Stainless Steel Barron

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Stick Rounder

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Hello,

Here again with another Barron, this time in stainless steel :cool:
Please let me know what you think.
Thanks for looking.
 

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Are the barrels out of round, or is it the reflections?

I knew it! I don't know what happen both barrels lopsided. I did figure out the finish though the only bright spot in this misadventure. Lowe's sell metal finish compound in grades 1-6. Basically a solid of clay, wax and sand that is supposed to be applied to a medium buffing wheel. Well if lightly rub a fine layer across your spinning finished blank then take a paper towel and remove. Beautiful result. Cause' I don't have a buffing wheel.
 
This was turned on a wood lathe. JET 1024, not modified.
With hand held tools.

What tools did you use to turn this and at what speed of the lathe??? Have you turned other metals and if so was this harder than any of them or easier??? Thanks and a job well done. I want to try my hand at some metal pens.
 
This was turned on a wood lathe. JET 1024, not modified.
With hand held tools.

Doug,
Did you shape the SS with turning tools? HSS or Carbide? I had to use the big bastard (file) on the piece I tried. My scraper gave a rougher than normal cut. It sure is different than aluminum or brass, but as your results show it is worth it.
 
Doug,
Did you shape the SS with turning tools? HSS or Carbide? I had to use the big bastard (file) on the piece I tried. My scraper gave a rougher than normal cut. It sure is different than aluminum or brass, but as your results show it is worth it.

Cris,

I made the tool. Very heavy construction 1/4" plate 1" wide, all welded together leaving a square opening centered at the end 1/4x1/4 inch for the carbide insert. Then that welded to 1/2" steel bar, 22 inches overall. I searched high and low for hand held tools none exist. I am thinking of selling them. On the three pens made and posted here over a thousand looks, surely someone would buy a tool?
The other thing I found was the finish was made smoother, the deeper cuts I took. I think it was due to heating the metal. The pictures don't tell but the cap was turned first using little timid bite, the body was turned taking agressive bites with finer string like shavings that turned blue and red due to heat. (I saved those to cast with some alumlite) It was a much better finish. I sanded from 150 to 12K and the metal finishing wax made the difference.
 
The alumilite will be interesting. I am picturing the strands of metal being ripped right out of the plastic when you try and spin it. That's my theory.

Pen looks good although a little fat for my taste. I noticed the out of round which might have been caused by too much side pressure. Maybe you should try a gentler touch with a file instead of a carbide bit. No doubt will take longer, but time is not that important.
 
A metal lathe is nice for straight lines and drilling nicely centered holes,
but whenever I use stainless ( very often) a med or smooth file is my tool of choice when I want curves. It 'turns' down a lot quicker than you might think with a file and is very easy to control.

I think you did a neat job on it:biggrin: Well done.

Did you use the kit brass tubes?
 
Skiprat,

Yes. I am still the novice. I want to try my hand at kitless. I even bought a tap and die set, just not there yet. It is still too easy to rely on the kit.
 
Doug, using the brass tubes inside stainless is actually being clever. I often even just use a short length of brass tube in the ends of the stainless when I rob kit parts. The glued brass tube will expand to accept the kit part while without it, the stainless often crushes the kit part when you press it in.
When I need to keep the pen as light as possible then I drill it out so it is only about 1 mm thick and then make small brass bushes in the ends to accept kit parts. Cheating is allowed in 'kitless land':biggrin:
 
Doug, using the brass tubes inside stainless is actually being clever. I often even just use a short length of brass tube in the ends of the stainless when I rob kit parts. The glued brass tube will expand to accept the kit part while without it, the stainless often crushes the kit part when you press it in.
When I need to keep the pen as light as possible then I drill it out so it is only about 1 mm thick and then make small brass bushes in the ends to accept kit parts. Cheating is allowed in 'kitless land':biggrin:

That is the reason I also use the brass tubes in my Titanium pens!!
 
I wondered what that would look like. Very Nice!

I thought I saw a post on this forum where someone had made a hand turning tool that used coated carbide inserts.
 
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Rudy, You make titanium pens or just the kits of titanium??? If you make the pens can you post a couple pictures??? Thanks.

No, its real titanium metal - check some of my photos, there is a Baron and a couple of Flattops I did. I believe I was the first here who made (as a penturner) a Titanium pen. Over the years I have made at least 10-15, mostly Barons, but also a few Am. Flattops. I gave up on them pretty much when the cost for Ti was skyrocketing, and one had to buy a certain amount (weight-wise) to even get it. I think from my first time to the last time buying Ti, the price increase was about 8-10 fold within a bit over a year. But, I still have a number of blanks and may get back to make a few again....
 
I wondered what that would look like. Very Nice!

I thought I saw a post on this forum where someone had made a hand turning tool that used coated carbide inserts.

Big T,

I did. Just some 1/4" by 1 steel plate welded together with a slot cut in the end and a piece of round bar welded to that. Heavy and crude but effective.
 

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