# How would you do this?  Sand from Iwo Jima



## Florida Marine (Aug 9, 2011)

I have a small (about 1/2 a photo canister) of sand from Iwo Jima.

Owning to the fact that one: I don't have a lot and two: its hallowed sand I don't want to just pour it into a blank and have a bunch hit the deck as I turn it.

SO...  I am thinking, painted or powder coated tube (I have an HF kit) clear glue and I roll the sand onto the tube.  

Then I envisioned pouring half the blank around the tube, letting it dry and then adding a small amount of sand around the tube and adding more resin on top of it to give it some dimension.

I have PTownSubbie cigar molds...also slimline ones.

Ideas?

Sean


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## Drstrangefart (Aug 9, 2011)

Seems to be the best idea. Either that or try coating the tube in thick CA, rolling it in sand, drying it, adding a layer of CA, rolling it, drying until you're happy to cast over it. The clear once turned becomes a magnifying glass anyways.


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## bitshird (Aug 9, 2011)

Sean how were you planning to pour half of the resin around the tube? It might work better if you did your prep work like you stated then pour the full diameter, then turn the blank down, roll the turned blank in a bit more of the sand glued to it, then recast the blank and turn to finished dimensions. I think if you were to use silmar 41 it would work. The first turning should be taken nearly to the first layer of sand, But I'd be very cautious with such a thing as sand from Iwo.


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## JRay8 (Aug 9, 2011)

Use the sand to make  a silohoutte of the flag raising or stars and stripes with it


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## jking (Aug 9, 2011)

Whatever you decide to do, get some regular sand & do a test run of your method.


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## Drstrangefart (Aug 9, 2011)

jking said:


> Whatever you decide to do, get some regular sand & do a test run of your method.



Good call. Do that! Do the thing that he said!


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## ed4copies (Aug 9, 2011)

jking said:


> Whatever you decide to do, get some regular sand & do a test run of your method.



FANTASTIC suggestion!!


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## papaturner (Aug 9, 2011)

Go to the voting thread for the casing challenge and run down the photos there is one that has powder in the body of the pen. That would be an excellent way to show the sand off if the maker would share with you his or her method of making the pen.


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## jbswearingen (Aug 9, 2011)

I like the idea of gluing it to the blank and allowing the PR to magnify.  Not only that, but it'll be easier on your tools.

I have some sand from there.  I may try this.


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## PaulDoug (Aug 9, 2011)

I understand the intent, but just cast sand, well look pretty blah, I would think.  I'm wondering if you could fit a picture of the Marines raising the flag on the blank after it is turned using a decal.  May not show up, depending how dark the sand is.  I wonder if the sand will be real dark because the glue well make it appear wet.  I'm really anxious to see how this turns out and I hope you do as suggested and experiment with "plain" sand first.


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## Florida Marine (Aug 9, 2011)

PaulDoug said:


> I understand the intent, but just cast sand, well look pretty blah, I would think.  I'm wondering if you could fit a picture of the Marines raising the flag on the blank after it is turned using a decal.  May not show up, depending how dark the sand is.  I wonder if the sand will be real dark because the glue well make it appear wet.  I'm really anxious to see how this turns out and I hope you do as suggested and experiment with "plain" sand first.



The practice suggestion is great!  I am too impatient to have considered that.

Get the "blah" factor in the the sand only...  Its black/sulfer sand - so its pretty dark with some small white/grey flecks.

I am trying to remember where I saw a tiny Eagle Globe and Anchor to glue to the tube with the sand.  It was a lapel device that was pretty small...but gotta spin by the PX and see if that was where I saw it.  Got the Marine Shop in town, so I am sure I can find something neat to add some flash to this.

Guy who got this for me also said he may be able to get me some wood from Belleau Woods!


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## t001xa22 (Aug 9, 2011)

I would offer one suggestion for the emblem. I have made a few like the one attached for several Marines, and I exchanged the clip for one I found at Wood Pen Pro. The size may be much more than you wanted if you were to consider separating the emblem from the clip, or to maybe use the clip as is. I applaud you for your consideration and effort to honor the Iwo Jima vets. My dad's second, last and worst wound was at Iwo. He took one in the hip from a Nambo, spent 3 days on a hospital ship, was given over 150 injections of penicillin because of the contaminated slugs the Japanese were using, and pushed to get back to his company instead of being shipped out. So, for him I say: thank you and Semper fi.


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## Sylvanite (Aug 9, 2011)

papaturner said:


> Go to the voting thread for the casing challenge and run down the photos there is one that has powder in the body of the pen. That would be an excellent way to show the sand off if the maker would share with you his or her method of making the pen.


Thanks for the vote of confidence.  The gunpowder pen is one of mine.  I glued the powder on by flowing a bit of thin CA on the painted tube and sprinkling the powder over it.  I worked my way around the tube and recovered spots that needed more.  I let that cure, turned it to size, and then built up a deep CA finish over the top.  With sand, you could just build up a deep CA cover and turn that down.  Then your chisel would never touch the sand.  The trick would be getting an even sand level.

Another option might be to laser-engrave a wood (or other material) blank, and use the sand as a filler.  That would be quite frugal with the sand.  You could even engrave the image of raising the flag over Iwo Jima.

Regards,
Eric


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## Florida Marine (Aug 9, 2011)

t001xa22 said:


> I would offer one suggestion for the emblem. I have made a few like the one attached for several Marines, and I exchanged the clip for one I found at Wood Pen Pro. The size may be much more than you wanted if you were to consider separating the emblem from the clip, or to maybe use the clip as is. I applaud you for your consideration and effort to honor the Iwo Jima vets. My dad's second, last and worst wound was at Iwo. He took one in the hip from a Nambo, spent 3 days on a hospital ship, was given over 150 injections of penicillin because of the contaminated slugs the Japanese were using, and pushed to get back to his company instead of being shipped out. So, for him I say: thank you and Semper fi.



I know I have seen a really small EGA - just gotta remember where, but it was in the Quantico area.

I need to run over to "main side" tomorrow and will hit the PX and the Marine shop.  I am going to take my time and make this stand out!

I am also going to bug some buds in Oki to see if I can get some more sand - I never got to go when I was stationed there, but if you are on Oki they do tours to Iwo and you are allowed to take sand with you.  

I got this from an off hand comment to one of my civilians who is a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant that I used to work with.  He already told me he was getting more for me.

I really appreciate all the ideas, the practice one was the best for my impatient a$$ so far!


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## Florida Marine (Aug 9, 2011)

Sylvanite said:


> Another option might be to laser-engrave a wood (or other material) blank, and use the sand as a filler.  That would be quite frugal with the sand.  You could even engrave the image of raising the flag over Iwo Jima.
> 
> Regards,
> Eric



How neat would it be to have the Iwo flag raising engraved with the actual sand as the base of the picture...

I'm already having fun with this!


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## okiebugg (Aug 9, 2011)

*Do what they said*

Excellent idea for using hallowed sand. Do your experimental tube with beach sand. I'd try to find a dye that matches the dark color of volcanic sand which is usually quite dark. Do what they said with the exception of using a dye on the river sand to approximate what your blank will look like.

We Marines stick together on these matters, and would hope that you could come up with a decal depicting if nothing else the Marine Corps symbol. Thank You.....OORAHH


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## simomatra (Aug 10, 2011)

Definitely do a test run first I have just cast some local beach sand for a special order for a surfer. 

I use alumilite first and as soon as I added the sand the entire pot boiled over. Step 2 normal casting resin, placed the sand in the resin no catalyst same thing happened. Waited till it all subsided and became settled added th catalyst and poured into resin savers and in moulds.

I got to say if it wasn't for my carbide tipped tools I would not have been able to turn. Not able to sand like normal so used 220 grit and then set about using WOP, have about 5 coats on now and it seems it is going to work.

Photos when I finish the pen


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## PenMan1 (Aug 10, 2011)

I've done a few projects similar to this. I would be honored to help if necessary.

THIS IS MERELY A SUGGESTION....Paint or color the tube (I use vinyl, but there is a learning curve there) 1/3 Red, 1/3 Blue, 1/3 white(this can also be stipes, but much harder to do). Let the paint or color dry for 48 hours. use a clear drying glue (NOT CA, I use wood glue) and put a very small dusting of sand over each section. let it dry 24 hours. coat quick with thin CA with the lathe OFF! Add "teachers" blues stars to the red section, teachers red stars to the blue section, add more sand with CA to all sections,concentrate the sand into the white section.

After drying, add 5 coats of CA glue and let it degas (at least overnight) then add more stars, more sand, let it dry and the 5 more coats of CA and let it degas. This gives the stars and the sand a "3d" effect.

This should now be about the thickness of the wood,etc that would normally cover the pen tube.

Then cast in clear PR or alumalite resin and TURN CAREFULLY!

I do agree with others that you should practice with golf course sand and that sand just needs a little cinemagraphic "help"!

The goal here is to turn carefully decorated RESIN, NOT SAND!

Respectfully submitted.


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## jbswearingen (Aug 10, 2011)

Wow.  The ideas on this site are amazing, and I've only been active a short time.

I just got off the phone with my mom, asking if she still had that bottle of sand that I had.  I made a mistake.  It's not sand from Iwo, it's sand from Normandy.  But she also has vials of sand that I collected from Wake Island, Singapore, Nagasaki, Okinawa, and other places I've visited.

I think I'll try this with a few of those.


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## PenMan1 (Aug 10, 2011)

jbswearingen said:


> Wow. The ideas on this site are amazing, and I've only been active a short time.
> 
> I just got off the phone with my mom, asking if she still had that bottle of sand that I had. I made a mistake. It's not sand from Iwo, it's sand from Normandy. But she also has vials of sand that I collected from Wake Island, Singapore, Nagasaki, Okinawa, and other places I've visited.
> 
> I think I'll try this with a few of those.


 

Go carefully, amigo...and practice, practice, practice! It may not be visable in those vials you own, but there is sacred blood from thousands of American heros in those vials.

TAKE YOUR TIME, and do them proud!!!!


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## jbswearingen (Aug 10, 2011)

PenMan1 said:


> jbswearingen said:
> 
> 
> > Wow. The ideas on this site are amazing, and I've only been active a short time.
> ...





Oh, I know.  I'm a Marine and have been taught, in detail, the history of those beaches.  These won't be pens that I'll sell.  I'll probably make one for myself and one for my parents.  All the other former Marines and Sailors in my family have passed away.  They were Korea and Viet Nam vets.  I collected that sand while stationed aboard submarines in the late 90's.  A friend of mine sent me the sand from Normandy; his father landed there on D-Day.


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## PenMan1 (Aug 10, 2011)

Sean:
This comment may be WAY out of line....but here goes, anyway!!!

I notice that you are a relatively new member. That does not mean that you are new to penmaking, so excuse me if this comment is inapproaite.

When we are new to this sport, we are so frequently blinded by our passion that we, as I call it, tend to "over doo dah" everything. Please avoid this temptation!

While pure white sand DOES need a little help, this can be done tastefully, without cheese and fries.

From your name, I know that you understand the significance of what you have. Simple can always be embellished, but you can never remove the cheese.

Perhaps a nice additon would be an american eagle box (Laserlinz.com). If the box, whick can be inscribed, is over the top, it can be removed.

Please think God, Country, Corps before attacking this project.

VERY respectfully submitted.


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## truckerdave (Aug 10, 2011)

Speaking as a Marine on inactive duty status, I say Semper Fi!

What an awesome idea!
I eagerly await pics of your finished projects!!!

During my tenure as a "professional steering wheel holder", I managed to visit some of the floating museums (USS North Carolina, USS Texas, USS New Jersey to name a few). Some of those ship's gift shops sell pieces of the decking that may have removed for some bit of restoration project, sometimes if you take one of the docents aside, they can direct you to the right person to acquire some of this material, usually once you explain your intentions, they willingly find you a small piece to work with. I treat this wood with the respect that I would give the men who served on that ship!

Anyway, sorry for the hijack, can't wait to see your finished pen!!


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## Florida Marine (Aug 10, 2011)

PenMan1 said:


> Sean:
> This comment may be WAY out of line....but here goes, anyway!!!
> 
> I notice that you are a relatively new member. That does not mean that you are new to penmaking, so excuse me if this comment is inapproaite.
> ...



I am going to be VERY careful with this.  I really love the ideas I am getting.

The first pen I make out of this will go back to the sand "doaner" a retired Master Guns who works for me now as a govt civ.  2nd is mine - any more and the M Guns and I will figure out who gets it, but I could see this being a gift for the CO when she departs next year. 

Larry just added a decal for my command to his fine imaged pen collection and this on top of that would be an amazing pen.  I am pretty much down to doing a cartridge pen, how I treat the tube and what I add to it will dictate the final product.  I am going to do a bunch of test runs, will post pics as I get this moving along.

Wife and kids are headed to Fl to conduct the estate sale on my MIL's house so I have a bunch of time after work and this weekend with no distractions....  

AND I just got a fresh gallon of Silmar last week.

Sean


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## jbswearingen (Aug 10, 2011)

Here's a question that might be relevant to "dressing" up "boring" sand...

How does clear PR react to laser engraving?  Does it turn black?  White?  Just melt?  I'm wondering how well it might work, say by engraving USMC or the EGA or something similar onto the pen to possibly "explain" what's inside.


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## t001xa22 (Aug 10, 2011)

Sean, I don't know if it is possible, but how about this: if you could get an old discarded piece of the wooden stock from an M-1 Garand or Carbine? According to my dad, these woods were h*** for stout. Considering their respective history, I just thought I would suggest it. My dad was lucky enough to keep the same Garand through the entire Pacific theater.


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## Florida Marine (Aug 10, 2011)

t001xa22 said:


> Sean, I don't know if it is possible, but how about this: if you could get an old discarded piece of the wooden stock from an M-1 Garand or Carbine? According to my dad, these woods were h*** for stout. Considering their respective history, I just thought I would suggest it. My dad was lucky enough to keep the same Garand through the entire Pacific theater.



that would be neat...  Since I make pens from AK stocks, I am always on the lookout for other firearm platforms to make pens from.  Will have to some poking around!

I got another bag of sand today!  Wants a pen made for his dad's retirement.


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## t001xa22 (Aug 11, 2011)

Some possible ideas, Sean.


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## t001xa22 (Aug 11, 2011)

Then again, there are those beautiful pens that MrWright posted on 8/8/11 with the Corps emblem engraved on a wood barrel. I don't know where he got his engraving done, but it is an excellent job. Maybe something like that on rifle stock wood?


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## JohnU (Aug 11, 2011)

I have sand from Coronado Island I plan on making a pen from. I've poured sand in with resin in the past and ended up with cement so to speak. It was so hard you couldn't turn it.  I would glue sand to the tube and cast.  That way a little goes a long way and you can see it better, magnified in the clear resin.  Just my thoughts.  Good luck.


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## reddwil (Aug 11, 2011)

DItto Ditto on the test run. Please share photos and let us know how it comes out and what you went through. You may be setting a new trend in blank making.


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## jbswearingen (Aug 11, 2011)

I know I'll be doing what he is.  Though I'll let him make the mistakes first.


:biggrin:


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## MrWright (Aug 11, 2011)

I was on Iwo for 13  days, wounded and the whole bit.  Had two shoes full of Iwo sand when they took me in for surgery.  Dumped the sand on the deck and swept it out the door.  A friend went back over there and brought back a vial of the sand for me.  I started to put the sand in a PR blank but backed out because of it's value to me.  The sand is very dark, gritty, and kind of rough.  After all it is valcanic. You would have to use a builders sand which is course to match it , however that kind of sand is light in color.  Whenever you find someone that can make a blank I would like to know as well.  I was going to roll it in CA glue several times then pour the clear PR over it.  The blank would be dark so the flag raiseing would not show up very well.  I do like the thought however.  
And for the record, I saw the raiseing of the second flag right after it was lifted when all the ships blew their horns.  I was in the 3rd Marine Div. 
And Gung-Ho to all those jar-heads.


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## jbswearingen (Aug 11, 2011)

MrWright said:


> I was on Iwo for 13  days, wounded and the whole bit.  Had two shoes full of Iwo sand when they took me in for surgery.  Dumped the sand on the deck and swept it out the door.  A friend went back over there and brought back a vial of the sand for me.  I started to put the sand in a PR blank but backed out because of it's value to me.  The sand is very dark, gritty, and kind of rough.  After all it is valcanic. You would have to use a builders sand which is course to match it , however that kind of sand is light in color.  Whenever you find someone that can make a blank I would like to know as well.  I was going to roll it in CA glue several times then pour the clear PR over it.  The blank would be dark so the flag raiseing would not show up very well.  I do like the thought however.
> And for the record, I saw the raiseing of the second flag right after it was lifted when all the ships blew their horns.  I was in the 3rd Marine Div.
> And Gung-Ho to all those jar-heads.




Thank you for all that you did for us.


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## Florida Marine (Aug 11, 2011)

JohnU said:


> I have sand from Coronado Island I plan on making a pen from. I've poured sand in with resin in the past and ended up with cement so to speak. It was so hard you couldn't turn it.  I would glue sand to the tube and cast.  That way a little goes a long way and you can see it better, magnified in the clear resin.  Just my thoughts.  Good luck.



That is what I am down to...but I want to find a nice eagle globe and anchor that is small enough to sit under the resin when I turn it.  I scored two yesterday, but am not sure they are small enough.  

Wanted to hit Michales today for some similar type of sand to practice with, but I bachelor for the week/weekend and the dog was sick when I left for work this morning with his stomach making some really weird noises...so I left work and came home earlier then normal.  He is out of sorts so I am hanging out with him tonight, didn't dive into his chow like he normally does...worried about him!

I have to go "out in town" tomorrow from work, so I may hit Michales on my way back into work.


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## Florida Marine (Aug 11, 2011)

MrWright said:


> I was on Iwo for 13  days, wounded and the whole bit.  Had two shoes full of Iwo sand when they took me in for surgery.  Dumped the sand on the deck and swept it out the door.  A friend went back over there and brought back a vial of the sand for me.  I started to put the sand in a PR blank but backed out because of it's value to me.  The sand is very dark, gritty, and kind of rough.  After all it is valcanic. You would have to use a builders sand which is course to match it , however that kind of sand is light in color.  Whenever you find someone that can make a blank I would like to know as well.  I was going to roll it in CA glue several times then pour the clear PR over it.  The blank would be dark so the flag raiseing would not show up very well.  I do like the thought however.
> And for the record, I saw the raiseing of the second flag right after it was lifted when all the ships blew their horns.  I was in the 3rd Marine Div.
> And Gung-Ho to all those jar-heads.



Semper Fidelis Sir, you are an American treasure!


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## titan2 (Aug 12, 2011)

Florida Marine said:


> I have a small (about 1/2 a photo canister) of sand from Iwo Jima.
> 
> Owning to the fact that one: I don't have a lot and two: its hallowed sand I don't want to just pour it into a blank and have a bunch hit the deck as I turn it.
> 
> ...


 

Since Iwo Jima sand is a dark volcanic ash type sand you could try like some have already mentioned....a clear lable sticker with the flag raising and then have the name "IWO JIMA" laser engraved/carved out and use the sand to fill it in.....then cast it.  You'll get more mileage out of your sand that way.

Another thought would be to cast a finial that's has a small void where you could put some sand in and seal it off.....then add it to the pen.

Good luck and be sure to show us pictures of your final design.


Barney


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## shortcast (Aug 12, 2011)

*Now look what you've done.*

Well, dadgum boys, I done got all misty eyed :crying:reading this thread.(really)

Thank you and God bless all of you that have served.

Thank you and God bless all of you that choose to honor those that have served. That's a dying sentiment in my perspective.

This is fantastic idea and I can't wait to see the pen.


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