KiltedGunn
Local Chapter Leader
Ever since I saw one of JWalt's pens with the military service ribbon cast on it, I've had it in mind to cast pens using tartan fabric.
I still haven't gotten up the nerve to cast anything, but I have attempted to get tartan onto pen tubes using Its_Virgil's snake skin tutorial and Penl8the's on gluing denim to a tube.
Problem I'm having, before I ever get to the casting stage, is discoloration and fraying.
I first tried using CA to glue the tartan...probably should have painted the tube but instead I used a suggestion from someone and sanded the tube on the lathe then applied a comparable color with a sharpie...it was probably the sharpie colors that bled all over everything. Might have helped if I'd let it cure!
Regardless, the CA caused the dark tartan colors to darken such that it can't be identified any longer. Didn't seem to effect the light colors, but getting that wrapped tight without any gaps was challenging.
So, did some more reading and saw where someone suggested using a fabirc glue so the colors would not be altered. Tried this and got a nice tight wrap but, tartan being wool, the result was all frayed (furry looking?).
Having a few myself, I'm pretty sure that the military ribbon fabric is wax coated thread so that moisture doesn't effect it.
Anyone know of something I could try treating the tartan with to keep it from going all wooly on me when I glue it and before I try casting it?
Before I give up on casting real tartan and try a label, I'd thought I'd see if anyone had any ideas. Thanks all!
I still haven't gotten up the nerve to cast anything, but I have attempted to get tartan onto pen tubes using Its_Virgil's snake skin tutorial and Penl8the's on gluing denim to a tube.
Problem I'm having, before I ever get to the casting stage, is discoloration and fraying.
I first tried using CA to glue the tartan...probably should have painted the tube but instead I used a suggestion from someone and sanded the tube on the lathe then applied a comparable color with a sharpie...it was probably the sharpie colors that bled all over everything. Might have helped if I'd let it cure!
Regardless, the CA caused the dark tartan colors to darken such that it can't be identified any longer. Didn't seem to effect the light colors, but getting that wrapped tight without any gaps was challenging.
So, did some more reading and saw where someone suggested using a fabirc glue so the colors would not be altered. Tried this and got a nice tight wrap but, tartan being wool, the result was all frayed (furry looking?).
Having a few myself, I'm pretty sure that the military ribbon fabric is wax coated thread so that moisture doesn't effect it.
Anyone know of something I could try treating the tartan with to keep it from going all wooly on me when I glue it and before I try casting it?
Before I give up on casting real tartan and try a label, I'd thought I'd see if anyone had any ideas. Thanks all!
