Thoroughly enjoy your videos. You show that not all is lost when it is not perfect. You make me want to try different things, and if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. This is about having fun. Thank you.
That was really fun to watch! I like the bubbles, turned out great! Kinda makes me want to get a lathe, LOL! Thanks for having me over, love the video!
Great save there Bob. Rootbeer is one of my favorite drinks,and I have tried this one, i think,....really like the color of the blank as well....have a great weekend..
You're a genius! What a great gift for people who like specific sodas and beers. There are some really fun caps out there. Have you thought about using some of the textured paints on the tubes?
I think the more challenges you get in making something, makes the end product extra special especially when turns out as nice as that pen Bob! Very nice indeed. Looking forward to you casting your own blanks.
Haha, the world's first carbonated pen! Love it! I wonder if you could wrap something like monofilament around the bottle cap to really hold it tight, then use a toothpick or something to just get CA to weep under the edge as you unwrap the monofilament. Might help to keep whatever resin from being able to displace any air when it gets pressurized.
Way to save a lot of time and effort!! Hell of a "hail Mary"! Bob I have found a nifty trick for bubbles that I will share here so maybe the rest of the viewers might benefit; I use very tiny micro drill bits to wallow out bubbles,use latex or neoprene gloves for grip on the bit or buy a micro bit Chuck and simply drill into your bubble. Thanks as always for the tricks of the trade! Be well and send my best to the rest of the family!
great looking pen bob,,your right the bubbles adds class,,just like turning a bowel and leaving some bark on it,,lol,,I notice you use a lot of pens from woodcraft,,do you prefer these pens to the others,,i honestly think they are really nice,,
I found having a small spray bottle of clean water will clear out most if not all of any slurry that fills those bubbles up. then use a dental pick if needed for the rest.
I'm a really new/green pen turner so I feel somewhat uncomfortable giving advice to someone of you experience but I find that a tiny drill bit twirled between fingers does a great job of cleaning our those lil bubbles.
When casting, if you turn the blank so the bottle cap is facing down, it might cause the bubbles to come out quicker and easier and any that possibly remain should be towards the area your clip can hide. Just my thoughts. It does look amazing though.
Bob, concerning your pen press plunger, On my PennState press I took a small piece of leather and glued it n the press end and it seems to do a great job.. Just an idea. Thanks for all the good work you are doing.
+Jerry Bell Thank you Jerry, Bob Stembridge sent me some adhesive pads, I believe there leather. I've been debating about applying one of them or turning a HDPE ram cover. Regards, Bob
+Barry Fields LOL, I'll bet if you try to make bubbles you get crystal clear casts. Then you like, Dang, I screwed up and got another perfect cast. Regards, Bob
+Charles Reicks Thank you Charles, I'm still getting use to the new press. I kind of like the spring. It can be disconnected if you don't want to use it. Regards, Bob
Use a slower casting resin, something around 20mins to gel. Vacuum degas both the resin and hardner before mixing. Mix and vacuum degas the mixture. Carefully pour the mix into mould and place in pressure pot at 60 -75psi. Guaranteed no bubbles. You can add one additional step if you have a complex item to imbed and that is a quick vacuum treatment after filling the mould and before putting the mould into the pressure pot
I do like you idea of imbedding bottle tops in the pen blank. This is one case where anothervacuum treatment after filling the mould would remove any air trapped between the barrel and the bottle top allowing the resin to fill the void. Do keep the ideas coming, I learn something new with each of your videos.
May I ask how you manage to hold your tubes up in the mould? (spelling from UK) And is it necessary to use a vacuum pot for setting the resin? Thanks. By the way I love how you find a solution to problems you encounter.
The molds have rubber stoppers on each end that plug into the tube and suspend it in the mold. Vacuum is for stabilizing, pressure compresses the bubbles. Regards, Bob
It kind of looks like that but it's for a attachment for your compressor and a pressure valve to let you know when you have pressured it to the right PSI. I need to do some more research. Lynn can answer these questions better than me at this point.Regards,Bob
Hi Bob, I'm new to pen turning, but I know you've done, well let's just say heaps of pens! I'm trying to find a guide to figure out which pen components fits which pens? I'm going to start with the 7mm slimline or streamline pens, however no matter where I look I don't know which refill fits this size pen? Online they talk about overall pen length, which is great except I'm told that I'm buying a 7mm brass tube, and how does that fit into the equation??? Please help me, I've got several gifts coming up and I want to do my best, and at the moment they might be lucky to get sawdust. Also I tried turning two pens and I tightened the screw or nut at the end fairly right and my tail stock. My problem was the bushings dug into the brass tubes and wrecked them. Obviously I'm being heavy handed and I need to find that middle ground. Was it trial and error for you at the start? Oh yeah I bought a mandrel saver, instead of using the tail nut now. Do you think that will make things better? I noticed you mainly just use your roughing gouge, do you sharpen it before use? I thought maybe the scraper or skew would be more accurate? Sorry to dump all this on you, obviously I have a heap of questions and nowhere to go. If it's easier he is my email - stseal@bigpond.com, thanks, Sean
+The Bungling Woodworker Hello Sean, I don’t know of a reference for pen components, you might try the IAP, International Association of Pen turners, if anyone has a listing, they will. Slim lines use a Cross refill and most of the other pens I’ve made use a Parker refill. When you purchase a pen kit, it will come with all the components you need to make that pen, including brass tubes and ink refills. You will have to purchase separately the bushings and proper sized drill bit for the kit. The company you purchase from will usually send instructions for making and assembling the pen. If they don’t come with the pen, then go to their website and look up the pen kit, they usually have a PDF of the instructions there. The mandrel saver will help hold the blanks tightly on the mandrel but it’s still possible to over tighten them if you’re not careful. Apply a small amount of pressure and try turning your blanks, if they slip, tighten the tail stock up a bit and try again. As long as the blanks are not slipping while turning, you’re mandrel saver and tail stock are plenty tight. I use the roughing gouge because I like the control it offers. I usually sharpen it right before turning. The skew is an excellent choice if your comfortable using is as are many other tools. As long as a tool is sharp, your comfortable using it, and your being safe, the particular tool does not matter. I hope this helps. Regards, Bob
Hi Bob I can't thank you enough for firstly your quickness with the reply, but also the depth of knowledge! I had NO idea there was an I.A.P, but like anything in life if there's a hobby or club, someone decides to make an organising body.... I can only imagine how many questions you receive, so for at least, oh a week or so I will leave you alone. On another topic your work is beautiful. How long have you been turning pens, so I don't feel so inadequate? Cheers, Sean
Hey Sean, Check out www.pennstateind.com/, on each pen description page they list the refill which works with the pen. Only trouble I find is that there are often several names for each style of pen, depending on who you purchase from, like Bob's pen is the Wall Street, I've purchased it as the Sierra, and at least one other name I can't recall at the moment :) Happy pen turning! - Bill
Hi Bob, quick question Why do you wipe your blank down between grits when wet sanding? I want my blank to stay as wet as possible, but you are more experienced than I am. thanks, Rick
Clearly that pen took an enormous amount f time. With practice, I'm sure the time will lessen. Nonetheless, this one looks labor intensive. If you sell it, how much will you charge? Do you calculate your time investment? I just wonder if that is more than the market will bear.
+William Simpson I don't think I could sell this one and make a profit. It is way to labor intensive. I gave it away. Sent it to Route 66 Sodas. Regards, Bob
I probably wouldn't try to sell those, using trademarks can get you into odd trouble. Even at a non-profit several years ago, we received a lengthy letter from the lawyers at Milton Bradley when someone thought it would be a great idea to use Mr. Monopoly for a theme... They have spies everywhere! :)
Thoroughly enjoy your videos. You show that not all is lost when it is not perfect. You make me want to try different things, and if it doesn’t work out, it’s not the end of the world. This is about having fun. Thank you.
Thank you, mistakes are he best times to learn and try something new because you have nothing to loose.
Regards,
Bob
That was really fun to watch! I like the bubbles, turned out great! Kinda makes me want to get a lathe, LOL!
Thanks for having me over, love the video!
Thank you Pam,
I’m really glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes those mistakes do become features.
Regards,
Bob
Great save there Bob. Rootbeer is one of my favorite drinks,and I have tried this one, i think,....really like the color of the blank as well....have a great weekend..
+Robert Evans Thank you Robert,
This is one of my top three Root beers.
Regards,
Bob
Excellent pen Bob ,well saved.best regards
+Glen Forshaw Thank you Glen.
Regards,
Bob
There you go Bob, you always come out tops (pun intended). Really lovely xxx
+Val Borchardt LOL,
Nice pun Val. :^)
Regards,
Bob
You're a genius! What a great gift for people who like specific sodas and beers. There are some really fun caps out there. Have you thought about using some of the textured paints on the tubes?
Hello Ann,
I hadn’t thought about textured paints but that is a really good idea.
Regards,
Bob
Pen came out perfect,Thanks again for sharing this with us,Take care Bob!
+Kwstas Antwniou Thank you Kwstas.
Regards,
Bob
What an awesome idea! I have beer bottle caps for days, can't wait to try it!
+A Torstenbo Its super easy and the pens appear to be popular.
Regards,
Bob
I think the more challenges you get in making something, makes the end product extra special especially when turns out as nice as that pen Bob! Very nice indeed. Looking forward to you casting your own blanks.
+BlueBoy9055 Thank you,
This was a challenge but well worth it.
Regards,
Bob
I think it turned out fantastic. The flecking in the paint even reminds me of root beer foam, so you have foam and bubbles. Awesome!
+Debi Shipman Thank you Debi,
This was an accident I couldn't have planned better. LOL.
Regards,
Bob
Great job Bob. Awesome save.
+mike atkinson Thank you Mike.
Regards,
Bob
Very nice! Always good to see uniqueness.
Thank you Ronald.
Regards,
Bob
It has character. It's one of a kind and the price just went up. JimE
+blackemmons LOL, I actually sent this one to Route 66 Sodas as a gift. They love it.
Regards,
Bob
Looks good. Glad you didn't give up on it
+tracy heaton Thank you, I'm glad I stuck it out too.
Regards,
Bob
You're a trooper Bob. Glad it came out for you. My casting has been up and down so far. Looking forward to more up! Thanks for sharing
+Ron Parrott ThNk you Ron,
I really wanted this one to work. I hope to start casting soon.
Regards,
Bob
Perfect man . You did a fantastic job and as usual tons of knowledge to learn from you. Best wishes to you from India .
Thank you.
You may be the first person from India I’ve heard from who watches my videos.
That is so cool!
Regards,
Bob
Haha, the world's first carbonated pen! Love it! I wonder if you could wrap something like monofilament around the bottle cap to really hold it tight, then use a toothpick or something to just get CA to weep under the edge as you unwrap the monofilament. Might help to keep whatever resin from being able to displace any air when it gets pressurized.
+Bill Kibby I recently made another tube and sent it to Lynn for casting. Using C/A instead of epoxy worked better.
Regards,
Bob
Yeah!! I've been waiting for those bottle cap blanks. I can't find any of the Route 66 caps. Send me a few. 👍
+Jim Nottingham I only have one left, I'll have to wait till I can drink a couple more.
Regards,
Bob
Way to save a lot of time and effort!! Hell of a "hail Mary"! Bob I have found a nifty trick for bubbles that I will share here so maybe the rest of the viewers might benefit; I use very tiny micro drill bits to wallow out bubbles,use latex or neoprene gloves for grip on the bit or buy a micro bit Chuck and simply drill into your bubble. Thanks as always for the tricks of the trade! Be well and send my best to the rest of the family!
+Mick Motly Thank you Mick, great tip.
Regards,
Bob
Very nice I am on look out now for bottle top now in the UK hope I find some nice ones
+Nigel France I'm sure you will find some great tops. Best of luck my friend.
Regards,
Bob
Looks good . Those soda bubbles you put in there look great wink wink . Take care .
+Glen mckelvey Thank you Glen,
Planned for them the whole time, wink, wink.
Regards,
Bob
Sorry to see you running into problems, but the troubleshooting you provide is excellent. And that's a beautiful pen thanks to the effort.
Thank you Mike.
Regards,
Bob
great looking pen bob,,your right the bubbles adds class,,just like turning a bowel and leaving some bark on it,,lol,,I notice you use a lot of pens from woodcraft,,do you prefer these pens to the others,,i honestly think they are really nice,,
Thank you Jeff,
To be honest, I purchase kits from all over the place. I have favorites from each company.
Regards,
Bob
Enjoyed the video, as always...I really like the tips on dealing with things when they go wrong, because they generally do. Good stuff...
+Andy Laws Thank you,
I find a lot of people like that, I enjoy showing it because it happens to all of us.
Regards,
Bob
The bubbles remind me of water on the road or your windshield as you are driving Route 66. :)
Thank you Stephanie. 😃
I found having a small spray bottle of clean water will clear out most if not all of any slurry that fills those bubbles up. then use a dental pick if needed for the rest.
+Edward Uribe Great tip Edward, I need to pick up a couple dental picks for the shop at the next flea market I go to.
Regards,
Bob
I'm a really new/green pen turner so I feel somewhat uncomfortable giving advice to someone of you experience but I find that a tiny drill bit twirled between fingers does a great job of cleaning our those lil bubbles.
That's great information Steve, One of my other viewers just sent me a set. As I start casting, you'll see those getting used frequently.Regards,Bob
A great save my friend.
+Lynn Lacey Thank you Lynn
Regards,
Bob
Lynn Lacey I
When casting, if you turn the blank so the bottle cap is facing down, it might cause the bubbles to come out quicker and easier and any that possibly remain should be towards the area your clip can hide. Just my thoughts. It does look amazing though.
+Shane Betmarik Great idea Shane, thank you.
Regards,
Bob
Bob, concerning your pen press plunger, On my PennState press I took a small piece of leather and glued it n the press end and it seems to do a great job.. Just an idea. Thanks for all the good work you are doing.
+Jerry Bell Thank you Jerry,
Bob Stembridge sent me some adhesive pads, I believe there leather. I've been debating about applying one of them or turning a HDPE ram cover.
Regards,
Bob
I love your vids ,to get air bubbles out of resin use a vacuum pump that will do the trick.
+Peter Hayes Thank you Peter.
Regards,
Bob
you resurrected that pen blank perfectly. What is the name of pen kit you used....it looks great!
Thank you Tony, that was a Sierra pen kit.
Regards,
Bob
I know you don't cast but when you do you should try to make one with lots of bubbles that might look cool
+Barry Fields LOL,
I'll bet if you try to make bubbles you get crystal clear casts. Then you like, Dang, I screwed up and got another perfect cast.
Regards,
Bob
I can't believe you got such a good looking pen out of that. Not sure I like the new press. it's the spring action I don't like. Again good job Thanks
+Charles Reicks Thank you Charles,
I'm still getting use to the new press. I kind of like the spring. It can be disconnected if you don't want to use it.
Regards,
Bob
I actually liked the look of it with the imperfections as they have it an aged look,which is perfect for Route 66.
Thank you. Rain.
Regards,
Bob
Thanks for the wisdom and insight on this project really appreciated it
+Tim Halcomb Thank you Tim.
Regards,
Bob
I guess it is kinda off topic but do anybody know of a good website to watch newly released movies online?
@Arlo Francis lately I have been using FlixZone. You can find it on google :)
@Benedict Uriah definitely, been watching on flixzone for since march myself =)
@Benedict Uriah thanks, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :) I really appreciate it!!
nice job.
+John Bass Thank you John.
Regards,
Bob
Bob, you can save just about anything. You shouldve been an EMT. You dont give up till theyre revived. lol
LOL, I’m just stubborn.
Regards,
Bob
Use a slower casting resin, something around 20mins to gel. Vacuum degas both the resin and hardner before mixing. Mix and vacuum degas the mixture. Carefully pour the mix into mould and place in pressure pot at 60 -75psi. Guaranteed no bubbles. You can add one additional step if you have a complex item to imbed and that is a quick vacuum treatment after filling the mould and before putting the mould into the pressure pot
Thank you.
Regards,
Bob
I do like you idea of imbedding bottle tops in the pen blank. This is one case where anothervacuum treatment after filling the mould would remove any air trapped between the barrel and the bottle top allowing the resin to fill the void.
Do keep the ideas coming, I learn something new with each of your videos.
May I ask how you manage to hold your tubes up in the mould? (spelling from UK) And is it necessary to use a vacuum pot for setting the resin? Thanks. By the way I love how you find a solution to problems you encounter.
The molds have rubber stoppers on each end that plug into the tube and suspend it in the mold.
Vacuum is for stabilizing, pressure compresses the bubbles.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob, by pressure pot do you mean a pressure cooker as used in the kitchen???
It kind of looks like that but it's for a attachment for your compressor and a pressure valve to let you know when you have pressured it to the right PSI. I need to do some more research. Lynn can answer these questions better than me at this point.Regards,Bob
Hi Bob, I'm new to pen turning, but I know you've done, well let's just say heaps of pens! I'm trying to find a guide to figure out which pen components fits which pens? I'm going to start with the 7mm slimline or streamline pens, however no matter where I look I don't know which refill fits this size pen? Online they talk about overall pen length, which is great except I'm told that I'm buying a 7mm brass tube, and how does that fit into the equation??? Please help me, I've got several gifts coming up and I want to do my best, and at the moment they might be lucky to get sawdust. Also I tried turning two pens and I tightened the screw or nut at the end fairly right and my tail stock. My problem was the bushings dug into the brass tubes and wrecked them. Obviously I'm being heavy handed and I need to find that middle ground. Was it trial and error for you at the start? Oh yeah I bought a mandrel saver, instead of using the tail nut now. Do you think that will make things better? I noticed you mainly just use your roughing gouge, do you sharpen it before use? I thought maybe the scraper or skew would be more accurate? Sorry to dump all this on you, obviously I have a heap of questions and nowhere to go. If it's easier he is my email - stseal@bigpond.com, thanks, Sean
+The Bungling Woodworker Hello Sean,
I don’t know of a reference for pen components, you might try the IAP, International Association of Pen turners, if anyone has a listing, they will.
Slim lines use a Cross refill and most of the other pens I’ve made use a Parker refill. When you purchase a pen kit, it will come with all the components you need to make that pen, including brass tubes and ink refills. You will have to purchase separately the bushings and proper sized drill bit for the kit. The company you purchase from will usually send instructions for making and assembling the pen. If they don’t come with the pen, then go to their website and look up the pen kit, they usually have a PDF of the instructions there.
The mandrel saver will help hold the blanks tightly on the mandrel but it’s still possible to over tighten them if you’re not careful. Apply a small amount of pressure and try turning your blanks, if they slip, tighten the tail stock up a bit and try again. As long as the blanks are not slipping while turning, you’re mandrel saver and tail stock are plenty tight.
I use the roughing gouge because I like the control it offers. I usually sharpen it right before turning. The skew is an excellent choice if your comfortable using is as are many other tools. As long as a tool is sharp, your comfortable using it, and your being safe, the particular tool does not matter.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob I can't thank you enough for firstly your quickness with the reply, but also the depth of knowledge! I had NO idea there was an I.A.P, but like anything in life if there's a hobby or club, someone decides to make an organising body.... I can only imagine how many questions you receive, so for at least, oh a week or so I will leave you alone. On another topic your work is beautiful. How long have you been turning pens, so I don't feel so inadequate? Cheers, Sean
+The Bungling Woodworker Thank you Sean,
I've been turning pens for five or six years.
Regards,
Bob
Hey Sean,
Check out www.pennstateind.com/, on each pen description page they list the refill which works with the pen. Only trouble I find is that there are often several names for each style of pen, depending on who you purchase from, like Bob's pen is the Wall Street, I've purchased it as the Sierra, and at least one other name I can't recall at the moment :)
Happy pen turning!
- Bill
Bill Kibby thanks Bill much appreciated cheers Sean
BTW , the bubbles add a character that I don't think you could planned for any better!
+Mick Motly I agree with you there. I couldn't have planned this if I tried.
Hi Bob, quick question
Why do you wipe your blank down between grits when wet sanding? I want my blank to stay as wet as possible, but you are more experienced than I am.
thanks,
Rick
+Rick Rollan I do that to remove the slurry and grit from the previous pad. Otherwise it can cause scratches.
Regards,
Bob
RJBWoodTurner Maybe that why I sometime get scratches!
Thanks Bob
how did you drill out the tubes after you casted it? unless you somehow blocked the ends ? wax?
I blocked the ends with rubber corks. There was no drilling necessary.
Regards,
Bob
Try air in a can to blow out the pits I use it all the time.
Thank you Mark.
Regards,
Bob
Soda bubbles, for the win!!!
+Bob Stembridge I couldn't have done that if I tried. It just worked out. Sent the pen to Route 66 and they loved it.
Regards,
Bob
Clearly that pen took an enormous amount f time. With practice, I'm sure the time will lessen. Nonetheless, this one looks labor intensive. If you sell it, how much will you charge? Do you calculate your time investment? I just wonder if that is more than the market will bear.
+William Simpson I don't think I could sell this one and make a profit. It is way to labor intensive. I gave it away. Sent it to Route 66 Sodas.
Regards,
Bob
I probably wouldn't try to sell those, using trademarks can get you into odd trouble. Even at a non-profit several years ago, we received a lengthy letter from the lawyers at Milton Bradley when someone thought it would be a great idea to use Mr. Monopoly for a theme... They have spies everywhere! :)
Send me the diameter and length of the hard end of your pen press
+J-Pana Crafts The diameter is 5/8" and the length is 13/16".
Regards,
Bob