Hindsight on a cool idea.

[Redshed]

Recently I made a pen out of walnut and lead from tirewheights. I cut a bunch of diagonal slots in the walnut and poured the lead into them. It turned out to be cool even if the metal dyed the wood a little grey. it came out almost double the weight of another pen of the same kit I made. Looking back it was a bad idea, even as I wore a respirator and goggles. I think I was so caught up in the coolness of the pen that I didn't think it all the way through.

I write this as a warning to think things through before jumping in.

(I have begun thinking about substituting the lead for some other low-temperature melting-safe metal lol.)

 

[Darios]

Cool idea, great execution.
And as someone with the habit of chewing on pens... yikes!

 

[Drewby108]

Very cool. That would definitely be a fancy check writing pen, as opposed to an EDC. The fatigue on your wrist would add up pretty quick, I feel.

Pewter is an alternative that is less harmful than lead, but still has a low melting temp.

Gallium is too low of a melting temperature, so I'd skip that one.

 

[jttheclockman]

This is a problem of mine also. I get these ideas and sometimes they are so outlandish I waste time trying to figure things out. We just need to move on and let go. As to your thoughts. Maybe try solder.

 

[howsitwork]

I think the pewter is credible but lead free solder might work.

Brilliant to cut slots and fill rather than laminate , definitely thinking outside the box there JT

Happy New Year

 

[Wmcullen]

Love your idea of mixing materials in innovative ways... and also appreciate the "second thought" of how to turn this into a safe product to make and use. Pewter or Lead-Free solder, as mentioned above, seem like easy substitutes.

 

[Curly]

Maybe some of the metal powder filled epoxy, Devcon, etc.

 

[Humongous]

I would go with Tin. Can be easily melted with a torch.