I decided to cut a soda can into strips and use it between segments of a Maple blank to create a very unique ink pen. I love how this pen turned and you can even see some of the cans color in areas of the blank. Regards, Bob
It is amazing what we will try to put in to wood to get a different affect. I have used roof flashing but haven't cut up a can. I have also used the thin molded plastic that some of my tools are packaged in. Great Vid!!!
Hi Bob, what a great idea and a really nice looking pen, its on my to do list. I am now filling a small knick on each middle section of each tube to aid assembly, cheers Dave
We loved this idea and had to make one. I managed not to cut myself on the can, but I got CA glue everywhere. Glued the blank to the table, my shirt, my fingers and somehow managed to glue a freeze pop to my bottom lip! And of course it was at a time when we had company over and I'm sure someone got a picture of it. It would seem that some things should not be attempted if you have fumble fingers mixed with rum LOL
Thank you Bob! I have learned a lot from watching your videos, like how to apply a good CA finish, and I love many of your ideas. Not quite brave enough to make my own videos, but maybe someday.
G'day Bob, just want to say super impressed and I will have to try this, Bob you make something that looks complicated so simple, thanks for sharing it, Tim.
Thank you Mike, I am now experimenting with deliberate designs. If this works out, there might be a follow up video to share what I learned. Regards, Bob
After seeing your videos on pens, I am realizing that I need a lathe and a pen mandrel in my "workshop" (driveway, garage, you get the idea). It doesn't seem like it takes too long to make something really nice. Also, I wouldn't mind making myself an assortment of pens to show off.
If you do get a lathe, you will quickly get addicted. Turning pens is a blast. The average pen take about an hour from start to finish so you really get a sense of accomplishing in finishing a project. Plus, you will have the coolest assortment of pens of anyone you know. Regards, Bob
I tried something like this with a small piece of aluminum flashing I got for 50 cents at a hardware store but stopping another can from going to the dump is just great. thanks for sharing.
Another easy-to-understand tutorial on a cool pen design. I suppose this would work as well with two different woods by taping two blanks together before you scroll saw them, then mix and match when you glue in the aluminum. I suppose the downside of that is that you would show off the aluminum less well?
Thank you Sterling, That's what Carl Jacobson said. Neither of us had any idea the other was using Aluminum. Show this one to your son, I'll bet he'll want to give it a try. Regards, Bob
Thanks for sharing... I guess we can call this inlay... I had been meaning to add inlay to my woodwork... You just made me feel OK with going ahead with this idea...
Thank you, I plan to try mixing colored cans to change the effect since some of the color does show through. Oh yeah, the top and bottom of the can went into the recycle bin so none of it will hot the land fill. :^) Regards, Bob Regards, Bob
Thank you Matt, I love that I can dress up an inexpensive plain blank. It really pops and you can even see some of the original can color. Regards, Bob
Looks good Bob, I've done this but not so many segments. I've got some sugar maple that had been scheduled for floorboards in trucks for the Canadian military in WW2 that I use for pens that I send to our military personal. I think I will do some more like that. I like to use thin CA for the first 2 coats it soaks into the wood more and helps to stabilize it.
Thank you Paul, I love making pens and if I can help out with any questions you might have about pen turning, pease do not hesitate to ask. Regards, Bob
+Andrew Little Hello Andrew, I like the mandrel saver set from pen state. I think it's just under $28.00. They sell it as a #2 MT too. www.pennstateind.com Regards, Bob
Thanks for the information. I think I accidentally reported one of your comments. My kindle acts a little goofy sometimes and it decided that I hit report instead of reply. So if you get something from RU-vid I apologize. I look forward to more videos.
Hi Bob, last week I tried to make some of these blanks. In stead of aluminium I used copper, very thin. To cut a long story short, the sawing, glueing went just fine, but during the drilling, the blanks did not survive. Will make another attempt using alu now. The result is just too nice. Paul
Hello Paul, I'm surprised it did not work. If you decide to try it again, really rough up the copper with sandpaper. If the blank looks smooth after cutting, rough it a bit too. If you used C/A give epoxy a try. I think this pen with copper would look amazing, I hope you do try it a second time. Regards, Bob
+RJBWoodTurner Hi Bob, I did rough up the copper before glueing. I will for sure give it a second try, bought some epoxy already. Let you know about the result.Thanks,Paul
Hello Mike, I couldn't even tell it was in the wood and the tool was still razor sharp after turning. I guess it's so thin and soft the tools have no issue with it. Regards, Bob
I wonder if we could do this with steel tin. After it’s turned to shape and polished. Soak in water for a while to get rust started. Seal with CA. And polish. We might get a nostalgic look
Like how you said it takes longer to get the paper towel ready than to use it. After just 5 pens I've figured out that paper towels use is the third highest cost to make a pen after the kit and blank. :) I've started a ritual where I pull off a single Select a Size sheet, tear it in 4 pieces and keep one while putting the other 3 on top of the roll out of the way to keep them clean. My house was built in 1896 and the ceiling in my shop is only 6' 1/4" high and I'm 5' 3/4" tall and space is at a premium so the roll of paper towels is in a paper towel holder directly above my head. So I can just reach up and grab them. Also is that just Blue painters tape on your finger? I've been using Harbor Freight nitrile gloves and I see at this point you really only need a fingertip.
Your not kidding about the towels, I need to get Bounty to sponsor me. Yes that is Painters tape. I tried gloves but they kept sticking to the towel once it got C/A soaked and tearing the finger tip out. I use the painters tape with a slick finish and the towels will stick but peel right off. Give it a try, it's way better that gloves IMO. Regards, Bob
RJBWoodTurner Yea for this stage its probably better but will still use the gloves for glue ups. CA loves to stick to nitrile. A few blacks I had to go though the remnants of the glove with the pen mill before I got to the wood.
Jumpin' up and down excited! Such a cool idea. Glad to see no brand placement in this video...j/k LOL! Good stuff Bob. I've found that the micro mesh pads will burn really fast and add the color of the pad in streaks to the blank. Then I have to go back several grits to take it back. Like you said...short bursts of micro mesh, and now I know why. My lathe is set at 2200 RPM with belts, and requires lots of time to change to slow it down. So that might be part of my problem.
I know those belts are a pain to change but I always turn at the fastest speed and sand at the lowest. Man do I want a variable speed lathe. Regards, Bob
Another terrific project. And well executed also. This is one time where you definitely want the safety glasses as well as the face shield. One thing I've learned in the past year of taking Machine Tool Tech, is that with aluminum being nonmagnetic, its a pain to remove from the skin. Or worse, the eye. Luckily I work mostly with steel. Lol. But I know you are always safe in the shop. I'm only saying this for anyone else reading who might attempt this. As always, this has gotten my thought juices flowing.. How about mixing different sodas for a multi color effect. Maybe prepare some of the slivers by painting the backs white. Then mix Coke and Pepsi for a Red White Blue & Silver design. I also think it might look cool with the pieces in your brick pattern. Or perhaps just diagonal throughout, though that might prove difficult to glue up. Might have to start with a much much larger block, like a bowl black that can later be resawn on the table saw. Anyway, I really enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing. :-)
Hello ole friend, it's been a while. Good to hear from you. I love the idea of mixing colors, that hadn't even occurred to me. Thank you for that, I will give it a try. Also, I should have mentioned it, but I did wear a face shield while cutting with the Dremel and while turning. Regards, Bob
One last thing before I have to do some work. You may want to scuff up the inside of the can. Its usually coated with something like plastic to keep the pop from tasting like metal. Might affect the glue up.
I hadn't thought about that but it makes sense. I scuff up the brass tubes before gluing them in so why not the Aluminum. I will definitely do that on the next on. Regards, Bob
Very cool design RJBWoodTurner! I love how it has accents of the colored label showing through I'd love to see a similar design with a Grape Soda can, because I imagine the hints of purple would be quite beautiful as well. :D
Thank you Branden, I hope to make many more of these pens. I agree a grape can would look really cool, I also think the green from a Mt, Dew can would look pretty cool too. Regards, Bob
That looks great Bob. You might have saved my hide because the competition in the Irish Woodturners' Giuld, Ulster Chapter, next month is a 'segmented piece'. I might do this because I've never done any segmenting before. If I do I'll be sure to credit you. Best Wishes, Brendan.
Thank you Brendan, This was a breeze to make and I'll bet you could make a larger piece too with the same method. I would recommend roughing up the Aluminum for better glue adhesion. Regards, Bob
Thank you Eric, This new YT tool is showing me all the comments I missed over the years. Apologies for not responding sooner. I hope you're still watching and enjoying my videos. If you haven't checked out the channel for a while, please stop by and see some of the newer videos. I've made a bunch of the over the years. Regards, Bob
I am interested in your CA finish technique. Everything that I have ever seen required a couple/few coats of thin CA to fill gaps, no sanding. Then several coats of medium. Then sand and micromesh/polish. What is the reasoning behind starting with medium and ending with thin?
+Barry Fields LOL, I was letting people pick their poison. I've none Dr. Pepper, Mtn. Dew, Pepsi, Orange Crush and a host of others. I've even done a few bees cans. These are really fun and easy. I love making them and people Love personalizing them. Regards, Bob
Hi Bob,Im new to penturning and i love youre channal..... learning alot.This pen is a great project... not so hard with a great result... right ?Greetings form Holland
Thank you Peter, You are right, very easy to make and a great result. These pens are vet popular when made from the person's favorite soda or beer can. Regards, Bob
+Robert Authement possibly but it didn't seem to make any difference. The lady who has this pen carries it everywhere and uses it every day and it's holding up pretty well. It's always wood to over engineer just a bit, err on the side of caution. Regards, Bob
cool pen, great video Bob . Have you made a Bic pen upgrade video? Have you seen the video of the guy who made a pen with the skin of a cotton mouth water moccasin? I'm a fellow Hoosier so I look forward to running into you sooner or later.
Bob, I have turned several pens but have not finished with CA yet. I just received the Stick Fast CA finishing kit and I'm going to get some blanks glued up tomorrow. Could you share some information in regards to what speed or speeds your run your lathe at while applying CA finish and polish? Love all your videos, thanks for sharing with us!
Hello Benjamin, My pen lathe is a Harbor Freight belt driven lathe. The lowest speed I can achieve is 750 RPM. I sand, C/A, and polish at that speed. If I could go slower I would for applying the C/A because I believe it would result in a much smoother coat. 750 to 800 is perfect for sanding and polishing. Regards, Bob
+RJBWoodTurner Thanks for the quick response Bob! I was able to get some blanks with aluminum glued up and turned this weekend. I also completed my first CA finishes. I will say that the CA finishing went well after reviewing several of your videos. I ended up with a fine finish on several pens and I am looking forward to doing some more. My segmented pen blanks did not fare so well, of the four blanks that I cut and glued up I only had one that didn't blow out. I was using stick fast medium CA to clue up but I think it was too hot and set up too quickly. I had voids in my glue ups that I figured I'd tackle with CA fill but they blew up on me. Any advice on what glue to use for segmenting pen blanks? Thanks for all of the great videos, inspiration and advice! Ben
Hello Benjamin, I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with the segmented blanks. I have used Stick Fast C/A before and can't remember having any issues with it. I currently use Instabond only because I like the aerosol accelerator they make. I purchase it from www.packardwoodworks.com. If you have time to wait, Epoxy will hold that blank together much better than C/A. I like C/A for experimenting because of the quick dry with accelerator. When I turn soda can segmented blanks, I make sure my roughing gouge and skew are as sharp as possible and I take the lightest possible cuts I can. Any time you have mixed media, they turn away differently. In this case the wood cuts easily but if you are to aggressive it will cut deeper and catch on the aluminum. I turn at the fastest speed my lathe will run. Also, I don't know if you use carbide tools or not but I have never tried carbide so I don't know how it will react to cutting the aluminum. Regards, Bob
I am surprised you didn't rough the surface up on the soda can with some emery cloth to increase the CA's grip. I liked the video, turned out most excellent.
Wow Bob, that turned out better than I thought it would. I was hoping you had eye protection, because I was expecting to see it disintegrate right before our very eyes! You and Peter Brown come up with some of the neatest projects.
Thank you Ron, I'm no where near as creative as Peter but I will take the comparison as a complement. I was expecting the blank to blow apart when I barrel trimmed it. That was the scary part. Regards, Bob
First attempt at a segmented blank, and results were so so. The aluminum can strips were epoxied in place, 24 hours left to cure, but still fractured the blank along the epoxy lines when drilling, again when barrel trimming, and finally when turning. Of the two blanks created I was able to salvage 1/2 of one of the blanks. The finished pen looks very nice, but I learned a lesson that I have not noticed in the comments as I read through them. First, there is a plastic lining, very thin, that is applied to the inside of all aluminum cans to ensure food safety requirements are met. This will form a very insufficient bond with epoxy. A brush wheel on a dremel will clear this off and leave a surface with which the epoxy will more strongly bind. Second, choose a pen kit that has a small brass tube to leave some substantial thickness at the narrowest potions of the blank. The wood tended to crack under the compression of my self centering press as soon as the drill bit was removed to clear fibers. Both of these challenges would be easily avoided if you know about them, and now after firsthand experience I am unlikely to experience these again... :)
+Jared Wolfert Thank you for adding this information the to comments. It will be very helpful to future turners wanting to try this method. Regards, Bob
Bob, Your pens look great and add a lot to a slimline pen. I made a couple of these pens since seeing you do them. How do you keep the metal from the can from staining the wood. I had that happen slightly on one pen and very badly on another.
+Otha Hansford Thank you, Sand the pen with the grain between grits, that seems to remove some of the metal from the wood. Then clean with Denatured Alcohol. I usually have pretty good luck. Regards, Bob
I was considering using thin copper sheets, I was wondering if it would be too hard on the turning tools. have you attempted any copper in turnings before?
Well as it turns out my friend has offered me his old scrawl saw Cant wait to try your pen design. Quick question ? Am I right in saying you made 3 cuts on the blank? Again thanks Postalbob
Hey bob. First, I want to say how much I enjoy your videos. Yourself and Carl Jacobson are the reason I bought a lathe. Your experimental approach to your projects gets me to thinking. Second: Which mandrel are you using in this video?
+aerodyne2000 Hello and thank you, that's some pretty high company you placed me with, Carl is a great guy and my favorite RU-vid turner. In that video I was using the mandrel saver from Penn State Industries, www.pennstateind.com. Regards, Bob
When I originally made it and sold it it was $40.00. Now I’d probably charge $75.00. Reason is there so time consuming it would have to be worth my time. Regards, Bob
@@RJBWoodTurner That's very helpful. Thanks for being so open and taking time to respond. It really helps me be realistic about the possibilities. I look forward to learning more and seeing what gets created.
