Banksia & Stone Closed End Churchills

[dai sensei]

Amos (Woodenlink) has lifted the bar with his special closed end and hidden clip pens, so I thought I would give it a try. In my normal fashion, althought I didn't intentionally mean to, I made the challenge even harder by using Banksias filled with turquoise and malachite :doh:

I started by sanding the banksia down to approx 25mm. Then I placed them between centres and painstakenly filled each hole with the crushed turquoise/malachite and CA. Each hole took 3 fills to ensure the CA penetrated. I then rough turned them back down to dia 25mm with the Ci1 (you cannot use normal turning tools with these powders, as they are real stone and very hard :oo:)

I then drilled the hole to suit the sleeves to the required depth, followed by flooding the holes with thin CA. After redrilling, I used good epoxy to glue in the sleeve, and poured extra epoxy in the hole to ensure the weak points were reinforced for turning (see here (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f69/kits-have-thin-timbers-109848/#post1078829) for discussion around initial failures :-).

I already had a pin chuck made from an old pen mandrel cut off for 7mm tubes. So with John's (Gawdelpus) help on his metal lathe (thanks :2tsup:), I made brass sleeves for pin chucks for Churchills, Barons and GR Gent II (ie extra 6) to fit over the mandrel (ie brass sleeve fits onto the mandrel pin chuck, then the pen sleeve fits over the brass pin chuck).

I then turned the components with my Ci1 with small cuts, stabilizing with CA and refilling the holes as necessary with more powdered stone, with the tailstock in place. I then drilled the extra length holes in the long components for the pen/ink refills that extend into the blank. I also drilled the extra holes and made the slots for the hidden clip on the caps. Back on the lathe pin chuck, I then finished off the ends, sanded and applied the CA finish.

I modified the clip and placed it through the slot (after a bit of cleaning the CA out of it), taped the clip in place with masking tape, then filled the hole up with epoxy to just above the sleeve. This filled the hole and keeps the clip in place.

With so little end caps etc I didn't like the amount of plastic for the cap joiner, so placed it in my pin jaws and turned each end of the joiner down so the plastic rings were very small (the same as the existing one between the Black Ti rings. This took a bit of effort, especially to ensure the cap when screwed on still covers the nib joiner etc.

There was a bit of fine tuning the holes for the pen/ink refills, but all the components went together Ok. Next time, if there is another one, I'll make the caps a bit shorter.

Cheers

[Big Shed]

Very spiff, neat bit of work there Neil, beautiful set.:2tsup:

[gawdelpus]

Well you certainly set yourself a number of challenges in that project :) I can see why you perservered ,a lovely result ,and if someone asks how long it takes to make a pen you can honestly say "YEARS" hehe definately not beginner stuff those ones.Top marks as usual :) cheers ~ John :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[MBUMIK]

great job mate, on the pens and the comentary

i love to read how a plan comes together or sometimes is made to come together

very nice pens

MIK

[artme]

The second I see Banksia I think "Neil"!:wink::wink:

Great lookers. Certainly eye grabbers.:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[PenTurner]

Neil, they are superb!:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:, beautiful pens, you are stirring me up to have another go at those closed end pens, Amos:)

[corbs]

They really are special pens... I love everything about them:2tsup:

[Rum Pig]

Well done:2tsup::2tsup:
The results certainly make them well worth the effort and patience they are stunning:2tsup::2tsup:

[wm460]

Beautiful set of pens, Neil the hard work certainly paid off.

[mkypenturner]

simply amazing :2tsup:
troy

[dj_pnevans]

Well done Neil you have to watch out for that Amos guy he move's that bar all the time.:2tsup:
David

[dai sensei]

Thanks for the comments. If I make another set, it will be with my cast banksia rather than filling with stone. Apart from easier to turn, the colours are better :-

[Simomatra]

Nice work Neil they have come out a treat. :2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

[Penpal]

A certain gentleman as the saying goes carved a set of commandments in stone showing you the way.

I admire your craftsmanship and fortitude, bit like putting your thumb down where you use a hammer any resultant harm is self inflicted.

To have emerged from the workshop with such treasure I submit is nothing short of outstanding, something to be remembered and admired.

To everyone happy everything and after Xmas I hope to emerge from my other love of designing and making around my PW in preparation for 2010.

Regards Peter.:2tsup:

[Dorno]

The best thing about those pens is that it gives us mere mortals something to dream of.

well done:2tsup:

cheers Ian