# New to Me Pens.... again.



## Clay3063 (Jan 24, 2017)

A few weeks ago I told the kids to pick out a pen design they like and I would make a set for them and their spouses. So far #1 and #3 chose pens designs that I have never turned before. And yet, true to the cause I turned them and they turned out pretty good.

In today's selection we have two pens. Both European style twist action in gold plate. The one on the left goes to #3. It is an acrylic pen in purple swirl with a white stripes. I have never turned acrylic before. Messy. Difficult level is above turning wood. But doable.

The pen on the right goes to #3 son in law. It is Ebony. Again, I've never turned ebony before. I've always heard it is very difficult to work. I did not find that to be true. Sharp tools are the rule. It is absolutely stunning with just a few light streaks in the other jet black wood.

Both pens have accompanying pencils. I am waiting for the bushing set and the special size drill bit to be able to turn the pencils. They should be here later in the week.

#2 has not responded yet, nor has her husband. I expect to hear from her ANYTIME AND OR ANY DAY ABOUT THIS!!!

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 3


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## Clay3063 (Jan 24, 2017)

I have only been going to 400 on the sandpaper as that is the finest grade I have in the shop. It's always been sufficient until I turned that acrylic. I guess now I will be getting some 600-800 paper.


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## duncsuss (Jan 24, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> I have only been going to 400 on the sandpaper as that is the finest grade I have in the shop. It's always been sufficient until I turned that acrylic. I guess now I will be getting some 600-800 paper.


An alternative for acrylics -- after 400 grit sandpaper, try automotive cutting compounds (first brown, then white). Finish with Meguires Plast-X.

If you don't already do this, try adding a step to each grit: after you've sanded with the lathe powered, stop the lathe and work the sandpaper up and down the length of the barrel (to remove all the circular scratch marks) turning around the barrel by hand. Then do the next grit powered, and stop and do it up & down the barrel again. Same all the way up the grits, and with the cutting compounds too.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Clay3063 (Jan 24, 2017)

duncsuss said:


> An alternative for acrylics -- after 400 grit sandpaper, try automotive cutting compounds (first brown, then white). Finish with Meguires Plast-X.
> 
> If you don't already do this, try adding a step to each grit: after you've sanded with the lathe powered, stop the lathe and work the sandpaper up and down the length of the barrel (to remove all the circular scratch marks) turning around the barrel by hand. Then do the next grit powered, and stop and do it up & down the barrel again. Same all the way up the grits, and with the cutting compounds too.



Thanks Duncan, I'll give that a try.


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## Spinartist (Jan 24, 2017)

Nice pens.
I wet sand with micro mesh up to 3000 or 4000 grit ( sometimes 12,000) them use plastic polish.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Clay3063 (Jan 24, 2017)

Spinartist said:


> Nice pens.
> I wet sand with micro mesh up to 3000 or 4000 grit ( sometimes 12,000) them use plastic polish.


Wow!


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## Spinartist (Jan 24, 2017)

Used to wet sand to 12,000 grit every time.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 24, 2017)

Micro mesh is on sale at Amazon, cheap too!!! I got a few of em. I cut em in half . 

The pens look real good!!!

Reactions: Agree 2


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## duncsuss (Jan 24, 2017)

I'm not suggesting this is necessary, but the pen that's on its way to the LA Pen Show got extra-special treatment. After wet-sanding to 400, I used Micro mesh (wet) to 12,000. Then buffed with blue compound, then buffed with Plas-glo compound, then finally buffed with a compound even finer than that. (I don't remember what it's called, got it from Caswell Plating.) 

Up to that final step, I could still see very fine scratches with a 20x loupe - which is what some of the pen geeks carry around at these pen shows.

Reactions: Like 1 | Informative 2


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## ripjack13 (Jan 24, 2017)

I have a 10x loupe I use on some of mine. I know I have a 20 or higher one somewhere, maybe I should find it, and step up my game to the Duncan level....

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## duncsuss (Jan 24, 2017)

It's hardly worth it for wood (unless you've done impeccable work on it prior to applying a finish), but with acrylics those little scratches will show up in pix taken with flash, as well as with a loupe.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Schroedc (Jan 24, 2017)

I wet sand to 1500 and then polish with 3M perfect-it running compound for automotive finishing for any acrylics.

Reactions: Like 2


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## rocky1 (Jan 24, 2017)

On acrylics I wet sand up to 3000 grit, then go to the buffing wheel with the White Diamond, or plastic polish.

On the plastic Polish side of things I use the Novus 3 Step Plastic Polish, bought it initially to use on the windows on the rag top on my jeep, and it made a believer out of me. Good stuff!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## ripjack13 (Jan 24, 2017)

rocky1 said:


> On acrylics I wet sand up to 3000 grit, then go to the buffing wheel with the White Diamond, or plastic polish.
> 
> On the plastic Polish side of things I use the Novus 3 Step Plastic Polish, bought it initially to use on the windows on the rag top on my jeep, and it made a believer out of me. Good stuff!!



I have that same stuff...haven't used it yet....


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## rocky1 (Jan 24, 2017)

If you have plastic windows on a pickup topper that are clouded up, it'll make them look like glass.

Plastic windows on the ragtop on my jeep were so clouded when I bought it that you couldn't hardly make out shapes in daylight, it was dangerous at night honestly, you couldn't see anything out of it. When I got done with them, there were but very few scratches left in them, and those were seriously ugly when I started. The cloudy appearance was all gone! It was really impressive!! Took 6-8 beers and a good part of the afternoon, but when I tried it, it was a throw $17 worth of polish at and see, just for the hell of it thing, with intentions of purchasing a new top. Time I got done with that stuff, and smeared a little beeswax in all the zippers you'd have thought it was a new top!!

Reactions: Like 2


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## duncsuss (Jan 24, 2017)

rocky1 said:


> On the plastic Polish side of things I use the Novus 3 Step Plastic Polish, bought it initially to use on the windows on the rag top on my jeep, and it made a believer out of me. Good stuff!!



I've used the Novus kit (I think mine had 4 grades, possibly discontinued). It was good -- but not as good as the blue/plas-glo/finalcompoundwhateveritscalled sequence in my experience.

Here's the post on IAP that first got me onto the Caswell products.

Reactions: Like 2


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## hmmvbreaker (Jan 25, 2017)

Awesome pens! I really like that ebony.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Clay3063 (Jan 25, 2017)

And this is what separates WB from every other site. Information w/o the hassle of someone being a jerk about giving it. Thank you gentlemen. All of you.

Reactions: Agree 4 | Great Post 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 25, 2017)

Clay3063 said:


> And this is what separates WB from every other site. Information w/o the hassle of someone being a jerk about giving it. Thank you gentlemen. All of you.


Hey -- any time you want, just ask and we can be jerks about it too

Reactions: Funny 3


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## rdabpenman (Jan 25, 2017)

For acrylics and antler I sand radially and laterally with 4oo grit only, buff radially and laterally with oil free extra fine steel wool equivalent to #0000/000 and polish with Hut Ultra Gloss to get a 40x loupe scratch free finish.
From my experience I have found Micro Mesh to be a waste of time and money.

Les

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 1


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## Clay3063 (Jan 25, 2017)

rdabpenman said:


> For acrylics and antler I sand radially and laterally with 4oo grit only, buff radially and laterally with oil free extra fine steel wool equivalent to #0000/000 and polish with Hut Ultra Gloss to get a 40x loupe scratch free finish.
> From my experience I have found Micro Mesh to be a waste of time and money.
> 
> Les
> ...


Les, one of these days I want to learn to cast like you do! that blank is incredible!!


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## Clay3063 (Jan 25, 2017)

duncsuss said:


> Hey -- any time you want, just ask and we can be jerks about it too


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