# Segmenting and Dowels finished!



## wiset1 (Apr 7, 2011)

This is a pen I finished up today that posed a real challenge. The segmentation on this is African Blackwood, White Styrene, Aluminum, and Buckeye. The center wood is Maple Burl that had a hint of spalted to it. The lower portion has three beech dowel rods drilled and inserted into the blank before turning. I used 2 coats of thin CA, and 10 coats of medium micro sanded to 12000 grit and polished. Full size Majestic kit.












Either way...it's finished now! Feedback anyone...?


----------



## philb (Apr 7, 2011)

Like the pen as a whole, and the straight segmenting in the top and lower barrel are very well executed. 
Don't really see the need for the dowels, as they don't seem to add anything to the overall design. The maple burl just as it is would of been great, maybe if the dowels were buckeye or blackwood, with a bit more contrast!

Overall great pen though!

PHIL

p.s the finish and photography are top-notch!


----------



## Mapster (Apr 7, 2011)

Buckeye dowels may have been better, but that is like picking up a grain of salt off of a 747. It is an amazing pens, one of the best segmenting jobs I have ever seen! This pen is truly classy and the dark spots on the styrene turned out looking very nice, blends more with the buckeye. Great job, truly stunning.


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 7, 2011)

philbaldwin said:


> Like the pen as a whole, and the straight segmenting in the top and lower barrel are very well executed.
> Don't really see the need for the dowels, as they don't seem to add anything to the overall design. The maple burl just as it is would of been great, maybe* if the dowels were buckeye or blackwood*, with a bit more contrast!
> 
> Overall great pen though!
> ...


 
I'm with you on this Phil!  It wold be nice to find dowels like that in my local shop, but it was Beech so I ran with it.  This was basically a test to try something different and it helped me learn the steps that will lay the ground work for future projects.  Once I make it back to the U.S. I'm sure I can find all kinds of cool things to throw into these pens

Thanks for the feedback and your honesty...It helps!


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 7, 2011)

Mapster said:


> Buckeye dowels may have been better, but that is like picking up a grain of salt off of a 747. It is an amazing pens, one of the best segmenting jobs I have ever seen! This pen is truly classy and the dark spots on the styrene turned out looking very nice, blends more with the buckeye. Great job, truly stunning.


 
Thank you!  Oddly enough, the antiqued look of the white styrene was run over from the blackwood when I sanded and cleaned the blank.  The dust engrained into the pores and at the time was a point of frusteration.  Now, it just adds to it I guess...


----------



## ctubbs (Apr 7, 2011)

Tim, I am truly sorry.  I have looked, scratched my poor head and I still can not find anything to fault you on this wonderful pen.  As far as finding the right dowel for your project, I saw a dowel plate somewhere just this week, maybe Rockler.  You take a piece of wood of your choice and force it through smaller and smaller holes until you get the size needed.  Your choice of woods or other material that will hold together. Just a thought.  By the way, congratulations on a fine work of art.  Great job.
Charles


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks Charles.  I see in the Rockler catalog where they have walnut dowels and other materials so I may try those.  I also purchased aluminum and brass rods to try, but who knows when I'll get around to that.  The move back to the U.S. will have my stuff packed up for a couple months. ;-(


----------



## philb (Apr 7, 2011)

wiset1 said:


> philbaldwin said:
> 
> 
> > Like the pen as a whole, and the straight segmenting in the top and lower barrel are very well executed.
> ...



Hi,

Still looks stunning with the Beech! Could you not turn down your own dowels, then you be able to get any you wanted! Maybe some solid aluminium dowels?

PHIL


----------



## thewishman (Apr 7, 2011)

That is a beautiful pen! The segments area nice and evenly spaced and there are high-contrast and low-contrast elements. More contrast in the dowels would have made it an entirely different pen, but the low-contrast makes it look understated - and I like it.


----------



## MorganGrafixx (Apr 7, 2011)

Overall, that pen is absolutely horrific. I can't find a single thing  positive to say about it. You should just ship it out to me so that I  can hang on to it and no one will think you made it. :biggrin:

Honestly, that pen is stunning. It comprises a few things I want to try but don't have the guts to do yet. The kit itself scares me because of it's price, the metal segmenting, the multiple segments, the dowels...all of which I want to try. Well done! Be proud of that one!


----------



## Padre (Apr 7, 2011)

Tim, that pen is totally awesome.  I like the dowels, they are subtle and at first glance appear to be a part of the wood.

This is really a fantastic pen.


----------



## Timbo (Apr 7, 2011)

Fantastic pen.  The dowels add nothing to it as is, but a darker wood may have worked.  Great job!


----------



## MartinPens (Apr 7, 2011)

Wow! I absolutely love it. Great work. I'm with the "as is" crowd, but I like how the dowels carry the clip gem design into the pen. If I were to modify anything it would be to keep more wood in the body and let segmenting. Maybe drop the material that was giving you such headaches. Darker dowels would be interesting to see.  I'm so impressed. I hope to be able to do segmenting some day.

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner


----------



## Ruby pen turning (Apr 7, 2011)

Awesome pen, I looooooove the cap and the way you used the same colors on what I call the tail of the pen. The dowels to me just add to the pen subtly in design. I think the buckeye would probably look better then the beach but your metal rods I think woul look great.


----------



## pensmyth (Apr 7, 2011)

Tim,
Awesome looking pen I really like it! Here's and idea for you I picked up from David Marks at a class I took at the local Woodcraft shop. David takes small round and square brass tubes and fills them will colored epoxy then drills his blank and inserts then cuts it flush and turns it with really nice results. He also takes the same tubes and will drill the blank on a 45 and insert one then turn it which causes the round one to turn as an oval and the square as an elongated diamond. and the brass around the epoxy really sets it off.
Andy


----------



## PenPal (Apr 7, 2011)

Tim,

On a need to know basis from over here I quickly skimmed through your description, I am sure that doing this allays the inevitable what, why, how, and when.

Travelling over the huge Arabian Deserts by Plane many years ago the scene was reminiscent of mysterious circles in the sand regular in shape but discriminate in location, the spalting gave lines of mystery containing the whole. Love the Military Chevron shape in the cap where the Jewel anchors the design not commands as they sometimes overpower. Abstract design is good creating a mini work of Art in your pen, a real one off sort of Mona Lisa look that makes me smile rather than smiled at.

Figuring Rome was not built in a day nor was your pen both required thought, design and application coming to and end, like I said on another post always the feeling the pen you designed, the one you made and the one you would like to make.

It belongs in your Hall Of Fame it more than equates with your others especially since it is your design and making, superb finishing and I can see it from all these thousands of miles easily and blessed to follow your progress.

All the best when you relocate in the future remember the grass is always greener etc some advice given me recently LIVE IN THE MOMENT after all this is your life right now so enjoy.

Kind regards Peter.


----------



## ctubbs (Apr 7, 2011)

Oh, Tim, i lied, it wsn't Rockler.  Highland Woodworking [highlandwoodworking.com] has the Lie-Nielsen Dowel Plates on page 8 of their new cat. Item 434293 is sizes 1/8 thru 5/8 " and 134094 is the metric of 3 thru 16 mm.  $50 each.  So sorry for the miss que.
Charles


----------



## bitshird (Apr 7, 2011)

I think it's great, your segmenting is spot on, and the vertical segments with contrasting material on the cap with the horizontal segments on the lower barrel is a good idea.


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

pensmyth said:


> Tim,
> Awesome looking pen I really like it! Here's and idea for you I picked up from David Marks at a class I took at the local Woodcraft shop. David takes small round and square brass tubes and fills them will colored epoxy then drills his blank and inserts then cuts it flush and turns it with really nice results. He also takes the same tubes and will drill the blank on a 45 and insert one then turn it which causes the round one to turn as an oval and the square as an elongated diamond. and the brass around the epoxy really sets it off.
> Andy


 
Hi Andy,

This sounds like the amazing pens that Brian Kort makes here on the IAP.  It's something that I hope to do in the future, but at the moment I need more tools, time, and material.  Being a Soldier takes up a great deal of my time and the rest goes to family, so these little creations are a result of the free time I do have and bringing my drawings to life.  I have some drawings that I know will take true skill and effort...both of which I hope to have further down the road, ha ha ha. 

Thank you and best wishes


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

I truly want to thank everyone for the kind words and great ideas.  Some like the beech dowels while others would have liked to see darker buckeye ones.  This is the best part of designing any new element in art...the unknown.  The ideas provided will be added to future turns and perhaps result a finer end product.

Thank you again to everyone for both looking and leaving feedback...this helps us all grow.


----------



## el_d (Apr 8, 2011)

Wow really nice segmenting job. Love the aluminum seperations and the different colors contrast nicely.

 Didnt really notice the dowels in the center but maybe a little darker brown (HR or cocobolo??) would have made them more noticable.

 I like what you did with the cap would like to see that with a mirrored image on the body. It would allow the customer to view the great segmentation as they write with it.

 A real eye catcher Tim.


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

I had thought about doing a mirror design to flow with the cap, but truth is...I'm lazy and just wanted to see the pen finished and this seemed like a way to try out the dowel idea, ha ha ha.  It did result in some great feedback here and I think it will lead to some more interesting design ideas with the darker dowels and accents.  I just got some brass sheets and brass dowels yesterday so lets see how I can mix that with what I have in my little shop. ;-)


----------



## wizard (Apr 8, 2011)

Tim, As usual, another stunning pen that I wish I had the courage to attempt! Beautiful piece of artwork. By the way, I just have to ask....Did you get a truckload of Majestic kits for Christmas? :wink: Regards, Doc


----------



## witz1976 (Apr 8, 2011)

WOW, your segmenting is excellent...I wish my was that good.  Very sharp looking pen, which I was surprised to see as usually the bands on the Majestic sometimes takes away from the the wood, but you managed to keep everything flow into each other.  Well done!


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

wizard said:


> Tim, As usual, another stunning pen that I wish I had the courage to attempt! Beautiful piece of artwork. By the way, I just have to ask....Did you get a truckload of Majestic kits for Christmas? :wink: Regards, Doc


 
:biggrin: Not really Doc, PSI had a little issue with an older order of mine and they gave me a couple coupons for discounts.  Since then I order about 5 at a time.  I like that the clip is part of the cap unlike the Majestic Jr.  Anyway...I like working with the Majestic since it offers a larger canvas to work with.


----------



## PenMan1 (Apr 8, 2011)

I like everything about this pen, except the fact that it isn't mine. You found a way to minimize the effect of that pimp stone.

Very nicely executed.


----------



## workinforwood (Apr 8, 2011)

Looks super awesome Tim..especially the cap!


----------



## avbill (Apr 8, 2011)

Sparingly the element of design (the segmenting)  works beyond all measures.  Awesome, fantastic,  It's several steps above the craftsmanship in my book. I can't wait to see what other ideas you have up your sleeves.  

IfI had to put the pen into a category this would be a $1,000 pen. 

You are an inspiration to all of us, Tim  thanks!


----------



## Katsin (Apr 8, 2011)

Awesome pen! I'm jealous of all you folks who can do great segmenting and inlays.


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

No need to be jealous, I'm fairly new at this as well so if I can do it anyone can!  It's always best to plan the idea out and have a sketch to help push things along.  This has been what works for me and if things start getting crazy in the shop...just out it on the shelf and walk away until you have a clear head and work on it again.  I find myself walking away a lot, ha ha ha.


----------



## Ruby pen turning (Apr 8, 2011)

Katsin said:


> Awesome pen! I'm jealous of all you folks who can do great segmenting and inlays.



It  is not easy and it is not hard. the only tools I have are a portable Makita table saw with a home made sled... a crappy  craftsman drill press...a Harbor freight scroll saw (pure junk) and a great Jet 1014VS lathe. you just have to try it, and go into trying it that it might look like crap or fall apart on you. Before you try it though you must tell yourself not to get to upset when something happens, because there is a good chance something will happen.:biggrin:


----------



## skiprat (Apr 8, 2011)

Just like Jeff, the cap caught my eye too. At first I thought it was metal and the different colours were just the 'shine lines' 
I don't think it needed the dowels, but you got them perfectly spaced so it didn't spoil anything. Very nicely done!!


----------



## Andrew_K99 (Apr 8, 2011)

Great job on the segmenting! After taking a second look at it ... it may have been a nice touch to match the _diamond_ in the cap where the dowels are as they seem to line up in the one picture.

Like this (excuse the 15 second MS paint job)




AK


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

Andrew_K99 said:


> Great job on the segmenting! After taking a second look at it ... it may have been a nice touch to match the _diamond_ in the cap where the dowels are as they seem to line up in the one picture.
> 
> Like this (excuse the 15 second MS paint job)
> 
> ...


 
:biggrin:  I think I'll change the main image to this...

I actually have some Swarovski Crystals left over from the cap idea a couple months ago so I may just have to try this on some ideas down the road.

Thanks again for the feedback!


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

Ruby pen turning said:


> Katsin said:
> 
> 
> > Awesome pen! I'm jealous of all you folks who can do great segmenting and inlays.
> ...


 
Well said!  If you never try, you'll never know.  Jump in with both feet...if you don't like it you can always jump back out


----------



## hewunch (Apr 8, 2011)

Great work! I do have a question. When I put ca on styrofoam it melts. Did you use a special glue, styrofoam etc?


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 8, 2011)

hewunch said:


> Great work! I do have a question. When I put ca on styrofoam it melts. Did you use a special glue, styrofoam etc?


 
I used the white craft styrene, but honestly...I wouldn't use this thickness again.  It seemed like it would swell as it heated from turning.  The thin stuff works much better for accents and if I had to do it again I would use a white acrylic and cut down to size.  As far as the glue goes, I use the CA glue found on the exotics site.  I use thin CA to seal everything and then medium CA for the finishing coats.  I treat the styrene and aluminum as if it were wood and just coat everything!  Hope that helps


----------



## Texatdurango (Apr 8, 2011)

Well right off I can see about 16 errors that need fixing, here is the list.......

1. Just kidding :tongue:, this is a very nice looking pen and like a few others the ONLY thing I see that I would have changed were the dowels. Very nice work!

Seeing pens like this make me want to start working with kits again and do some segmenting myself!


----------



## OKLAHOMAN (Apr 8, 2011)

Tim, just got into my room after setting up my booth and saw this...its a stunner but and please don't take this as a critisium of your segmenting after all your segmenting is spot on. The top is perfect and as Lupe said I think the bottom if mirrored would have given it more flow, top and bottom just in my eyes don't flow. I don't mind the dowell inserts. This and $395 gets you a cup of coffee at Starbucks abit a small cup:wink:.


----------



## wiset1 (Apr 9, 2011)

OKLAHOMAN said:


> Tim, just got into my room after setting up my booth and saw this...its a stunner but and please don't take this as a critisium of your segmenting after all your segmenting is spot on. The top is perfect and as Lupe said I think the bottom if mirrored would have given it more flow, top and bottom just in my eyes don't flow. I don't mind the dowell inserts. This and $395 gets you a cup of coffee at Starbucks abit a small cup:wink:.


 
The Constructive Criticism is always welcomed and it's how we work things out and help others in the future.  As noted, this started off as a rough draft that I just wanted to finish and the dowels were a way of working in something I had never done before.  I agree that the mirrored lower barrel would have been much more dynamic.  The issue I had with the mirror idea was that I had already made the (Blackwood, Styrene, Aluminum, and Buckeye) sandwich and if I used it for the lower barrel the blackwood would have turned all the way off and I would have been left with just the white styrene on the outside.  Being lazy... I really didn't want to make another sandwich blank just to turn the lower barrel.  That's kind of why I tried the dowels.  It's a book I know, but it helps explain why I did the lower barrel the way I did.

Thank you


----------

