Turning metals?

[Woodchipper]

Thinking about aluminum, brass specifically. Anyone have any experience with these metals? This would be metal rods. I know that some blanks use soda can metal.

 

[jttheclockman]

I turn metal all the time on a wood lathe. Should say nonferrous metals like aluminum and brass and copper. I have used them for segmenting as well as making a pen from them. They turn with normal HSS tools but with the invention of carbide tools they have taken the place of many turning tools. I still use my skew to do final passes to eliminate any tool marks and an give nice flowing lines. I polish same as with arcylics but will start with wet dry sand paper starting at about 1200 grit and work up from there. Then depending on the pen I will switch to MM. I use a special set just for things like that because I find they wear faster. Now if I am doing a pen that has wood in place of acrylic I skip the sanding all together and just finish with a skew. But then I CA finish it. I do not put CA on acrylic and metal pens. The metal dust will contaminate your wood blanks and leave black marks and can also embed fine filings within the wood when turning so be aware of this. But to answer your question YES you can use metals to make a pen. Good luck.

One precaution I should have mentioned is cover your control box and or motor from filings getting into them.

 

[KMCloonan]

JT, I love that aluminum Cigar Pen!

 

[leehljp]

John, yes the can be turned as John T displayed above. It is a bit of a different feel and tool feedback, and the best way to describe it is to dive in and let the metal and tool teach you through the feed back. Sharpness of the tool, whether HSS scraper, HSS skew or carbide insert is very important. If using HSS tools, there will be a lot more sharpening or especially honing during the process. For carbide inserts, it may take turning to a fresh edge a couple of time or maybe even all 4 sides to one pen.

I haven't turned a copper pen but I have read many times on IAP that it is different and more difficult from aluminum or brass. I have turned copper rings in segment separators and have not had problems with them, but I am slow and meticulous to prevent it from getting hot and causing the epoxy to separate the segment from the copper spacer.

And as John said, cover your electronics to prevent fine metal dust from harming it.

 

[Woodchipper]

Thanks to all. Another challenge to meet. I have a Shop Vac hose that I can place close to the turning plus cover the motor.

 

[carlmorrell]

i turn a lot of metal on my turncrafter. added a cross slide and quick change tool post.

 

[jttheclockman]

i turn a lot of metal on my turncrafter. added a cross slide and quick change tool post.
View attachment 381844View attachment 381845

Years ago I bought one of those for my Jet. Have never set it up but it was a thought because I was always watching my buddy SkipRat do his thing and some of the turnings he did always amazed me. I still want to circle back to some of his pens and try to duplicate them in honor. What was always great he would show a ton of photos and details of what he did so just need to pull those up again and study. I miss that guy here.

 

[Woodchipper]

John T., did you drill the blanks to the nominal size of a regular blank or the blank/glue/tube?

 

[jttheclockman]

John T., did you drill the blanks to the nominal size of a regular blank or the blank/glue/tube?

Sorry I am not quite following the question. Which pen or pens are you referring to? If you are talking about the all aluminum cigar pen, I made that from square aluminum blocks that I cut to size as a normal blank. I drilled as normal and used Epoxy to adhere the tubes in. I prefer to use tubes at all times because the brass tubes are thinner and more pliable when pressing components in. Try to press components into aluminum or brass or copper is just too tough in my opinion. If I were making a kitless pen that is a different story. years ago I bought a bunch of aluminum blocks all different thickness. I had so many other ideas of things I wanted to make. I am still working on a few pens where I am combining brass and aluminum and copper and aluminum. Just like the top one with the acrylic and aluminum dots and bars I am substituting the acrylic with another metal. Those got put on hold as well as a Celtic Knot that I did with aluminum and brass. Never turned that one.

 

[Woodchipper]

John T., you answered my question about using the tube inside the drilled and turned blank. Thanks two bunches.