) but I will say one thing there is alot of work in these blanks D

Yer mate I am sure there would be 100 different ways but atleast I will have a 100 ways to try lol

So I gave it another crack and this is my end results



Bolt Action PSI with Curly Jarrah 20 coats of CA and Accelerator wet sanded with 800g and polished with NP

Ian

Hello Ian,

Fantastic blank (and pen). Just trying to figure out how you create this masterpiece, it is hurting my head.

Thank you for sharing.

Originally Posted by Nai84

Hey All

Here is another WSW pen made custom by ME lol

Anyway we have RMO burl with SWC python shedded skin casted in tinted Red resin on a Executive Sierra.

Now the finished I used Miter Fix and CA this is my first time using this finish so how did I go u ask ok lol but I noticed some drag Mark ( now I put 10 coats of thin CA and then 5 thick but I had do a bit of sanding to get it to look good is this normal????

Ian

Ian you have certainly joined the ranks of the masters!!!

Your pens are consistently of outstanding quality and to that
you have added inventiveness and originality!!

Congrats on another pair of fine pens!!

Originally Posted by Penl8the

Hello Ian,

Fantastic blank (and pen). Just trying to figure out how you create this masterpiece, it is hurting my head.

Thank you for sharing.

Thanks Penl8the lol mate sorry and anytime ;-)

Originally Posted by artme

Ian you have certainly joined the ranks of the masters!!!

Your pens are consistently of outstanding quality and to that
you have added inventiveness and originality!!

Congrats on another pair of fine pens!!

Awh shucks thanks Artme. As most of u know I don't like to live inside the box and I am always looking for New ideas and designs

Ian