Clicker with a "swirl"

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Ted iin Michigan

Ted iin Michigan

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Feb 25, 2010
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webberville, mi
Haven't posted anything recently. Not because I haven't been making anything. More because most of what I've been working on was for shows, etc. They're done and I've been experimenting with aluminum cans. This is my first try. It's a CSUSA Clicker. Oak with Coke can swirls.

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I like the results but have a question for those of you who have done this type of work: if you zoom in, you can see what appears as a "ragged" edge to the aluminum. Is this normal or is there a way to avoid/correct this?

Thanks in advance,
 

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Very attractive !!!!!

I can't help with the question about the edge of the aluminum. . But I have a question myself.

I like and I don't like the CSUSA clicker. . I call it the "clunker" because of the noisiness and rough operation. . But I really like the length of it to show off nice blanks. . Do you know of any way to get the mechanism to operate more smoothly ?
 
Ted iin Michigan said:
I like the results but have a question for those of you who have done this type of work: if you zoom in, you can see what appears as a "ragged" edge to the aluminum. Is this normal or is there a way to avoid/correct this?

Thanks in advance,
Click to expand...

I have used cans, and have seen the same issues. I ended up using thicker/sturdier metals, but then you have the issues of the thickness that gets too pronounced when turned on the curve (my terminology is not quite correct, but you know what I mean).

Maybe the very thin aluminum in the cans nowadays (which have gotten very thin) tear rather than accept cutting and sanding? Hopefully others will chime in.

I do like the blank - very attractive; but I also agree with Mal - I have not especially liked the mechanism, although most did work OK.
 
Thanks Ted for Posting your Swirl Clicker.
I have had the same problem with Drink Cans, I even tried combining and backing up the Can Aluminium with some of my Wife's Fractured or Burnt Out Credit Cards (Plentiful Supply of them). :biggrin:
But I had the same problem of the Random Ragged Edge. :eek:
So I think Mark's comments may well be the answer. :rolleyes:

Ted, looking at the Swirls, they played pure havoc with my eye's, they insist on requiring every junction to continue on it's same trajectory. :confused:
I'll just sit on the side now and wait for the Master pen makers to give us the proper solution.
kindest regards,
Brian.
 
Ted, count me in with the group that has had issues with thin sheet aluminum "tearing". I minimized....but not eliminated the issue the last time by turning the blank 180 degrees between sharpenings as I turned it. Not totally satisfactory, but once you're in the pool, ya swim the best you can. Keep em turnin' brother.
 
I suspect that the aluminium is getting smeared for a couple of reasons. It appears that the kerf is a tad wider than the thickness of the can. If the glue is softer than the ali, then it will squash the glue or perhaps your tool needs to be a bit sharper.

I like using CA for inlays like this as it is harder than the metal.
What glue did you use?

Great effort though.:good:
 
You MAY be able to avoid that type of tearout by stopping your turning short of that point and sanding the rest of the way, but I would only try it in stabilized woods or in acrylics, as the aluminum dust is black and would get all over the wood pores to discolor the wood! :(
 
Thanks for the responses, gang.

Mal - I'm in pretty much the same frame of mind as you - I prefer the "softer" clicks like those found on the Vertex (my fav), the Stratus, etc. And, no, I haven't found a way to lighten it up on the Clicker, although I have tried (oil, spray dry lube, etc). So I've taken this and made it a "feature". Instead of trying to avoid it, I draw attention to it. "Want to get out of a boring meeting fast? Be the incessant pen clicker". Or "Listen to the positive click mechanism on this one".

Brian - yes, with 4 passes on the band saw there will be some (minor) misalignment. Those darn, pesky kerfs! I tried to minimize it by doubling up the aluminum. I was actually quite surprised at how thin those container walls are.

Skiprat - I used CA. It's a StickFast formulated (they say) for dissimilar materials. No issues with that. Tools were sharp - I'm a bit of a nut that way. I usually sharpen everything used. Sometimes during but always at the end of a session.

Brian (bp) - never thought about rotating. Think I may try it.

I'm thinking that a good piece of the issue is the kerf being wider than a double layer of soda can aluminum. I'll either try 3 layers next time or look into using something thicker. I may have some flashing left over from a roofing project.

Thanks, again - later
 
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Ted iin Michigan said:
Thanks for the responses, gang.
Mal - I'm in pretty much the same frame of mind as you - I prefer the "softer" clicks like those found on the Vertex (my fav), the Stratus, etc. And, no, I haven't found a way to lighten it up on the Clicker, although I have tried (oil, spray dry lube, etc). So I've taken this and made it a "feature". Instead of trying to avoid it, I draw attention to it. "Want to get out of a boring meeting fast? Be the incessant pen clicker". Or "Listen to the positive click mechanism on this one".
Click to expand...

Ted - I am amused at your attempt to make a "feature" out of the clunking !

Surely the solution is for the manufacturer to redesign the mechanism. . I wonder why they don't. . It ain't rocket science !!!
 
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Mal - I suspect they are an all-metal mechanism and the "softer" ones are nylon/polyethylene. That would explain a lot.

But - I've discovered that there are some folk who prefer a "positive" click mechanism (or they just don't care)
 
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