Montys CA

[cteaglesc]

+ Ebony+ aluminum +dyed veneers=
aluminum X wave



Founding Memeber of the MPG
Masterful Penmaking Guy

[DougB]

Funny, I don't see any CA in the pic :) But I do see an awesome pen blank.

Someday, when you feel like you can share your techniques with us, I'd like to know just how you achieved that.

[cteaglesc]

The only technique I use that is uncommon is trying to "think outside the box" and trying not to make what has already been done by others.
Founding Memeber of the MPG
Masterful Penmaking Guy

[DougB]

OK, just thought I would try to get a little more info, but I understand your reluctance. I was just curious as to how you did it, no hope of being able to do the same myself.

[cteaglesc]

>OK, just thought I would try to get a little more info, but
>I understand your reluctance. I was just curious as to how
>you did it, no hope of being able to do the same myself.


Why would you say that?
I am a mere mortal with common tools, not a specialty tool in my shop. The major workhorse that is involved in just about every blank at some point in time is a Grizzly contractors saw.
I use tools that just about every woodworker would have.
I do own an 8 inch jointer that rarely gets used though.


Founding Memeber of the MPG
Masterful Penmaking Guy

[DougB]

Then why the reluctance to share your methods? Those are great to look at, but I want to know how to do that, even if it is beyond my capabilities right now. But, I will settle for just looking if that is all you share. I still like looking and trying to figure how how that might be done. :)

[cteaglesc]

">Then why the reluctance to share your methods? "


Why doesn't Coke,Pepsi or KFC make their formulations available?
Why are Microsoft products licensed?
With the advent of the internet everyone who makes a pen is my competition.
My pens are not better than anyone elses but in order to have my work stand out it needs to be different.
I work long and hard to come up with the designs I make and suffer many failures along the way, but those failures are also a learning experience.
Sometimes a faliure will provide the brain child of another direction to persue, sometimes it becomes evident that the direction I am going will lead to a flop.
Along with the materials I have invested there is the matter of time.
Let's say my time for "putzing" with an idea is worth a little more than a burger flipper at Mickey D's, $10.00 an hour.
I may spend 5 hours just working on a concept.
If you consider I use multiple design ideas in a single pen blank.
It is easy to see I may have easily $100.00 dollars of my time invested in a blank.
How often do you hand out $100.00 to someone who may decide to use your idea and then sell the product of your work?
I have never taken a woodworking class other than Jr High where everyone made a footstool.
I have never taken a pen turning class.
I have asked others for help when I have run into a road block but not when it comes to basic woodworking skills.
The blanks I make are based on basic woodworking skills paying attention to detail.Working with the sizes of materials I work with I don't measure in 16ths of an inch,in the blank pictured above the aluminum strips are .004" and the veneers are.020.Two pairs of those pieces don't even add up to a 16th of an inch.
I have never turned down a request when someone has asked a specific question as to how I do something given that they made an attempt at something and ran into a road block.
Try something new, if it doesn't work, look back at what you did, what you learned. Is it worth persuing.What ever you come up with will be yours.
A while back there was a member of another site who said he was compiling a "tutorial" as to ho to make shell casing pens.
I waited about a year for it to become available.
I got tired of waiting for his tutorial and I started experimenting.
After hours of trial and error, and even making a wooden collet chuck. I was successful in making not only a casing pen similar to ones made buy the "tutorial writer" but I came up with my own method that allowed me to make casing pens with a Parker style kit as opposed to slimlines.
I like the PArker kit better,
Using my method I can use just about any size casing and a number of kit styles.
Had I waited for the tutorial I never would have come up with "my own way" Others have figured it out, still others stick to the slimline kit.
I get over $100.00 for my gold plated casing pens with Parker refills.
To the guy that promised a tutorial that took over a year to write, I guess I have to say thanks for taking so long to write it.
MY casing pens are different.For that I can charge more.
Staying "inside the box" makes you claustrophobic, and could suffocate you.
If you rely on others to open the box, you may be there forever.


Founding Memeber of the MPG
Masterful Penmaking Guy

[maxwell_smart007]

I understand your reasoning, but I also think that the purpose of a woodworking forum is not to say 'hey, look at how great this is', but rather to give, and receive, advice about a certain process, product, or project...

[cteaglesc]

>I understand your reasoning, but I also think that the
>purpose of a woodworking forum is not to say 'hey, look at
>how great this is', but rather to give, and receive, advice
>about a certain process, product, or project...

Isn't the same thing accomplished if a tutorial is written?
Doesn't it stink of "look how smart or skilled I am"?
A picture is worth a thousand words.
If you would rather I not post any blanks or pens without an explanation as to how I did it, that can be arranged easily.
Even if all I post is a picture, that is sharing an idea.
If that isn't enough, then I can stop posting anything altogether.
No harm no foul.
Founding Memeber of the MPG
Masterful Penmaking Guy

[maxwell_smart007]

I don't agree at all - I think a tutorial isn't gloating, but rather showing exactly how I, too, can make a certain product...it's like holding a door open for someone - sure they can do it on their own, but it's nice to help!

But then again, I think that sort of thing is rewarding

If you don't want to post how you do things, well, that's your prerogative...