# Black rope celtic knot Sierra



## Gary Beasley (Sep 6, 2010)

My son and I were playing in the shop making pens over the weekend holiday. He was quite enamored of some multicolored laminate a friend had given me and had made a few pens with it. There was a few slivers left of some black and white laminate about 1/8" thick and he had the bright idea of making a Celtic Knot with them. I didn't think much of it but set it up on the table saw so he could see how it was done. Lo and behold the effect was amazing! The interleaving of the colors combined with the knots geometry made it look like 3D rope. He turned and finished the pen and has it in his collection.


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## witz1976 (Sep 6, 2010)

that is fantastic!!  I love the look of this!


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## seamus7227 (Sep 6, 2010)

Wow!!!! That is super cool! Is that just guitar pickguard?


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 6, 2010)

seamus7227 said:


> Wow!!!! That is super cool! Is that just guitar pickguard?


 
I don't know. A luthier gave me the chunk, don't know what he used it for. I'ts not extremely hard material so I don't think it's a pickguard.


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## rjwolfe3 (Sep 6, 2010)

Wow that is sweet!


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## Jim15 (Sep 6, 2010)

That's just plain awesome.


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## PaulDoug (Sep 6, 2010)

Really turned out nice and adds greatly to the knot.


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## Willee (Sep 6, 2010)

I made a post about a week ago saying that sometimes we just try something new using bits and pieces and ... wham ... something special happens.

Your pen looks fantastic.  One of a kind and very original.
I would never tell anyone it was an accident ... I would swear I spent months of hard work designing and developing that special rope effect.

Then I would sue anyone else making one like it ... just kidding ... you need to make some more of these now you have learned a special trick.
You might even develop a PDF showing other how  ... if you want to share.

I think I know what wood you used ... does Batman ring any bells?


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## David Keller (Sep 6, 2010)

Great looking pen.  Probably my favorite celtic knot that I've seen.


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 6, 2010)

Willee said:


> I made a post about a week ago saying that sometimes we just try something new using bits and pieces and ... wham ... something special happens.
> 
> Your pen looks fantastic. One of a kind and very original.
> I would never tell anyone it was an accident ... I would swear I spent months of hard work designing and developing that special rope effect.
> ...


 
No bells there to ring, I have no idea at this point where the wood came from or what it's called.
I'm pretty sure my son will be very flattered with all the adoration of his pen. Thanks everybody!


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## maxman400 (Sep 6, 2010)

Looks Great, Best of all it was time spent with your son.


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 12, 2010)

Heres a couple of views of the material, both the black and white and the multicolor. Does anybody know what this is called and where to get it?


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## mick (Sep 12, 2010)

Craft Supplies used to have it....It's called Color Ply or something like that. I think it's been closed out.


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## rjwolfe3 (Sep 12, 2010)

This http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/s...lanks___Color_Ply_Pen_Blank___color_ply?Args=


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 12, 2010)

Thanks! A bit of searching and I find that particular color pattern, Eclipse, is discontinued. Anybody know of some old stock I can buy?


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## DustyDenim (Sep 12, 2010)

Very nice looking pen. You and your son did a GREAT job. Keep up the good work.


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## Willee (Sep 12, 2010)

Gary Beasley said:


> Heres a couple of views of the material, both the black and white and the multicolor. Does anybody know what this is called and where to get it?



I am thinking that I got mine from CraftUSA.
They called it ColorPly.
There were about 5 different colors and came in a block

Looks like they no longer carry it.


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## PaulDoug (Sep 12, 2010)

http://www.colorply.com/home.html

Looks like there is a $50 min. order.


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 13, 2010)

PaulDoug said:


> http://www.colorply.com/home.html
> 
> Looks like there is a $50 min. order.


 
It would just about be worth that for making these knots.


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## biednick (Sep 19, 2010)

Nick like.


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## 65GTMustang (Sep 19, 2010)

Simply AWESOME!!!
I for one would like additional info with some direction - It is a supre nice pen
Thanks for sharing


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## Drstrangefart (Sep 19, 2010)

I just can't wait to get in there and work on making some more in the same vein. Lots of ideas bouncing around.


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 19, 2010)

My wife Dale came up with an excellent replacement idea. Use black palm instead, it looks very similar and the effect should look a bit more organic like real rope.


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## LouCee (Sep 19, 2010)

Gary Beasley said:


> My wife Dale came up with an excellent replacement idea. Use black palm instead, it looks very similar and the effect should look a bit more organic like real rope.


Looks great. Using black palm might be a good idea too.


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## Drstrangefart (Sep 19, 2010)

Gary Beasley said:


> My wife Dale came up with an excellent replacement idea. Use black palm instead, it looks very similar and the effect should look a bit more organic like real rope.


 
I wonder how that woult look as the knot in a Purple Heart pen..... Dammit, Dad! I'm never gonna get the time needed to turn all these ideas......


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 21, 2010)

Well, I tried some black palm. This particular blank didn't have much in the way of contrast like some I'd seen. The effect is nice though. Pen blank is white oak.


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## Willee (Sep 21, 2010)

Gary Beasley said:


> Well, I tried some black palm. This particular blank didn't have much in the way of contrast like some I'd seen. The effect is nice though. Pen blank is white oak.



Gary, you are doing such a great job on the celtic knot pens ... would you post some photos showing the equipment you use to make them and perhaps some pointers for those of us wanting to learn?

Did you make any special jigs to cut the blanks?


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## Gary Beasley (Sep 22, 2010)

Willee said:


> Gary Beasley said:
> 
> 
> > Well, I tried some black palm. This particular blank didn't have much in the way of contrast like some I'd seen. The effect is nice though. Pen blank is white oak.
> ...


 
No jig, I just used the miter on my tablesaw. This is one of those new style swing arm miters with built in clamps and position stops. I would recommend using a clamp to hold the blank in place on the miter while cutting as your hand would get uncomfortably close to the blade otherwise.
I do have a plywood jig I built for the bandsaw to do thinner slots for the knots.


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## Drstrangefart (Sep 22, 2010)

Gary Beasley said:


> Well, I tried some black palm. This particular blank didn't have much in the way of contrast like some I'd seen. The effect is nice though. Pen blank is white oak.


 

The contrast inside the rope doesn't show as much as you probably wanted it to, but the knot does a great job of contrasting against the white oak. I'd be more than happy with the results.


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