Feathers - I'm getting closer

**dai sensei** · 19th September 2011, 07:57 PM

Here's my latest batch of acceptable casts from various sized feathers. I won't let the cat out of the bag yet, as I am not 100% confident of success, so want to keep working on it until I am.

It will take a few months yet, as I am about to head off again on holidays, but I will get there. I am sure it is all about the glue, and I have tried heaps, as we just don't have the range there is overseas.

I don't want to produce blanks for sale

, it is not my business, I'll leave that to the experts trying to make a buck. But when someone asks me if I could cast the feathers of their pet budgie (or similar) that died into a pen, I want to be able to say, Yes

I am also playing with butterfly wings and finding similar glue & casting issues. As if feathers weren't hard enough, these are even more complicated due to the fragile and brittle nature of the wings and their colour coatings (tpuch them and they are gone), but looks like I might have that one close too. The process is similar, but not the same unfortunately at the moment

Left to right:
Butterfly, small male Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo feather, Parrot feather, large female Red-Tailed Black Cockatoo feather, large Guinea Fowl feather (1 dyed blue, the other plain).

Cheers

**bdar** · 19th September 2011, 09:15 PM

Neil they are looking good mate, the butterfly wings are great, be so fragile. Like the feather too but the butterfly wings are something special.

Cheers
Darren

**Sawdust Maker** · 19th September 2011, 09:17 PM

I wish you all the luck in the world with this pursuit.
watching with interest

**dj_pnevans** · 20th September 2011, 12:35 AM

Looking good Neil but I have to ask how did you get the butterfly to stay still?

David

**seriola** · 20th September 2011, 01:07 PM

Looking forward to seeing the end result when you reckon you have nailed it, these are very impressive, well done.

**NewLondon88** · 20th September 2011, 10:32 PM

Originally Posted by dj_pnevans

Looking good Neil but I have to ask how did you get the butterfly to stay still?

David

You need to sneak up behind him with a pre-glued brass tube. At the last second,
you throw a rock way over to the other side so the butterfly has to turn his head to
see what the noise was. It helps if you point and say "What was that?!?" When
the butterfly turns his head, stick the tube on his wings. It also helps if you have a
tiny ankle bracelet with a chain so he can't fly away.
Sorry to give away your secrets, Neil..

**dj_pnevans** · 20th September 2011, 10:41 PM

Now I know where I went wrong I hit it with the rock damm.
David

**dai sensei** · 20th September 2011, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by NewLondon88

You need to sneak up behind him with a pre-glued brass tube. At the last second,
you throw a rock way over to the other side so the butterfly has to turn his head to
see what the noise was. It helps if you point and say "What was that?!?" When
the butterfly turns his head, stick the tube on his wings. It also helps if you have a
tiny ankle bracelet with a chain so he can't fly away.
Sorry to give away your secrets, Neil..

**munruben** · 24th September 2011, 10:48 AM

Great work Neil, The butterfly is surely unique and will start others thinking along those lines. Feathers and castings look terrific mate. Look forward to hearing more of your technique.

**ziggles1** · 1st October 2011, 03:04 PM

very beautiful and unusual

work, i would like to try my hand at this with my pens. where do you get the resins from in Queensland? Can they supply colours to mix thru?
Is is a special resin?
did u read a book about this or an article that i can get hold of.

**bdar** · 1st October 2011, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by ziggles1

very beautiful and unusual

work, i would like to try my hand at this with my pens. where do you get the resins from in Queensland? Can they supply colours to mix thru?
Is is a special resin?
did u read a book about this or an article that i can get hold of.

Have a look in the old casting posts and use the search function this will give you a start. There are other pen forums that have similar info as well.

**Cliff Rogers** · 1st October 2011, 04:09 PM

**SawDustSniffer** · 22nd October 2011, 10:30 PM

just so you name them right ,

the female red tail black cockatoo feather shown above is actually a Yellow tailed black cockatoo feather ( male or female )
great pens , well done

**dai sensei** · 23rd October 2011, 09:23 PM

Thanks for the clarification

**firewhatfire** · 7th January 2012, 05:22 PM

did you have to CA over the butterfly wing before casting in resin? That thing looks to fragile to work with.

Phil

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