# Cactus Guts Keychain.



## RAdams (Apr 9, 2010)

This is my second run. Alot better than the first i think. 

Natural colored cactus guts cast in clear PR. Black paint on the inside. Thank you for looking!


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## har18 (Apr 9, 2010)

that is pretty sweet


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## Toni (Apr 9, 2010)

That is just so freaky!! I want to look at it closer I am quite intrigued!!


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## witz1976 (Apr 9, 2010)

That is very cool!!


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## Gary Max (Apr 9, 2010)

Ah Grasshopper ---- you are getting the hang of this.
Looks very good.


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## Mark (Apr 9, 2010)

I like it. That looks awesome.


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## thewishman (Apr 9, 2010)

Very nice! Congrats on the nice stash of cactus - you are using it well.


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## cnirenberg (Apr 9, 2010)

Ron,
I like the way the keychain turned out.  The clear resin and painted insides look to be the trick.


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## David Keller (Apr 9, 2010)

Much better blank...  This one looks good.  I'd buy something of that quality or better.


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## Buzzzz4 (Apr 9, 2010)

Lookin' good Ron, can't wait to see more. Also diggin this avatar better.


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## concho_joe (Apr 9, 2010)

Nice!!!


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## FrankG (Apr 9, 2010)

RAdams said:


> . . .Natural colored cactus guts cast in clear PR. . .



Great job.  Prickly Pear?  

The first time I saw this I done it was called "Prickly Pear Skeleton."  My first reaction was incredulity.  I've lived in the Southwest - where Prickly Pear is everywhere - most of my life, and I "knew" darn well that Prickly Pear doesn't have a skeleton. 
  But I went out and looked at some dead ones anyway - since they're all over the place not far from here.  Guess what I found . . . wispy, delicate skeletons inside the pads.  Beautiful and interesting stuff.  I collected some and brought it back to the workshop.  Since I don't make pens I am still considering what I'm going to do with it . . .

Do you have a special process for extracting the skeleton material from the pads?  I found a patented procedure by doing a Google search, but it seemed rather involved.


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## olsenla (Apr 9, 2010)

Good job Ron!!!  I really love the cactus skeletons.

Larry


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## jimbob91577 (Apr 9, 2010)

I'm jealous.  The pieces you've posted (and other people's cactus pens) thus far are awesome and make me want to try one of Curtis's blanks.

Right in the middle of the camera flare it looks like there is a piece of cactus that is on the surface of your key chain - making a small indentation.  Do you finish your blanks and put a top coat of CA glue or something similar, or is this just something the camera picked up?


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## RAdams (Apr 9, 2010)

Thanks everyone! Yeah, it is Prickly Pear Skeleton, or whatever you want to call it. I like to call it Cactus Guts!! 


My technique for harvesting and cleaning is pretty simple really. Go find the dead, dry pads. BE CAREFUL! the thorns are barbed and really hurt when you get stabbed, and No gloves i have found will stop them, not even leather. Once you have your pads, you gotta "skin" them. This is an easy process as the skins are usually dried up and falling off already. Then you seperate all the bones (They will be in layers.. Lots and Lots of layers), and wash them. I use my shower to wash them so i can have warm water. The shower head pushes the dirt out without being too mean to the bones themselves. Then you just gotta let em dry. Cut em up, stuff your mold full and cast away!! (HAHA that reminded me of Tom Hanks!!)

I did not finish the keychain with any CA or anything else for that matter. It is sort of a test to see how it stands up without finish. There isnt any cactus "sticking out" or anything like that, but if you rub the blank, you can feel slight changes in the surface. Of course a good coat of CA finish would eliminate this and make it glass smooth.


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## bitshird (Apr 9, 2010)

Nice cast, it looks like a lot of cleaning, here in Tennessee we don't see many pear cactus, so I just buy my blanks, but it looks like fun casting your own.


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## RAdams (Apr 9, 2010)

bitshird said:


> Nice cast, it looks like a lot of cleaning, here in Tennessee we don't see many pear cactus, so I just buy my blanks, but it looks like fun casting your own.


 


Thank ya!:biggrin: And thanks to everyone else too!!!

It is fun..... to have one turn out good that is!! I have wasted some resin (And hours) let me tell ya! But i am learning and making a mess, and turning, and having a ball!


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## Gary Max (Apr 9, 2010)

bitshird said:


> Nice cast, it looks like a lot of cleaning, here in Tennessee we don't see many pear cactus, so I just buy my blanks, but it looks like fun casting your own.


 

Hey Ken----we have two large Prickley Pears growing in our front yard.
They have a huge yellow bloom the only last a couple of days.


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