The making of abalone pen blanks

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I thought I would throw this question out here for it seems to be a highly guarded secret around the pen turning community. I make most of my own blanks and I would like to add the abalone material to my list. My biggest question is how to cut this material into thin strips?? I am using sheets of thinlam material,Paua abalone. Has anyone done this and want to share a few tips and or jigs?? Have you figured out a good size that will be useful for just about all tube sizes?? If you have a easy clean way to cut the strips I would appreciate some help. What are you casting them in and are there any problems to be on the lookout for such as bubbles?? If so how are you handling that?? Thanks for any help you can give.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Being no one here works with this material, when I get my method worked out i will post them here along with some photos. Will be trying a few techniques for some interesting ideas I have.

[dubrosa22]

Take care: Abalone dust is very toxic!
https://orchid.ganoksin.com/t/abalone-toxicity/9357

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Good luck with finding pieces flat enough to use on a pen barrel!

I've never tried it on a pen, but have used it for inlays in jewellery and around bowls rims, etc., where I could use it's curves to my advantage. And, almost as important, use most of each shell... :D

The bloke who first showed me how used a jewellers fretsaw and a dremel, but I developed my own method which involved casting it in very thin sheets of epoxy. This gives me something a bit more substantial to work with, which I can then use my lapidary tools (eg. wet linisher & cabochon grinding wheels) instead of relying on skill, talent or finesse. :-

Mind you, I haven't touched a piece in... 6(?) years or so...

[KBs PensNmore]

I made a couple of pens from Paua shell, used a 5 minute epoxy to hold the Paua shell in place. I used pieces, as I'd heard it was dangerous to cut, because of the dust. I placed the pieces on the epoxy in a horizontal position as it has a tendency to slip otherwise. This is where it's handy doing several at a time, as you don't waste too much epoxy.
I made a jig to hold them up off the bench, consisting of a base and 2 uprights, made from scrap ply and a piece of 6 mm doweling, the uprights had a notch on the tops to prevent the doweling rolling off if bumped. The uprights were placed wide enough apart for 2 slim line tubes, if you're using larger tubes a larger dowel could be used. I place the shell on the top and along side each other, when this had dried, it was rotated slightly and the process repeated, once I had one layer on, I repeated the process again, filling in the gaps.
Once I was happy with it, I mixed some resin (I used Diggers casting resin) and covered the shells with a thin layer of the resin, working it into the nooks and crannies, only because I don't have a pressure/vacuum pot. Then cast it as normal, I know it's a slow process, but it was worth it, whether it's worth while for production run, I don't know.
Kryn

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

True about abalone dust and all other things mentioned. The stuff I am used comes in sheet form and is coated front and back. Matter of cutting thin strips and wraping a pen tube. They do sell thinner stuff that you can heat and roll around the tube but very expensive. I am using thinlam as it is called and will show my process when I get all the parts and tools needed. Hope to make some interesting pens that I have never seen before. Will see how this all goes soon.

[royflatmate]

Have a look at some of the fishing rod building websites and search Gurushi. Thats the name of the technique for applying paua to the rod blank.Also places like mudhole sell the sheets and have some videos of applying.Could be of interest.

cheers......Roy

[dai sensei]

I have bought Paua shell sheet from this mob PAUA CRAZY HOME (http://www.pauacrazy.com). The veneer is 0.3mm and thin enough to cut with scissors. It comes with a plastic backer material and glue. Unfortunately the glue can come off in the resin, so I wash it off with thinners/acetone, then use CA to glue them on.

I originally tried straight cuts (cut at an angle so only shell meets), glued them on then cast, but was not happy with the joints (I'm fussy, the photo shows the good joints :rolleyes:).
420656

I then used random pattern scissors to cut it into strips. The glue they use on the back comes off in the casting resin so I clean it off with thinners. I placed the strips onto a polymer clay bed pressing them in, removed the strip, then baked the clay before glueing on the paua strips back with CA before casting. Here's a Sierra and some Majestic blanks
420657

I tried just sticking the strips on black tubes but they didn't look as good IMO.

Another alternative is cutting it to suit wrapping around the tube and gluing it on with the random scissor cut as the join. I tried the 0.3mm laminate but it cracked. I found I had to use ultra thin (0.1mm) stuff from Thailand off Ebay but the seller isn't there anymore. The link above now has Paper Paua, previously not available, and perhaps that is the ultra thin stuff. There is a supplier from USA on Ebay (search paua sheet) but they are very expensive.

Forgot to mention, so not use PR to cast, it doesn't stick well enough and will delaminate in time (as I found out with the Majestic cast above :((). Either use epoxy or Alumilite (I assume will work but haven't tried it).

Hope this helps

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I have bought Paua shell sheet from this mob PAUA CRAZY HOME (http://www.pauacrazy.com). The veneer is 0.3mm and thin enough to cut with scissors. It comes with a plastic backer material and glue. Unfortunately the glue can come off in the resin, so I wash it off with thinners/acetone, then use CA to glue them on.

I originally tried straight cuts (cut at an angle so only shell meets), glued them on then cast, but was not happy with the joints (I'm fussy, the photo shows the good joints :rolleyes:).
420656

I then used random pattern scissors to cut it into strips. The glue they use on the back comes off in the casting resin so I clean it off with thinners. I placed the strips onto a polymer clay bed pressing them in, removed the strip, then baked the clay before glueing on the paua strips back with CA before casting. Here's a Sierra and some Majestic blanks
420657

I tried just sticking the strips on black tubes but they didn't look as good IMO.

Another alternative is cutting it to suit wrapping around the tube and gluing it on with the random scissor cut as the join. I tried the 0.3mm laminate but it cracked. I found I had to use ultra thin (0.1mm) stuff from Thailand off Ebay but the seller isn't there anymore. The link above now has Paper Paua, previously not available, and perhaps that is the ultra thin stuff. There is a supplier from USA on Ebay (search paua sheet) but they are very expensive.

Forgot to mention, so not use PR to cast, it doesn't stick well enough and will delaminate in time (as I found out with the Majestic cast above :((). Either use epoxy or Alumilite (I assume will work but haven't tried it).

Hope this helps


Neil thanks for taking the time to respond. Good info there. I have some thinlam that I want to try to work. My biggest problem is cutting it into strips. Even though it is very thin it is still tuff to cut. I have tried scissors but that cracks it. I have tried exacto knifes but that dulls quickly. I have some titanium coated utility blades on order and will try that. I know most people use a laser to cut this but I have no access to a laser and way too expensive to do just a few blanks. Maybe if i were selling the blanks but I am not into that stuff. I do have one other trick up my sleeve but will need a jig to work this. I will post my findings and photos if I ever get something figured out. I know this stuff is so secretive because so many people sell the blanks. Too much money for the blanks and I always like to make my own blanks when I can. To be continued.