Thread: WIP - Clock Parts and Aluminum

I for one Mik being new to turning and have not done any casting wondered how you did your stuff mate..very interesting and thanks for sharing..look forward to the rest of the WIP

Mick!!!

Well done on the WIP Mik. It really emphasizes just how much work you put into your blanks.
I really hope your customers appreciate fully what they are getting.

Nicely done Mik ! I spend a reasonable amount of time at the markets explaining to people some of the processes we go through to present them with unique hand crafted pens ,once they get an understanding of what's involved they are far more likely to part with their hard earned cash, on what is essentially a luxury item Your attention to detail and care in producing these blanks is outstanding ,and worth more than the modest charge to other pen turners that you ask , I have seen these in the flesh at Tony's (perfect pens ) and must say they are impressive to say the least cheers ~ John

Nice one MIK.

Can't believe how much goes into one blank. Your a very patient man.

Do you cast with a vacuum or pressure pot?

Timberbits.

Really appreciate you showing us your method of making these MIK. I have always admired your work and wondered how they were done.
How do you emboss the first layer of tape? Is the tape you use for the armour plates self adhesive like the thinner tape?
Looking forward to seeing the finished article.

Well done, shows the extent of work involved well, that most would not appreciate.

So being so many layers and relatively thick, will it become a Sierra Vista, or is it still thin enough for a normal Sierra?

Beautiful work. It is all about patience. Unfortunately, it would be hard to show a profit at the markets because of the sheer amount of time that goes into making each blank. Great work and thanks for sharing

thanks for the kind words guys

the main reason i did this was to show the blank pre-cast, the pictures of the turned pens don't show the real character that the pen has in the hand

i think from now on i will take a pickie of the blank before casting

do i have a plan when i start making a blank??? ... an idea maybe but what happens, happens... all i look to create is character

i did receive in the mail today another potential additive to these blanks, i wont say any more because it may not work or it could look like .....

Originally Posted by gawdelpus

Nicely done Mik ! I spend a reasonable amount of time at the markets explaining to people some of the processes we go through to present them with unique hand crafted pens ,once they get an understanding of what's involved they are far more likely to part with their hard earned cash, on what is essentially a luxury item Your attention to detail and care in producing these blanks is outstanding ,and worth more than the modest charge to other pen turners that you ask , I have seen these in the flesh at Tony's (perfect pens ) and must say they are impressive to say the least cheers ~ John

Hiya John, when talking to potential customers, i find it amazing how many people don't believe that you made the pen let alone the cast blanks, even some of the local penturners asked me where i was buying the blanks from and wouldn't believe me, so i told them they can get them from Perfect Pens and Pencils and they were happy ... go figure

Originally Posted by timberbits

Nice one MIK.

Can't believe how much goes into one blank. Your a very patient man.

Do you cast with a vacuum or pressure pot?

Timberbits.

Hiya David, i tried pressure and it failed, i haven't tried vacuum, i do have a vacuum pump but i don't have a clear tank to see what is happening

i have been casting with heated resin, no idea what temp, i just keep stirring until the resin seems thin enough, i have cut back on the MEKP, warm resin goes off much faster, 1% even in the coldish climate we have down here seems fine

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Really appreciate you showing us your method of making these MIK. I have always admired your work and wondered how they were done.
How do you emboss the first layer of tape? Is the tape you use for the armour plates self adhesive like the thinner tape?
Looking forward to seeing the finished article.

Hiya Dallas, the embossing is one secret i will not give up at the minute, i have shared everything else in the making of these though, i will say that the discovery was a very pleasant accident

i have 2 different Aluminum Tapes, one of them i have in 3 different widths, plus copper tape all of them are self adhesive

Originally Posted by dai sensei

Well done, shows the extent of work involved well, that most would not appreciate.

So being so many layers and relatively thick, will it become a Sierra Vista, or is it still thin enough for a normal Sierra?

Hiya Neil, it will be a normal siera, i would have taken a pickie of the end to show the thickness but some idiot left their camera plug into the computer and turned on since last night, the battery is charging i will take a pickie sometime before casting

i think i have covered all the questions if i missed you please ask again

in the words of Morpheus - "FREE YOUR MIND" - and you never know what you may come up with

all the best

MIK

finally a fully charged battery for the camera

here is a pickie of the end, as you can see the thicker aluminum tape is not very thick, i just looked it up and its only 0.12mm which includes the adhesive backing

some of the watch parts are much ticker than the tape, this barrel will have to have a little bit of shaping to it, not to the bulbous stage though

i think the black paint gives it the added depth creating an optical illusion

i have also added some pickies of other precast blanks, i am totally amazed at how much more you can see with the camera, the 26" monitor also may have something to do with it

all the best

MIK

I was thinking they would be a bit thicker than that Mik, so I was surprised to see the pics showing how thin they actually are.

You are correct about the photos on the monitor showing up more than the eye can see.
My 27" mac is ussually where I find faults on my pens, I have had to disassemble and refinish on more than one occasion after seeing something I dont like.

I think this thread is one of those threads that are quite extraordinary.

I really appreciate the time you have placed into creating this work in progress and sharing your thoughts.


Thank you

Top marks to you Mick!!!! Not only for the end results but the patience that you have to build up the body of the pen. I am always amased at you fellas who make pens with what you can come up with in such a small area.
I did make some pens years ago when I had access to corian off cuts. I made them for my own amusement at the time. At the present I am trying to tidy up my shed and I came across some pen bodies that I had forgotten about. I am going to make a concerted effort to make pens with my spare parts, whether they will be up to the standard that you fellas exhibit here.......well I'll see.

The diversity of skills that Forumites have is quite amasing. Please keep the photos coming

Thanks for all that info MIK. Those close up photos certainly give us some idea of sizing of the components. Doesn't look as thick end on as it they do from the side.
I fully understand that you don't want to give away all your secrets in the making of these fantastic blanks. I don't think there will be too many people who would have the patience and flare to do these.

thanks to all who have looked at and/or responded on this thread, all feedback is welcome, good, bad or questions

Originally Posted by Christos

I think this thread is one of those threads that are quite extraordinary.

I really appreciate the time you have placed into creating this work in progress and sharing your thoughts.


Thank you

Thanks Christos, i appreciate the kind words, more will follow i will put up the cast pickies and then the finished product

Originally Posted by chambezio

Top marks to you Mick!!!! Not only for the end results but the patience that you have to build up the body of the pen. I am always amased at you fellas who make pens with what you can come up with in such a small area.
I did make some pens years ago when I had access to corian off cuts. I made them for my own amusement at the time. At the present I am trying to tidy up my shed and I came across some pen bodies that I had forgotten about. I am going to make a concerted effort to make pens with my spare parts, whether they will be up to the standard that you fellas exhibit here.......well I'll see.

The diversity of skills that Forumites have is quite amasing. Please keep the photos coming

Thanks Rod, I/We look forward to seeing your pens so make sure that you show them, i have many pens that didn't make the cut, they are all over the house and shed, there is nearly always one within arms length so you don't have to go looking

believe it or not i make all of my metal blanks while watching TV, SWMBO gets grumpy with all of my Gizmos laying on the coffee table, she gets over it though when i make her a cuppa

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Thanks for all that info MIK. Those close up photos certainly give us some idea of sizing of the components. Doesn't look as thick end on as it they do from the side.
I fully understand that you don't want to give away all your secrets in the making of these fantastic blanks. I don't think there will be too many people who would have the patience and flare to do these.

thanks Dallas, you are not the only one to ask how it was done, i have had a number of PMs from the IAP all asking the same thing. my answer has been the same to everyone, thanks for understanding

the key to everything WE do in making special blanks is all experimentation, so exeperiment mate you never know what you will come up with

Originally Posted by Ironwood

I was thinking they would be a bit thicker than that Mik, so I was surprised to see the pics showing how thin they actually are.

You are correct about the photos on the monitor showing up more than the eye can see.
My 27" mac is ussually where I find faults on my pens, I have had to disassemble and refinish on more than one occasion after seeing something I dont like.

Thanks Brad, the camera is 12.1 megapixels and when you blow the originals up .....

all the pickies on this thread i cropped before resizing so you get to see more detail of what i was trying to achieve

all the best

MIK