Falling behind again - trying to catch up

 I have been doing resin  tube in pens and loving it - just need more time

Resin
Current work is  tube in sierra pens -  so I find the pics, print on waterproof label -cut out with my Scan n Cut  and apply to the  brass tube  then put into the  tube in mold

Then I am using art resin product (1:1) for its clarity and pour over and let set 

hard to see but resin is setting 

then when they come out  I turn on my lathe - (got mine at Canadian tire up here under 250.00 10 years ago )

what a mess I make 

and then I turn them , and sand and sand to about 12000 mesh  and then polish with a plastic polish till they shine 

so far 

First one took a while I think I redid at least 5 times sanding and polishing till I figured out how to get a shiny finish 

and then assembled into a Sierra style pen  (that matched my tube in mold for size ) 

the next one was getting better 

then the next - better                       

 Then I used one of my honeycomb molds that I 3d printed and filled with resin and was happy with that 

Finally I did this one that I took for work  as I love the colors - and so far the best one I have done 

SCRAPBOOKING

Was away at a retreat on the  may 3rd weekend and loved it - loved being pampered - unfortuantely my knee was still hurting from the bakers cyst and my hip nerve was killing me (if I had only gone and got some aleve would have been fine ) 

Had a ball and did some scrapbooking 

didnt get the last one finished to where I wanted so until next scrapbook crop 

3d printed parts for pen turning

I printed jaws for my low profile vise  and a dust collector hood that will fit on my lathe with magnets The vise heads are single side but the v groove matches as it was the only groove file I could find but it will do the job Cant wait to fit up the dust collector head with my  vaccuum (actually I have a real dust collector unit I've never used for 15 years )  will be nice to have the shavings cleared as I work

Looking for a particular drill press vise for Pen turning

At the Pen turning class they had a particular drill press vise that was perfect. I currently have the lee valley version of the holder for the pen blanks and it works but not a fan.  Its a self centering pen vise and its really tall

I pin it down with a c lamp on the drill press  

but at the class we used a heavier lower profile vise which I found easier to use 

an Irwin Record 414 drill press vice - amazon.ca had but out of stock for now - I like this as easy large  screw and it nice an heavy to hold on the drill press 

but I have something from  Princess auto that is a lower profile I got  for making resin  rings  

so I think I will  print the jaws that have a v-groove in and attach to this low profile for now 

found these on thingiverse - and I can modify 

have the v-groove to hold the pen blanks

love having the 3d printer 

Lee Valley Pen Turning Classes

I have not turned a pen I think in about 10 years - took a class back when  with Lee Valley  in their morningside branch.   On Feb 5th  taking two classes at their Vaugh location as  a tune up to start turning pens again as now I have the 3d printer and resin casting to work into it. 

Class one in the morning was making the european pen - remembering all the things we need to do - the blank I used was very light and pock marked and I really did not do a great job on it

but to tell the truth would rather make as many mistakes as 

possible so that I can ask questions on how to fix or get better at turning.

In the afternoon we did a baron fountain pen and got a dark wood this time and loved it.  A bit more intricate to assemble but a nice pen.

I have all the tools (I needed a drill bit for my Sierra blanks and some finishing  sealer/wax and some glue ) cant wait for the weather to warm up from all this nasty cold and ice 

Homemade Wink of stella

Making home made what is called wink of stella these pens are sort of sparkle pens and I use the clear on everything cost is around 10.00 per pen At the last crop my table mate  said there was a you tube on how to make at home and I found it and I had all the materials at home The most important is mica powder and I had bottles of pearl ex mixed with alcohol and water and some gum Arabic as a binder and voila I filled old wink of stella pens (I never throw out as I thought to use as water brushes) and the home made works just as well as the store bought . The pearled macro pearl is what I am using for the clear runs about 14.00 cdn if not cheaper plus dollar store alcohol (next time using high alcohol content like 99 with water or straight 50% ) and gum Arabic I'll have to work out the proportions but it's how I mix a bit of this and that but made up a small container of each color . Hardly used up the pearled powder cant tell the difference

3D Printer

I purchased the Creality  CR-10  3d printer on  Amazon  - I am in love

Took about an hour to set up - it comes in three pieces - the base - the gantry and the machine - pretty simple set up 

I printed the white add on piece that converts it from micro sd to sd card holder - the actual  micro to sd converter is from amazon 

I just find it amazing how it prints 

3d printed staff head

staff head together and ready to be painted

bottom of head 

head 

I just had to try this  - its printed in 2 pieces  but its called Gandalf's staff head

3d printed Baby Groot

Soon as I saw this wanted to make - had to wait for my filament wood color to come in and then learn how to change colors on the 3d printer

just starting to print

partially printed print complete

 final painted piece

Lithophane

New work for me -   printed  this on the 3d printer -  you can create the lithophane from an online free software  site   http://3dp.rocks/lithophane/   then you put into your slicer software  and then it converts it to a printing file - its amazing

the first one I tried of my grand daughter 

the second is of horses 

and made a base to hold it 

was fun !!!

Printing 3d maker storage

printing marker storage - they take about 20 hours to print but they work great

Scrapbook Crop Jan 19

Had a ton of fun (although worried about the weather all day ) bot a double page completed - thinking of spring

Striped pen - printed center

Another 3d print - the fined center for a striped pen  -
(it includes other items I printed but the  long striped tube fluted thing is the pen centere )

 the Popsicle stick holds the plastic center into the resin

finished resin and plastic blank ready for turning in the spring - or when it may get warm enough to go to my studio 

GISI Pen making - step one print 3d container and fill with resin

Its been a while - and I have been busy at work as well but having a ball

I got a 3d printer for christmas (gift to self) and loving it - wanted to make  pens again but with resin so started printing the molds to pour the resins in and then when it gets warm I can turn them on my lathe

these are called GISI style pens - you fill the compartments with colored resin 

then I will turn them on the lathe to make a pen