Thread: Pearl Opal on Roman Harvest

Outstanding pen….that blank is one of those that sets off the hardware really well.

Originally Posted by plantagenon

Hi Bruce

The woodchuck works perfectly. Its easy to use and just slices through the timber. Best part is that the finished blank is actually smooth and requires minimal sanding. Its a bloody little ripper!

Greg

I asked back in June, but never got an answer, about whether these work on resin without chipping, as that's what some folks on IAP say. Any local opinions? I'd love to do away with all the sharpening. My roughing gouge is about half its original length now, I reckon.

Also, how easy is it to get near the bushes with these, or do you reun the risk of gouging the bush to pieces?

Russell.

lovely pen, where do i get my hands on a blank o that, looked on the site and couldn't find it.

Neal.

Originally Posted by bruceh

G'day all,I did this pen the other day for the website and thought I'd share it here as well , I think this is the first pen I've put on the forum . Makes a nice change turning blanks against casting. The Pearl Opal is a difficult blank to photogragh , it never turns out the same way it does in the flesh.
Cheers, Bruce

Wood N Workshop

Hi Bruce

Where did you get the blank. Looks aAWSOME. I still love and mostly use my penpro.

Originally Posted by thompy

lovely pen, where do i get my hands on a blank o that, looked on the site and couldn't find it.

Neal.

Here you go Neal.
Wood N Workshop Products - Pearl Opal-Poly Resin Pen Blank

Russell

If you use a gouge now and a skew you can do away with both with the woodchuck. It cuts closer to the tube ends than I have ever ever been able to do with my gouge and there is no chipping at all. Its just a smooth finish. I started to sand with a 600 grit rather than a 180 grit and that was my first go with it. Actually it was just a touch up with the 600 and I moved to 1200 straight away to put a bit of polish on the timber before the CA. Although I must admit I sand dry with MM all the way to 12000 before applying the finish and then sand the finish (CA) with a different lot of wet MM. Just throw the MM you use dry in the washing machine to clean it up. Give one a go - I am a convert after the first trial. My next effort will be with an acrylic.

Greg

Now its my turn for a question to Bruce.

First, what colour do you paint the tube with for the various acrylics to hide the brass tube?

Second, I have some Filagree pen kits and I am after an 8mm mandrel. I know SEQ Woodworking Supplies sells them but I have been waiting a long time for them to get one in.

Greg

Originally Posted by plantagenon

First, what colour do you paint the tube with for the various acrylics to hide the brass tube?

I'll give you my thoughts on that. I always paint white, as it brings out the colours best for me, but I can see cases for black, especially if you want to emphasise irridescence. Note also, I always paint inside the blank hole as well, as in the past I've had problems where a translucent blank has shown up the glue between the blank & the tube, where just painting the tube doesn't help.

Russell.

Sorry for not getting back sooner to answer some questions but here goes.

Russell you can still get some chipping with the chisel if to much pressure is applied to the blank, only light pressure is required and this gives the best results. As Greg said you can get very close to the bushes but of course if you do gouge them tungsten is a lot harder and will bite into them.

Neal, Islander you should find the blanks on the link that Ironwood provided, for those that didn't know it is one of about 150 different blanks that I make for ourselves and other companies.

Greg I concur with Russell about painting tubes and blanks , you just have to make sure the combined paint thickness still allows the tube to fit inside the hole and not scrape off the paint when the tube is pushed in. Not all blanks need to be painted though.
Not sure where you could get an 8mm mandrel from though , maybe Berea ?

Cheers Bruce

Wood N Workshop

Thanks bruceh, and IW, i dunno, lets gets go with domestic blindness as theyre obviously there, i spent about an hour looking though the blanks, not that it wasnt time well spent. cheers fellas.

Neal.