Thread: June Pen Swap pictures

Originally Posted by Touchwood

Well, time to show your stuff!!

Already? I thought we had another week to go! (Checks date... )

Okily dokily. I tried squeezing mine into lunch-break today, with so-so results. [sigh] I started off with the woody pear, banksia and banksia nut blanks all glued and prepped. For the nut I'd simply filled the eyes with black epoxy-resin (nothing ground-breaking there, but it looks good that way!) and I was very happy with it until I dropped it during assembly. Bye-bye banksia nut.

The other two I'd intended to run a gold wire inlay. The Woody Pear (I think) was meant to have two bands... I'm sure you can tell from thuis pic where they were:
Attachment 50297
Unfortunately, the only gold wire I have is very fine (26 gauge... bit it is 18carat gold from my jewellery making days! ) so actually wrapped twice around the pen in each of those grooves! If you look very carefully at the lower groove, you can see the hole the ends were glued in... with the ends of the wire still in there. Unfortunately, the wire was so thin'n'soft that if just plain snapped while sandingl... When I find some thicker wire, I'll rebuild this pen 'cos it did look nice until I started sanding.

The Banksia (again, I think... I might have the WPear and Banksia mixed up ) was also supposed to have wire inlays down the spirals.
Attachment 50296
However after the Banksia disaster I changed my mind. Seeing Toni's "grooved pen" earlier today I thought I'd try deepening the spirals and using either Vern's brass & CA trick, or perhaps some more black epoxy. Once I cut the grooves though, I decided I liked it just as it was.

Not the best pics in the world, neither pen is quite as bad as the photos make 'em look. One thing about using a flash is that it really highlights all the flaws, eh? Still, I'll let them stay as they are, warts'n'all, for now. When I get some heavier gauge wire, then I'll finish 'em properly.

With these results, I'm sooo glad I didn't do the Jam one today. [phew!]

Gidday Skew Nice job
bye
Toni

Like the theme, makes me want to get back in, but far too many other things to do at the moment.

Keep up the good work you lot, they are looking great and gives us all more ideas.

The Banksia (again, I think... I might have the WPear and Banksia mixed up ) was also supposed to have wire inlays down the spirals.

The woody pear IS woody pear and the banksia IS banksia - you haven't mixed them up!

Like the spirial idea too.

I agree, if you are having 'one of those days' the jam was best left alone!!

JD

the forth one catches my eye,
maybe because it's shiny.
LOL
nice work touchwood!

JD,
Those pens are awesome! I really like the Banksia on the far right the best.

Skew,
How did you do the spiral groove? Very intriguing pen.

Cheers


Rick

Originally Posted by ScrollZilla

How did you do the spiral groove? Very intriguing pen.

I cheated... tunred the blanks then drew the spirals in with a pencil and scored 'em out with a cutoff wheel in a Dremel.

It's quite a tactile pen, feels good in the hand, which IMHO is unusual for a slimline.

G'day Skew,
Thanks for the tip. I don't see how that is cheating though. Maybe since I can't draw a staight line using a ruler, I can do spirals??????


Cheers,

Rick

Originally Posted by ScrollZilla

Maybe since I can't draw a staight line using a ruler, I can do spirals??????

Spirals are easy to mark out. I use two methods, depending on my mood at the time.

1. I use either a piece of string or a thin strip of paper, tape one end to the mandrel and wrap it around the blank in a spiral pattern, taping the other end when finished. This is my preferred method because you can "see" the spiral before you mark it out, and can make adjustments to get it exactly how you want it before even picking up a pencil.
2. Using a ruler, draw a line down one side and mark out every 1/2" or whatever spacing I want the spiral. Turn the blank over and repeat. Sometimes I'll use intermediate lines, too. Then it's a case of playing "join the dots." This method is less intuitive, as you can't see what the spiral will look like until you've marked it out and is really only good for when you want the spirals evenly spaced.

OK so where are the other June Pens??

I am suffering withdrawl of The Monthly Pen Challenge ... ..... my life is not quite the same without the mental planning before the excecution ; the stress and uncertainty wondering will it work .. the relief if it does .. the rethinking of how you could do it better waiting (if organised enough) to post it on that last day of the month .... aaarrgghhhh

JD

I've been wondering the same thing.

BTW, I've found some suitably sized wire to finish mine... 'tis only copper though . I'll hold off using it for a bit longer in the hope I can find some brass or (wishful thinking) gold wire instead, but I suspect that copper will be the go.

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

I've been wondering the same thing.

BTW, I've found some suitably sized wire to finish mine... 'tis only copper though . I'll hold off using it for a bit longer in the hope I can find some brass or (wishful thinking) gold wire instead, but I suspect that copper will be the go.

Hi Skew

Is this any help.

http://www.beadworld.com.au/Products...categoryID=528

Originally Posted by Barry_White

Is this any help.

http://www.beadworld.com.au/Products...categoryID=528

Hmmm... interesting link, Bazza! Unfortunately, those are just copper wires with a polynylon enamel coating, so any sanding, etc. will quickly strip the colour and bring it back to copper.

But I may just fire an order off for a variety of spools anyway, as the price is right and I've other uses for coloured wire besides turning. Thanks for pointing it out!