Ok you guys convinced me...

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McKenzie Penworks

McKenzie Penworks

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Messages
811
Location
Fuquay Varina, NC
Decided to try my hand at multi material pen blanks. Assembled this on the tube with epoxy. Turning .09" hard aluminum is not my idea of fun. Alas I screwed up the assembly with a bone headed move so I'll just have to keep this one. Just have the cell phone photo for now. Spalted mango center, aluminum bands, Koa end pieces.
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Well Tim, I'm looking for the flaw... Nope! I see none. But we all know our own works better than others.

Very nice! Excellent segmenting, and the proportions are good in my opinion.

Thank you for sharing.
 
You're right. Horrible pen. Disaster. Please mail to PO Box 45, Scio, NY for prompt disposal.
(We are often our own worst critics. I think you can chalk this one up as a success. Great pen.)
 
Thanks guys. The bottom wasn't completely flush so I disassembled it and in the process flattened a portion of the pen with my pen press. I hid it under the clip. Plus it's still not fully flush. I had to laugh that I nailed the blank only to screw up on the most basic things.
 
Very nice. Can't see anything wrong with it. How much trouble was it to turn the aluminum? Or....how did you turn it along with the wood?
 
Woodchipper said:
Very nice. Can't see anything wrong with it. How much trouble was it to turn the aluminum? Or....how did you turn it along with the wood?
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, I have no idea what I'm doing and this was the 1st pen I've put together with aluminum segments. So there may be better ways of doing it. However, I just used my carbide tools on the lathe and turned it just like I would any wood pen. Took small cuts and had to be VERY careful transitioning from the aluminum to the very very soft mango. This mango isn't stabilized so it is extremely soft which is very different than turning the hardened aluminum. I think I may try to find a softer alloy going forward because it certainly wasn't fun to turn.
 
Check with the city or county sign department. They should have all kinds of scrap aluminum. Lowe's and many hardware stores should have aluminum, possible a softer material.
I made a base for a sump pump from a piece of a road sign. Got the tear drop shape but lining up the holes was fun.
 
Excellent pen. Tried something similar and every time the aluminium and wood delaminated when drilling for the tube. Got lucky sometimes after drilling very slowly with long intervals. Problem started again when turning. The aluminium gets too hot from the cutting and another one down the drain. Could show a number of pics but I'm not an expert with mail etc. [age?]. Would appreciate any glue suggestions. Tried epoxy, super glue, polyurethane, and even white wood glue.
 
You forgot to try the obvious while trying all that glue! Drill the materials separately, then glue them together. ;) Drill each piece, then assemble on the tube while you glue them together and clamp.
 
Mckenziedrums's method makes it a lot easier to get the segmenting sections lined up correctly as well. Before I started doing it that way I would always end up with a longer piece on one end or the other. Now I glue the Center piece on turn it down so it is evenly spaced on both ends then glue the other pieces on. Presto!!

By the way I love this pen. It is a great combo of kit, balance and wood choice.
 
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