Chuck Rodekohr
In Memorium
- Messages
- 495
- Location
- NorCal, USA
This is. . . was . . . my first pen. It was an American Classic from Woodcraft. The wood is Bocote, sanded to 1800 grit, rubbed with Tung oil, finished with six coats of CA then triple buffed with the Beal Buffing System.
If you look closely, you may see a few flaws. This is what I learned today.
1. When spreading the glue into the blanks by twisting the tubes in and out using a tube insertion tool, don’t push the tube all the way in to where it stops flush with the end of the blank.
2. Center the tube within the blank.
3. Trim all the way to the tube with your pen mill. Double check that you followed #3 on both ends of each blank (see #6 below)
4. When buffing, HOLD THE D--- THING TIGHT! When it flies across the room, it tends to get nicked up, however, some small nicks may be hidden under the clip. A reminder to wear your visor. I also wear a leather apron, that way The Bride doesn’t ask what the bruises on my chest are from.
5. When buffing, don’t press too hard, let the wheel do the work. After buffing at 90º to the length of the pen, buff along the length of the pen to remove buffing rings.
6. When assembling the pen and you realize that you didn’t trim down to the tube, it is now junk because you can’t trim it after you have turned and finished the pen.
7. Learn from your mistakes and don’t repeat them.
If any of you have any further learning points for me, I’m certainly in the mood to be edumacated. Now I get to go buy a pen disassembly kit to try to salvage the parts.
If you look closely, you may see a few flaws. This is what I learned today.
1. When spreading the glue into the blanks by twisting the tubes in and out using a tube insertion tool, don’t push the tube all the way in to where it stops flush with the end of the blank.
2. Center the tube within the blank.
3. Trim all the way to the tube with your pen mill. Double check that you followed #3 on both ends of each blank (see #6 below)
4. When buffing, HOLD THE D--- THING TIGHT! When it flies across the room, it tends to get nicked up, however, some small nicks may be hidden under the clip. A reminder to wear your visor. I also wear a leather apron, that way The Bride doesn’t ask what the bruises on my chest are from.
5. When buffing, don’t press too hard, let the wheel do the work. After buffing at 90º to the length of the pen, buff along the length of the pen to remove buffing rings.
6. When assembling the pen and you realize that you didn’t trim down to the tube, it is now junk because you can’t trim it after you have turned and finished the pen.
7. Learn from your mistakes and don’t repeat them.
If any of you have any further learning points for me, I’m certainly in the mood to be edumacated. Now I get to go buy a pen disassembly kit to try to salvage the parts.
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