# Casein?



## Carl Pepka (Aug 23, 2019)

Any tips on working with vintage casein?


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## EricRN (Aug 23, 2019)

Curious to hear folks’ tips. I just got some of this too. Haven’t worked with it before and heard it can be finicky.


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## Fred Bruche (Aug 23, 2019)

Carl Pepka said:


> Any tips on working with vintage casein?


In my experience some rods are more brittle than others. It seems the more vintage-looking rods are more brittle, but the (original) quality might also have some role. Sharp tools (fresh carbide tools is what I mostly use) and speed around 2500-3000rpm for turning, sharp bits and slow speed for drilling. In short nothing truly unusual for a plastic


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## bmachin (Aug 23, 2019)

No tips for working with it but here’s an article for kids from Scientific American on how to make your own at home. All you need is milk and white vinegar.









						Sculpted Science: Turn Milk into Plastic!
					

A curdling chemistry craft from Science Buddies




					www.scientificamerican.com
				




Bill


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## Carl Pepka (Aug 23, 2019)

Fred Bruche said:


> In my experience some rods are more brittle than others. It seems the more vintage-looking rods are more brittle, but the (original) quality might also have some role. Sharp tools (fresh carbide tools is what I mostly use) and speed around 2500-3000rpm for turning, sharp bits and slow speed for drilling. In short nothing truly unusual for a plastic



 Thanks, Fred. Kind of what I was thinking.


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## Carl Pepka (Aug 23, 2019)

bmachin said:


> No tips for working with it but here’s an article for kids from Scientific American on how to make your own at home. All you need is milk and white vinegar.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Very cool, thank you.


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## jttheclockman (Aug 23, 2019)

I am currently working with the imitation and it handles like any other acrylic. Nothing special and it looks equivalent to the real deal.


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## bmachin (Aug 23, 2019)

Steve4948 did a series of videos on making a kitless pen from casein a number of years ago. Ended up blowing up the cap as I recall. The stuff that he had was really brittle.

Here's the link to the video:






Bill


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## wizard (Aug 24, 2019)

Carl.
These are some tips that I learned....not always the easiest way. Know that you are dealing with a compressed form of the primary protein from milk. Not very strong.  At all times keep the material cool. I used a spray bottle of cool water with each step. Do not drill or turn at high speed. Use sharp tools, preferably carbide. I drilled on lathe using round rod of vintage casein set in a collet chuck with a drill chuck and sharp drill bit in tail stock. Slow speed. Went maybe 1/3 inch at a time... stopping enough to pull the drill bit back and spray water in the drilled hole and on the drill tip. If it heats up during drilling, turning sanding it will leave a brown area.... and it will look and smell like burnt milk...literally. Used spray bottle cool water ter I used Abranet mesh for sanding at slow speed dipping it into cool water frequently getting into finer grits and then with Micromesh pads dipped into cool water. I made 2 custom pens with it and used the same techniques while using taps, drills and threading. . and cool water. Most important word of advice... be patient...take your time. Have fun  Doc.

Here...  





						Custom Casein Fountain Pen
					

Finally got some time away and finished a pen this A.M. It's a custom fountain pen made from casein with a #6 Medium Point Gilded Bock nib.  Comments welcome. Thanks so much for looking. Happy New Year!! Regards, Doc:smile:



					www.penturners.org


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## jttheclockman (Aug 24, 2019)

Now compare Docs original material to the imitation that I used in this pen. (white one)


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## Carl Fisher (Aug 24, 2019)

True Casein will expand and split when exposed to prolonged liqued so don't use it without lining the inside if you're doing custom pens that could potentially be eye dropper filled. If you're doing kit style pens, you should be good.

Drill slow and keep the heat down.

The artificial stuff works just like most plastics and no special consideration really needed.


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## Carl Pepka (Aug 25, 2019)

bmachin said:


> Steve4948 did a series of videos on making a kitless pen from casein a number of years ago. Ended up blowing up the cap as I recall. The stuff that he had was really brittle.
> 
> Here's the link to the video:
> 
> ...




OUCH!


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## Carl Pepka (Aug 25, 2019)

wizard said:


> Carl.
> These are some tips that I learned....not always the easiest way. Know that you are dealing with a compressed form of the primary protein from milk. Not very strong.  At all times keep the material cool. I used a spray bottle of cool water with each step. Do not drill or turn at high speed. Use sharp tools, preferably carbide. I drilled on lathe using round rod of vintage casein set in a collet chuck with a drill chuck and sharp drill bit in tail stock. Slow speed. Went maybe 1/3 inch at a time... stopping enough to pull the drill bit back and spray water in the drilled hole and on the drill tip. If it heats up during drilling, turning sanding it will leave a brown area.... and it will look and smell like burnt milk...literally. Used spray bottle cool water ter I used Abranet mesh for sanding at slow speed dipping it into cool water frequently getting into finer grits and then with Micromesh pads dipped into cool water. I made 2 custom pens with it and used the same techniques while using taps, drills and threading. . and cool water. Most important word of advice... be patient...take your time. Have fun  Doc.
> 
> Here...
> ...




 Thanks, Doc, good info.


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## Carl Pepka (Aug 25, 2019)

Carl Fisher said:


> True Casein will expand and split when exposed to prolonged liqued so don't use it without lining the inside if you're doing custom pens that could potentially be eye dropper filled. If you're doing kit style pens, you should be good.
> 
> Drill slow and keep the heat down.
> 
> The artificial stuff works just like most plastics and no special consideration really needed.




Thanks, Carl. I have worked the imitation and love it. Mainly trying to real thing as a personal challenge.


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## Carl Pepka (Aug 25, 2019)

Fred Bruche said:


> In my experience some rods are more brittle than others. It seems the more vintage-looking rods are more brittle, but the (original) quality might also have some role. Sharp tools (fresh carbide tools is what I mostly use) and speed around 2500-3000rpm for turning, sharp bits and slow speed for drilling. In short nothing truly unusual for a plastic




 Thanks, Fred. It is vintage I'll be working with..


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