# SS Baron PenStripe



## leehljp (Oct 22, 2007)

I was experimenting in making pin stripes and made a PenStripe. Sterling Silver Baron; 1.5 mm plastic. It is OK and I will make more in the future. For now, I am just going to look at this one. It challenged me.

The Photo part is challenging me also. Not as sharp as I want it but I will live with it. I am learning how to use "f-stops," lighting and a few other things that I know very little about. Most of the "dust" is the fault of improper f-stop, real dust in the camera and my ignorance of it.


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## txbatons (Oct 22, 2007)

Nice pen, Hank! The NY Yankees fans out there will really like it. The Red Sox nation won't notice it today since they're celebrating.


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## Jim15 (Oct 22, 2007)

Great pen, picture is also very good, nice work.


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## ahoiberg (Oct 22, 2007)

nice job hank, i like that look.


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## leehljp (Oct 22, 2007)

Below are the steps used. It is a little long but I did want to get the major steps in.

I have been searching for some very thin saw blades and found a 1.5 mm blade and put it on my saw. I started with this. I have since found a 1 mm blade that I will use for my next one.

1. Starting with a slightly larger than 3/4 in pen blank, I ripped it until it was square at very close to 3/4 inch; I pencil marked the center lines on the end so that I could line up the blank to rip the slots. Double checked and made sure they were precisely centered.
2. With as jig to hold the blank, I cut the edges off and made the blank 8 sided. 

3. I set the depth of the saw blade to about 1/4 inch. 
4. Next, I set the fence so that the blade would rip the groove precisely in the center.

5. For the first plastic strip, I CAed it in place, It wanted to catch too much and my fingers kept sticking. So I went to plan B for the rest.
6. I mixed 30 minute epoxy for the rest and used rubber bands to hold everything together. (CA is better for Plastic, learned the hard way, more on this below.)
7. After the epoxy cured for 24 hours, I sanded down two side with my belt sander until the ribs were _almost_ flush with the wood, but I did not go all the way to the wood.

8. Next I raised the saw blade to 1/2 inch, set the fence very finely so that the rip fence would allow the blade to remove everything as close to the wood as possible without cutting more wood off. Using the sanded sides against the fence, I pushed the blank through (with two push sticks). The purpose of this is to keep the 8 sided blank as squared as possible. An easier way would be to cut the strips just a minute' tad less than the height of the grooves and that will save some of the extra work that I went through on this step.
9. After that step, Cut blanks into proper lenghts.

10. Place the blanks onto the lathe chuck for precise centering. Drill the holes. Feed SLOWLY. Exit carefully or make the blanks long and cut them off after the required depth is reached.
11. I used small hand cut sanding pads on a barrel trimmer and power sanded the blanks down to the barrels. I did not want to chance the trimmer blades catching.

12. Turn, taking small light cuts. The lower barrel came apart when it caught while turning, but nothing was hurt. I learned from this that CA holds better on smooth plastic than Epoxy does. I took the two pices and formed them back around the tube; placed two rubber bands, doubled, trippled and more - and made them tight on the blank, which was on the tube. Thin CAed everything, rubber bands included, later CAed again.
13. Next day finished the lower part, taking little bitty bites and using regularly sharpened chisel. I sanded the last 1/32 in down. Worked well and finished with CA.

Hope this helps.


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## Radman (Oct 22, 2007)

Great job on the pen.  That's really sharp!!
[8D]


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## IPD_Mrs (Oct 22, 2007)

Hank,
Thanks for the instructions.  This may just help me in the project I am working on.  Now to come up with a jig to safely make 8 and 12 sided blanks.

Your Baron really looks great,  in fact the the blanks are too good for the Baron as the plastic threading detracts from the pen as the lines of the blanks are perfect and straight and the threading has some plastic burs in the threads.  I think a Jr Gent non postable would work better, but that is only my opinion.  I still love the pen and went looking for the post when I saw it in the newest photo list.  Thanks a bundle for posting this.


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## Ligget (Oct 22, 2007)

Fantastic stripes, very classy, thanks for sharing the "how to" with us![]


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## csb333 (Oct 22, 2007)

It looks great! The photo does too. Some people get too hung up on the photos here, and forget that it is called show off your pens rather than show off your photography. - Chris


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## rherrell (Oct 22, 2007)

Great job on the pen but I really like the stand. Being in Japan would it be bamboo? Cool!


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## DKF (Oct 22, 2007)

Nice looking pen!  As well, I like your stand...


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## fernhills (Oct 22, 2007)

Very nice,I have to try something like that,very classy


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## jking (Oct 22, 2007)

Very nice.  I think the reverse would also look nice.  White pinstripes on black (either wood or plastic).


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## gerryr (Oct 22, 2007)

Nice looking pen, Hank and I agree that black with white pinstripes would look good.


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## splinter99 (Oct 23, 2007)

Excellent craftmanship!!


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## louisbry (Nov 5, 2007)

Very nice pen. Thanks for sharing your technique.


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## RonRaymond (Nov 5, 2007)

Very elegant pen, Hank...and thanks for the tutorial, also.


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## DCBluesman (Nov 5, 2007)

Beautiful job, Hank.  Don't have Joe Girardi's name engraved on it just yet, though. [8D]


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## GBusardo (Nov 5, 2007)

Hank, I just seen this picture on the home page,  congrats!!  Excellent workmanship. The stand also caught my eye, even more for the concept than the actual work, which is saying a lot. Once again, Great work!


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## Rmartin (Nov 5, 2007)

Excellent work!

I'm having a hard time following your instructions. What type of saw are you using? If you make another one, could you take some pictures of the process, please?

Rmartin


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## bclaws (Nov 5, 2007)

Hank,

That pen rocks.  I love it.  very nice work.  HOW MUCH ?   

Brian


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## gwilki (Nov 5, 2007)

Classy piece, Hank.


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## jtate (Nov 5, 2007)

Very nice pen, Hank!

Where did this kit come from?

Julia


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## bitshird (Nov 5, 2007)

Hank;
That is an absolutely exquisite pen, and the photo work isnâ€™t as shabby as you claim,[8D]
Iâ€™ve seen work done by â€œprofessionalsâ€ that are not as well done 
Ken Ferrell


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## leehljp (Nov 6, 2007)

Thanks fellows for the comments and affirmation. I really appreciate it.

The stand was from a part of a huge bamboo that was 5/8 in thick on the outer wall. After I sanded it flat, it was down to  just shy of 1/2 inch on the part that I used for the stand. I wish I had more of it.


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## alxe24 (Nov 6, 2007)

Beatilful pen. Trully an inspiration. The picture really does not look bad at all.


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## workinforwood (Nov 6, 2007)

It's a beauty, thanx for sharing!


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## mikegibs (Nov 10, 2007)

Thanks so much for showing and the lesson!  Well done.

Mike G.


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