How Blanks Are Made!

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Imaginethat

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A close friend of my wife's is visiting for few days. My wife was showing her some of my turned pens and a stack of blanks made from acrylic and wood. Of course there were some compliments and all of a sudden my wife's friend look me in the eye and said, "How is it possible to have the acrylic and the wood meet without any seam?"

Wanting to be truthful and teach her a little about the obsession of pen turning and not misleading her, I looked her in the eye and said, "it's done using smoke and mirrors, using magic! She looked at me and said, "really" and I said, "really!"

Feeling really proud I turned and walked away.

Yes sir, no secrets in this passion! :biggrin::tongue:
 
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It's surprising how many people over the years that have asked me how I wrap the wood around the tube... :rolleyes:

Imaginethat said:
A close friend of my wife's is visiting for few days. My wife was showing her some of my turned pens and a stack of blanks made from acrylic and wood. Of course there were some compliments and all of a sudden my wife's friend look me in the eye and said, "How is it possible to have the acrylic and the wood meet without any seam?"

Wanting to be truthful and teach her a little about the obsession of pen turning and not misleading her, I looked her in the eye and said, "it's done using smoke and mirrors, using magic! She looked at me and said, "really" and I said, "really!"

Feeling really proud I turned and walked away.

Yes sir, no secrets in this passion! :biggrin::tongue:
Click to expand...
 
pianomanpj said:
It's surprising how many people over the years that have asked me how I wrap the wood around the tube... :rolleyes:
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"I grow the tree around the brass tube."

You create a slit and insert the tube into one of the branches, not the main trunk of the tree because we don't want to damage it. After about 3-4 years the branch grows around the tube and can be harvested. It takes a few years but is an all natural and renewable process.
 
"See, first there was a girl blank, and she met a boy blank, and they did what girls and boys generally do when they wanna have too much fun, and that's how little blanks are made..."
 
I have been accused many times of using a decal on pens with inlays like the FIRE/RESCUE for example. Got to where I have an extra kit handy with all 19 pieces laid out and ask if that looks like a decal. Then the question is how do I cut them to fit so seamlessly? Ahhhh that's where the magic comes in.
 
When they tell me it's easy, I suggest they make one themselves...

As to wrapping wood, I tell them hiding the seam is the hardest part.
 
I get asked how I wrap a circuit board around a tube. Truthfully I can't even figure that one out and I am a NASA engineer.
 
Sabaharr said:
I get asked how I wrap a circuit board around a tube. Truthfully I can't even figure that one out and I am a NASA engineer.
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That one's easy ... just like the watch parts one ...

You just stick it in the microwave till it gets a lil bit melty, and then you wrap it round your tube before it gets hard again! :)
 
Skie_M said:
Sabaharr said:
I get asked how I wrap a circuit board around a tube. Truthfully I can't even figure that one out and I am a NASA engineer.
Click to expand...

That one's easy ... just like the watch parts one ...

You just stick it in the microwave till it gets a lil bit melty, and then you wrap it round your tube before it gets hard again! :)
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This statement is not true at all. Be careful. You need to watch the info you are putting out there.
 
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lol!

After I've told people that I used CA (or superglue) as a finish, they usually say something like "Superglue? How do you do that?" My pat answer is "Very quickly."
 
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