♫ εηdεd ♫ Question about coal...

rocky1

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Interesting...so trying to find any pens made fom coal, it seems from the less than 5 I saw, it needs to be crushed up and then cast...

That's possible, it may get too brittle otherwise. Would be worth a try if you could get hold of some anthracite. But you'd probably need a masonry saw to cut it, and it would probably be a tad hard on the carbide cutters. I wouldn't think it would be to tough to cast, there really isn't anything there to trap air.

Did they say how they were casting it Marc? I would think you could probably mix it in your resin and simply pour it, or maybe even mix it thick enough to pack it into the mold. Pouring resin over it, you're probably going to float it.


I wonder if it will drill without cracking and chipping after stabilization. I tried drilling a piece that I have, it just chipped and crumbled.

Extremely sharp bit required and go slow from what I was reading.
 

ripjack13

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No coal in my area but I believe I have a few chunks in a barrel from a guy who used to burn coal. What size I am willing to ship it for the cost of shipping if anyone is interested and I have the right size
Dave

I'll let you know David. I will be going for either a bolt action or Sierra sized.
 

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Did they say how they were casting it Marc? I would think you could probably mix it in your resin and simply pour it, or maybe even mix it thick enough to pack it into the mold. Pouring resin over it, you're probably going to float it.
Extremely sharp bit required and go slow from what I was reading.

Didn't say. I was going to check he iap site tomorrow to see what I can find.
 

rocky1

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You get links for those that were cast?? I'd like to look at them.

I know there was discussion of a lot of coal items being molded, but it didn't say what kind of resin they were using to bond them together. If you were going that route, I'd say mix the coal dust good with the resin and pack it in the mold. You could maybe make the mold tall enough to place a piece of HDPE on top and use a couple clamps to compress it also.

If there were any bubbles when you turned it, it could easily be filled with CA and more coal dust.
 

rocky1

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Hard to make much out in that picture, but it sure doesn't looked crushed. I still think if you mixed it with your resin it should pour without a problem. The only thing that would concern me would be the coal settling to the bottom of the pour. If you made a fairly thick paste out of it and packed it in the mold, that would eliminate a lot of that, and if you made the mold where you could compress it a little, there is little doubt in my mind that it wouldn't work flawlessly.
 

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I can't remember off hand, but do you cast rocky?
 

rocky1

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I've been known to cast a piece or two, although the stuff has about drove me to drink of late!
 

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Wanna try the coal when I get it? I'll send you n Matt some...
 

rocky1

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Yeah, I'm game. May have to find a mortise and pestle to grind it into dust, but I'll see what I can do with it. Want to say there was one of those at TJ Maxx yesterday, wasn't any Olive Wood cutting boards, (2 cheeseboards, and one little oblong Olive bowl for $7), but there was I believe a mortise and pestle. Or, maybe it was at Hobby Lobby where I was blown away by some of the ridiculousness in pricing!!
 

Spinartist

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A guy in the South Florida Woodturning Guild in Miami made a small bowl from coal a few years back. It was 2" diameter & stabilized with c/a glue. It sparkled a bit almost like opal.

I have a couple chunks of the soft & one anthracite which is almost like a piece of glass.

coal.png
 

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ripjack13

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I'm goin out for bit...be back later.
 

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There is a member of the West Virginia wood turning club who makes pens from crushed coal.
 

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There is a member of the West Virginia wood turning club who makes pens from crushed coal.

Can you ask em how he does it? Maybe even tell em about WB and have em sign up.
 

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Yeah, I'm game. May have to find a mortise and pestle

If you have a home depot or ace, get some pipe that fits inside one pipe and two caps. That works good for crushing stuff....
 
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