# Finally Finished...



## Craftdiggity (Dec 21, 2011)

I like casting and turning as much as the next guy, but this was ridiculous.  This year, the wife and my mom decided that they would both give out bracelets and or pendants to the women in their ladies fellowships at church.  They both belong to small groups as well as various ministries within the church.  So I was commissioned to make the items...actually, if you're forced to do something, and don't get paid a single cent for it, can it be accurately called "commissioned?"

When I pointed out the ridiculosity of the sheer numbers of pendants and bracelets I was being "commissioned" to create, I was called a "Bah-Humbugger." :redface:

You don't want to be a "Bah-Humbugger" around my family so here is what I came up with.  In these pics, there are more than 60 bracelets and over 40 pendants.  This represents a little more than half of the original order.   The rest have already been taken to various groups' Christmas parties.  There was originally 77 pendants and 113 bracelets, all cast and made within the last two weeks.  They would not accept anything already in inventory as this would not be personal and therefore not special. 

Oh yeah, they also stole my inventory price tags and used them as name tags so they knew who belonged to what bracelet...another $8 gone. 

Let me know what you think.


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## glycerine (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm counting over 100 pieces, is that right???  That IS rediculous!!  But hey, I've got a wife and three daughters, so I would do anything for the "ladies" as well...


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## Steve Busey (Dec 21, 2011)

Chris, those are awesome! 

Did you have a special mold for the bracelets? Are they all the same size?


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## Craftdiggity (Dec 21, 2011)

glycerine said:


> I'm counting over 100 pieces, is that right???



Over a hundred in the pics, but 190 total in the original order.  The rest have been given out already.


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## Craftdiggity (Dec 21, 2011)

Steve Busey said:


> Christ, those are awesome!
> 
> Did you have a special mold for the bracelets? Are they all the same size?



Just "Chris" will do.  :wink:

I have a homemade mold for both the bracelets and the pendants.  There are three sizes and styles in the pics.  I also have two additional smaller sizes for teens and kids.  These are my first molds.  I have many more now.







The yellow ones are urethane rubber.  The white ones are silicone rubber.


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## D.Oliver (Dec 21, 2011)

Craftdiggity said:


> I like casting and turning as much as the next guy, but this was ridiculous. This year, the wife and my mom decided that they would both give out bracelets and or pendants to the women in their ladies fellowships at church. They both belong to small groups as well as various ministries within the church. So I was commissioned to make the items...actually, if you're forced to do something, and don't get paid a single cent for it, can it be accurately called "commissioned?"
> 
> When I pointed out the ridiculosity of the sheer numbers of pendants and bracelets I was being "commissioned" to create, I was called a "Bah-Humbugger." :redface:
> 
> ...


 
I think you got suckered!  But, man, you do good work!


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## wiset1 (Dec 21, 2011)

You have some credit built up on this one for sure! You're a better man than I am...I would have told my wife to get out in the garage if she made a promise like that! Not sure it would have went over well, but hey. Good on you, and amazing looking work.


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## Drstrangefart (Dec 21, 2011)

Well, you got it done. I'm a bit too much of an abrasive jack@$$ to get roped into something that large myself, but I can see what happened. Looks like a great bunch of bracelets and pendants for sure. I like the molds, that had to speed things up quite a bit. Hopefully you don't have to do that again anytime soon.


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## MarkD (Dec 21, 2011)

Wow...you must be exhausted! That's alot of stress! :biggrin:
The bracelets and pendants are beautiful! Great work!


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## Steve Busey (Dec 21, 2011)

Craftdiggity said:


> Just "Chris" will do.  :wink:



Well, that's what I meant... :redface:

Thanks for the mold pics - that explains a lot. Am also wondering if you have some kind of jam chuck for polishing them on the lathe...


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## Craftdiggity (Dec 21, 2011)

Steve Busey said:


> Craftdiggity said:
> 
> 
> > Just "Chris" will do.  :wink:
> ...



Yep, sure do.  I have one for each size (obviously). 






You can check out this link if you are interested in seeing the process better.  I made a tutorial for those who bought blanks from me.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=90646


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## ctubbs (Dec 21, 2011)

Great work Chris, and congratulations on getting the 'order' completed in time.  I read your tutorial the other night when you posted it and am amazed that you were able to complete the 'commission'.  Beautiful work.  Do not let your ladies forget just how much they owe you.
Oh, yes, thanks for the tutorial.
Charles


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## BlackPearl (Dec 21, 2011)

I thank you for your Tutorial I downloaded it the other day. 

I thank you for the pictures of your molds I will think about it. 

I know you are tired,.....but when you gunna have some more blanks for sale?

no rest for the weary.


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## Justturnin (Dec 21, 2011)

Those look amazing.  Great idea on the molds.


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## Craftdiggity (Dec 21, 2011)

BlackPearl said:


> I know you are tired,.....but when you gunna have some more blanks for sale?
> 
> no rest for the weary.



I have had little success casting blanks and then selling them.  Most of the time, I take orders and then cast.  This saves time, resin, and sanity.  PM me if you want to discuss an order.  I'm always up for casting.


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## wiset1 (Dec 21, 2011)

Hi Chris,

I have a question about the PR when being used like this...do you ever see that they tend to crack or break being that it's an item being worn?  Is say, alumilite better or is PR the way to go?  I would love to try this some day and do as you did by handing them out as gifts, but I'm just wondering how fragile they are.  Any complaints yet from customers?  Again, just wondering before I jump into something.


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## Craftdiggity (Dec 21, 2011)

wiset1 said:


> Hi Chris,
> 
> I have a question about the PR when being used like this...do you ever see that they tend to crack or break being that it's an item being worn?  Is say, alumilite better or is PR the way to go?  I would love to try this some day and do as you did by handing them out as gifts, but I'm just wondering how fragile they are.  Any complaints yet from customers?  Again, just wondering before I jump into something.



So far, I have had no complaints.  I have tested the durability myself by dropping them on the floor and about 50% of them break.  I have not seen any crack from use.  My wife, my daughter, and my mother have several each.  None of them have cracked.  As long as they are taken care of, they should last. 

I have tried Alumilite, but it is too difficult to work with for this application.  First of all, Alumilite is easier when you are casting larger volumes of resin.  I cast in 2 ounce cups, so for three colors I use roughly 6 ounces of resin and this yields me at least two bracelets and two pendants.  When I tried this using Alumilite, I could not get things mixed and poured fast enough.  Part of the problem is that Alumilite is so thick that it makes a mess when trying to pour the bracelets.  The opening is about 1/4" wide.  It kicks so fast that I wound up with half a bracelet blank and three half poured cups of resin.  

The bottom line is you need more time with these blanks than you do with pen blanks and you also need pressure when using Alumilite.  That's a PITA in and of itself.  PR doesn't require pressure and I have no problems with air as long as I am using heat.

I will try Alumilite again, but the cost plus the hassle might make it more trouble than it's worth.


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## wiset1 (Dec 21, 2011)

Good to know, thanks Chris!


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## PenMan1 (Dec 21, 2011)

Great job, Chris!

And unless you are an Octopus with eight arms, I think Alumalite would be a problem and unnecessary expense.

These look great!


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