Abalone on Spring Blossom

[Big Shed]

In the recent Pen Swap I received a very nice pen from qballizhere as well as some nice blanks.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f206/show-us-yer-pens-2013-australia-day-pen-swap-166145/index11.html#post1641608

One of those blanks was made by Roger himself, Abalone cast on a set of Empress/Spring Blossom tubes.

As I don't normally use this kit I included one in my last order from Timberbits and turned it up today after first turning up a set of No Mandrel Bushes for it.


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kpBwkZ-6bEM/UZ2OfEClIzI/AAAAAAAAErc/CU2Hrb83oPU/s800/IMG_5800.JPG

Roger did and excellent job of the blanks and they were very easy to turn, not at all brittle.:2tsup:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WUfitK34BwQ/UZ2OYLwjolI/AAAAAAAAErU/g7UJCV8oLTo/s800/IMG_5799.JPG

This kit is BIG and HEAVY:o Total weight is 74.5gr and overall length is 142.5mm, cap diam is 16.6mm. I don't think I would want that in my shirt pocker for any length of time.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8-cnzLXq7vI/UZ2OnLLxc1I/AAAAAAAAErk/L0KiyeWGWmc/s800/IMG_5805.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-I7bqV8Fago0/UZ2OvOxv2TI/AAAAAAAAErs/yTj1hIQ5BMk/s800/IMG_5806.JPG

One of the unusual features of this pen kit is the size of the lower tube vs the outside diameter, about 8.5mm vs 15.3mm so there is a lot of resin there.

I had to glue the bling bit back on the clip as it came off as I took it out of the plastic bag. Have had that problem with a Roman Harvest as well.

I believe this kit is almost the same as the Empress, but that kit has even more bling as it has a crystal on the clip as well.

I believe the Empress is also available in a fountain pen, but Timberbits only lists a roller ball.

[Nai84]

Wow mate is on gorgeous pen u have there job well done

Ian

[Dorno]

Very nice work there Fred that pen looks great:2tsup::2tsup: Well done to Roger in making the blank they are a supurb looking blank:2tsup: the thing i am a little concerned about is the pen kit. I have been wondering for awhile now and you have mentioned it again there seems to be alot of people that have had trouble with the decoration piece falling off the clip on some of the kits in particular the Spring Blossom and the Roman Harvest as you have mentioned. Is this a common problem or only something that happens every now and again. i would like to know before i buy any of these as i would hate to charge a customer good money and then have the pen come back to me with them feeling like i was ripping them off by using cheap kits when in fact they are not that at all.

Cheers Ian

[Big Shed]

Don't know Ian. I don't use a lot of these "blingy" kits, but of the few I have used so far a significant percentage have suffered this failure. I can understand it for the Roman Harvest as the bling piece is only glued on, but on this kit the bling piece has 2 little studs that are supposedly pressed in to 2 little matching holes, yet it fell off as I took it out of its' plastic bag.

Now I fixed it, but like you say I would hate to sell a pen like this and have a customer come back with a piece that has fallen off, or even worse a piece that has been lost. Not good.:no:

I know these are not top end kits, but at the same time they are not el cheapos either.

The other thing I found a bit off putting is the black threads on the lower barrel, I don't think they add to the look of the pen, would have preferred them to have been plated (chrome?) like the rest of the fittings. I don't think they are plastic they appear to black enamelled brass so plating would certainly have been an option.

[bdar]

WOW that is amazing fit and finish well worth the effort

[tdrumnut]

Nice work Fred, thats a great looking pen but you are right about the black thread it doesn't fit in with the rest of the pen. The blank looks good also.

[MBUMIK]

looks spectacular, great job on the finish as well, a great finish always brings it all together

sounds about the size of a Snr Gent, i have only made 2 seniors, however the man who wanted them had ginormous hands

all the best

MIK

[plantagenon]

Certainly not a pocket pen, but beautiful work Fred. I would have to worth a fair bit in a sale.

[Ironwood]

A very noble looking pen Fred. Looks great.

I have found photographing Paua shell pens the most difficult to date, near on impossible to get that shimmer you can see when you have the pen in your hand.

Your photos look good by the way.