# "Shiny Thingy": Aluminum on Platinum Navigator



## wizard (Oct 9, 2010)

Turned this last night and finished this AM. One of John Goodin's aluminum blanks on Platinum Navigator. Turned with carbide tools, sanded to 600 grit, MM (wet) from 1200 to 12000 grit, and finished with Brasso Polish followed by a coat of RenWax. Just looked like a "shiny thingy" to me.  Hope everyone has a great weekend. As always, thank you for taking the time to look. Doc


----------



## VampMN (Oct 9, 2010)

Wow, what a beautiful pen. Has a simple elegance to it that I really like.


----------



## wizard (Oct 9, 2010)

VampMN said:


> Wow, what a beautiful pen. Has a simple elegance to it that I really like.



Thank you for the compliment!


----------



## surveyzo (Oct 9, 2010)

Very Nice!!

af


----------



## seamus7227 (Oct 9, 2010)

Once again, Nice job Doc!


----------



## Stick Rounder (Oct 9, 2010)

Great looking pen.


----------



## Tanner (Oct 9, 2010)

That's a beautiful pen!  I have a couple aluminum blanks, but I just don't want to wreck my tools.  Good job!  That's a keeper!


----------



## Whaler (Oct 9, 2010)

That is awesome. I have to try aluminum.


----------



## Jim15 (Oct 9, 2010)

That's a beauty.


----------



## bking0217 (Oct 9, 2010)

That's awesome. I didn't even know that was possible.


----------



## mbroberg (Oct 9, 2010)

That pen works really great!  Do you have to do anything (finish) to the aluminum so that it will keep it's shine?


----------



## workinforwood (Oct 9, 2010)

Yes sir, it's shiny!  Looks excellent Doc!


----------



## Toni (Oct 9, 2010)

that is one awesome pen!!


----------



## Super Dave (Oct 9, 2010)

WOW! great job.

Dave


----------



## David Keller (Oct 9, 2010)

That's beautiful.  I've never done aluminum, but this pen may push me to try it.


----------



## ldb2000 (Oct 9, 2010)

Great job Doc , very shiny !!! I love my aluminum pens but the fingerprints drive me crazy !!! Try using some "0000" steel wool and make a brushed satin finish , no fingerprints and it sets off the shiny Rhodium furniture beautifully .


----------



## All Thumbs (Oct 9, 2010)

Outstanding pen. Simple lines gives it a touch of class.


----------



## CSue (Oct 9, 2010)

Touch of Class!  That's a beauty.


----------



## achennau (Oct 9, 2010)

Wow, beautiful pen... Thanks for sharing


----------



## wizard (Oct 10, 2010)

mbroberg said:


> That pen works really great!  Do you have to do anything (finish) to the aluminum so that it will keep it's shine?



No, but sure thought I would. The only thing I've used is a wax which is what John recommended. This is the second aluminum one I've made and I've carried the first one and it's still as shiny. With the RenWax, I have had much in the way of fingerprints.


----------



## wizard (Oct 10, 2010)

ldb2000 said:


> Great job Doc , very shiny !!! I love my aluminum pens but the fingerprints drive me crazy !!! Try using some "0000" steel wool and make a brushed satin finish , no fingerprints and it sets off the shiny Rhodium furniture beautifully .



Butch, I think I will try that. With the RenWax I haven't had much in the way of fingerprints which was a surprise to me. Nevertheless, I would like to get the brushed satin look you describe and will do that on another set of blanks I have. Thank you for the feedback!! Doc


----------



## johnnycnc (Oct 11, 2010)

Beautiful work, Doc!!
Your photos are as awesome as the pen...all very nice.

Thanks for the good report, and sharing the results 

John
♠


----------



## PR_Princess (Oct 13, 2010)

What an *awesome* pen Doc!!! :biggrin:

Now after seeing your work I am going to have to get some of these blanks from JohnnyCNC too! You gave me some new thoughts and ideas that I will just to HAVE to play with.... Darn it all!! :tongue::biggrin::biggrin:


----------



## turbowagon (Oct 13, 2010)

Great pen!  If you end up making a brushed satin one, post that one as well!

- Joe


----------



## Rfturner (Oct 13, 2010)

that looks great. I love how simple and elegant it looks


----------



## bricketts528 (Oct 13, 2010)

Very nice!  All tools you used are carbide?


----------



## edman2 (Oct 13, 2010)

Serves you right for posting all those beautiful things to buy on YOUR website! Turn about is fair play!:biggrin:

p.s. Great looking pen Doc



PR_Princess said:


> What an *awesome* pen Doc!!! :biggrin:
> 
> Now after seeing your work I am going to have to get some of these blanks from JohnnyCNC too! You gave me some new thoughts and ideas that I will just to HAVE to play with.... Darn it all!! :tongue::biggrin::biggrin:


----------



## BKelley (Oct 13, 2010)

Several questions.  What grade aluminum?  2024-T3, 6061, 7075-T6?  Did you use the brass tubes or drill smaller hole in blanks?  I have contemplated making aluminum Navigator and answers to above questions would be a great help.  Thanks.


----------



## terryf (Oct 13, 2010)

Beautiful, the shine is amazing!


----------



## wizard (Oct 14, 2010)

bricketts528 said:


> Very nice!  All tools you used are carbide?



Barry, I used the carbide tipped tools made by Easy Wood Tools. The tips are replaceable. On a previous aluminum pen, I used my Sorby HSS tools and it seemed harder to turn and required frequent sharpening. The aluminum blank seemed easier to turn with less surface irregularities with the carbide tips and made the stages of sanding and finishing easier. Doc


----------



## wizard (Oct 14, 2010)

BKelley said:


> Several questions.  What grade aluminum?  2024-T3, 6061, 7075-T6?  Did you use the brass tubes or drill smaller hole in blanks?  I have contemplated making aluminum Navigator and answers to above questions would be a great help.  Thanks.



Ben, The blanks were made of 6061 grade aluminum. There is no need for the brass tube as the aluminum can be drilled and reamed directly to the size of the tube.  John Goodin (aka JohnnyCNC) has predrilled and reamed aluminum blanks as well as the do it yourself blanks which need squaring off and to be drilled and reamed. I hope that helps. Doc


----------



## jttheclockman (Oct 14, 2010)

wizard said:


> ldb2000 said:
> 
> 
> > Great job Doc , very shiny !!! I love my aluminum pens but the fingerprints drive me crazy !!! Try using some "0000" steel wool and make a brushed satin finish , no fingerprints and it sets off the shiny Rhodium furniture beautifully .
> ...


 

The metal pens I make also have the brushed look. I have one pictured under photos in my avatar. I use the nonwoven pads to accomplish the look and use that pen everyday. I am going to try powdercoating them one of these days so I can take it up to a brilliant shine. 

Nice job with the pen and thanks for showing.


----------



## wizard (Oct 15, 2010)

jttheclockman said:


> wizard said:
> 
> 
> > ldb2000 said:
> ...



Butch and/or John, How far do you go with sanding and finishing the aluminum prior to using the  non-woven pads? Are the non-woven pads the same as the "0000" steel wool? Doc


----------



## jttheclockman (Oct 15, 2010)

wizard said:


> jttheclockman said:
> 
> 
> > wizard said:
> ...


 

Doc

Yes they are equivalent. I like using those because I don't get those nasty metal splinters as the steel wool pads break down from use. Besides that is all I use in my woodworking adventures too. What I do is take it all the way up to a mirror finish and then a couple quick passes with the nonwoven pad it is knocked back to a satin look. I do not go side to side though when using the pad because I do not want cross scratches. This is the way I do it. Maybe Butch does things abit different.

Good luck and the pen does look good. Thanks for showing.


----------



## ldb2000 (Oct 15, 2010)

That is just about the way I do it as well , bring it to a high shine then cut it back with the steel wool . I do however think the steel wool does a little beter job getting the brushed look . I tried the nonwoven pads but the fibers are a little too corse to give the fine scratch pattern that I get with the steel wool . You do have to be a little more careful with the steel wool , it can get pulled from your hand and wraped around the blank very quickly but if you keep the fibers together it won't happen . I do agree about not using it side to side though or you will get a sprial pattern


----------



## wizard (Oct 21, 2010)

Butch and/John, On the brushed finish ,I tried both the  non woven pads and the steel wool, taking it back to a shine in between  techniques. I cannot get a even finish across the pen. There is a very  slight spiral or skewed look as well as uneven depth? to the scratch  pattern. John, I cannot seem to get the very even finish that I see on the larger image of your brushed pen. I wanted to ask a few questions. Butch, what did you mean when  you said a couple of *passes* with the steel wool? What kind of  pressure do you use on the barrels with the either abrasive pad? A friend told  me that the look that I'm trying for is achieved by powder coating  which John mentioned but I am not familiar with. Any help would be be appreciated. Doc


----------



## jttheclockman (Oct 21, 2010)

wizard said:


> Butch and/John, On the brushed finish ,I tried both the non woven pads and the steel wool, taking it back to a shine in between techniques. I cannot get a even finish across the pen. There is a very slight spiral or skewed look as well as uneven depth? to the scratch pattern. John, I cannot seem to get the very even finish that I see on the larger image of your brushed pen. I wanted to ask a few questions. Butch, what did you mean when you said a couple of *passes* with the steel wool? What kind of pressure do you use on the barrels with the either abrasive pad? A friend told me that the look that I'm trying for is achieved by powder coating which John mentioned but I am not familiar with. Any help would be be appreciated. Doc


 

Doc

I use the grey nonwoven pads because that is the finest grit. I use a light touch which is all that is needed to get the scratch pattern going. Again I do not go lengthwise. I start at one end and let it do its thing and then pick the pad off and set it down next to the last pattern overlapping just abit. It is quick.

This pen you see is not powder coated and like I said it is an everyday pen I use at my desk. It looks the same as the day I finished it. This will hold up forever and will hide the fingerprints. What I want to do also is to take my real metal pens to a high gloss shine but that leaves fingerprints so this is where I want to incorporate the powdercoating. I also have the idea to color powdercoat them with some candyapple colors. Just have not gotten around to it. 

Here is an old photo of the pen I am talking about and if you want I can take a more up to date photo because I still use this pen as I said.  This process of giving a satin look is really very very easy.


----------

