# Steampunk Disaster



## KDM (Nov 2, 2012)

So, I cast up a pair of pen tubes with a pair of cheap earrings wrapped around them. Lovely mica sheen off the PR. Few bubbles added to the effect.









...and then, as I was assembling the final part of the barrel....





Gutted. Absolutely gutted.


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## maxman400 (Nov 2, 2012)

Looks Cool


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## KDM (Nov 2, 2012)

Sheah, except for the bloody big crack.


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## plano_harry (Nov 2, 2012)

Is this a Jr Gent I?


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## KDM (Nov 2, 2012)

Sold as a Jr Gent, yup. Why d'ya ask?


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## Joe S. (Nov 2, 2012)

>.<


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## Texatdurango (Nov 2, 2012)

Sorry to see that.  Do you know why it happened?


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## plano_harry (Nov 2, 2012)

Those suckers are way too tight on the tubes!  Mic it to check the fit.  I have cracked a few of these pressing them together lower tube.  Now I ream the heck out of the tubes, test fit and do everything I can to make sure I have eased the interference as much as possible.


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## Jim Burr (Nov 2, 2012)

Overall look is great...and yeah, the tubes are a squeeze! Sucks cuz it was a really great effect.


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## Jjartwood (Nov 3, 2012)

That pen is too nice to let sit,open the surface of the cracks a bit with a dremmel and put some thin CA in it ,it won't make it perfect but will hide it a little and the cracking will not spread ant further. There is just something very attractive about that pen good job.
I'd still carry it as a pocket pen. I'm amazed at how many sales I make that started out 
with a conversation about a failed pen.
Nice work
Mark


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## bruce119 (Nov 3, 2012)

Jjartwood said:


> That pen is too nice to let sit,open the surface of the cracks a bit with a dremmel and *put some thin CA in it* ,it won't make it perfect but will hide it a little and the cracking will not spread ant further. There is just something very attractive about that pen good job.
> I'd still carry it as a pocket pen. I'm amazed at how many sales I make that started out
> with a conversation about a failed pen.
> Nice work
> Mark


 
No wait....if you cast with PR you can probably save it carefully open it up as mark suggested then simply recast it PR adheres to itself excellently. If you put any CA or polish on the surface you will have to clean that off as well. I would suggest putting it back on the lathe and sanding with some 1500 micro mesh.

Looks good though try and save it what the heck you got your photos.  

Good Luck


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## KDM (Nov 3, 2012)

Joe S. said:


> >.<



I presume that's the recognised smiley for a buttclench moment? Yes. I call it the "ohnosecond."



Texatdurango said:


> Sorry to see that.  Do you know why it happened?



Tube too tight. Maybe a slight angle as I was inserting the furniture. Maybe a droplet of CA on the inside of the tube.



plano_harry said:


> Those suckers are way too tight on the tubes!



I've taken to mounting a piece of sandpaper on a dowel in the chuck and scrubbing the inside of the tube with that before finishing. I wonder if I forgot.



plano_harry said:


> Mic it to check the fit.



Never thought of that - I just sort of assumed they were designed to fit together!! Foolish assumption.



Jim Burr said:


> Overall look is great...and yeah, the tubes are a squeeze! Sucks cuz it was a really great effect.



What really sucks is that I can't find the darned earrings again! I had bought half a dozen pairs and I've misplaced the ones I had in stock.



Jjartwood said:


> That pen is too nice to let sit,open the surface of the cracks a bit with a dremmel and put some thin CA in it...



D'oh. Too late. Recovered the tubes already.


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## Sataro (Nov 3, 2012)

Like someone said earlier. Put a little ca on it. That pen is way too nice to give up on. Still be a good carry pen. One of my best carry pens gets a lot of attention & to me it is a failure that I would not sell due to fit on clip end. No one even notices the fit isn't perfect.


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## greggas (Nov 3, 2012)

I feel your pain

even after making hundreds of pens and knowing that x% are going to have an issue / defect/ be tossed...it is SO painful when when breaks during assembly...especially one that you put all that casting time into.....time for paint i guess


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## Texatdurango (Nov 3, 2012)

KDM said:


> ......
> 
> 
> 
> ...



It's often hard to see what goes wrong with these things but the first thing that came to mind based on some of me experiences was that the end of the barrel wasn't 100% right angle and flush with the tube and when the parts were pressed together, the pressing tool made contact with the outer surface of the acrylic blank before it contacted the harder tube and the force cracked the blank.

Not guessing that this was the cause in this case, just something to consider next time.


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## KDM (Nov 3, 2012)

Texatdurango said:


> It's often hard to see what goes wrong with these things but the first thing that came to mind based on some of me experiences was that the end of the barrel wasn't 100% right angle and flush with the tube and when the parts were pressed together, the pressing tool ...



Maybe I should get one of those. I've been using a vice / vise!


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## kenspens (Mar 5, 2013)

hey kdm i also use a dremmel and groove out the cracked pr and then recast it and it comes out great just make sure you use enuff pressure to force the resin all the way down into the crack i use 40 to 60 psi  and using a micrometer and if needed sand down the tube or the insert of the parts so that the pressure doesnt crack the pr again! hope this helps ~~~~~ken


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## CabinetMaker (Mar 5, 2013)

KDM said:


> Sheah, except for the bloody big crack.


Marketing opportunity: call it a lightning strike!


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## Buzzzz4 (Mar 5, 2013)

In the future, if you are not able to save the blank and erase the crack, you can soak them in acetone and save the earings. The PR dissolves in acetone.


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## KDM (Mar 6, 2013)

Harry's right. the furniture is just too tight. All it takes is for a wee spit of CA to be left inside the tube and ... "crack" ... it's wrecked.


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## KDM (Mar 6, 2013)

kenspens said:


> just make sure you use enuff pressurehope this helps ~~~~~ken



Aaaah, so it's YOU who has the kenspens username!! Yeah, I know what you're saying. I don't use a pressure vessel at all.

Thanks for the kind words -- Ken.


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## Mlsflt (Mar 10, 2013)

If that happens again, put it back on the lathe, and cut in right past the crack, measure from tube end to the edge where you cut in and turn that much off the other end, then, find some scrap of another color you like, not a big piece, just enough to drill a hole the size of the tube, then cut in half, glue each section on the ends of the tube, sand flush to tube, put back on bushings, back on the lathe, turn away the excess and coat with a few coats of CA, sand and your done.

Basically just adding segments to the end. Nobody will ever know and it will add an extra feature to the pen and an opportunity to add more color if you choose.


Steve
Novel-Pens.com


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## KDM (Mar 11, 2013)

Yes. The old "oops-band." Seen it, never tried it. One to consider.


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