Cash Gift for a Colleague

[David Walser]

Yesterday the last day at work for a friend and colleague. He left to become the CFO of a private primary school. To say thank you for all he's done for our firm and wish him success in his new endeavor, I made him a pen. The pen kit is Craft Supplies USA's titanium rollerball version of its Jr. Gentlemen's II - Postable Cap pen kit.

The blank is Inlace Acrylester that's made with shreaded US currency. I got the blank from Woodturningz.com. One unusual thing about working with these blanks is the shredded money makes it impossible to get a perfectly smooth surface. (At least, I wasn't able to do it.) The cash and the plastic are of such different densities that one sands away more quickly than the other, leaving a "lumpy" surface. You can't see the lumps with the naked eye, but you can feel them. It's a "good" feeling and not objectionable at all. Just something I noticed.

The blanks were finished with CA glue (necessary to fill the pits where some of the paper tore out), sanded with micro mesh through 12,000 grit and buffed using Don Pencil's new "plastic" buffing compound with a top coat of carnauba wax. (Don Pencil's plastic buffing compound has a finer grit than white diamond and he recommends it for plastics and for buffing lacquer. Good stuff.) If I had applied a thicker CA finish, I might have been able to get rid of the lumpiness discussed above.

Because they were made from shredded money, we agreed to call this his "stimulus pen".

Here are a couple of pictures:

[Jeff Nicol]

Dave, Looks good to me! I am sure your colleague is in agreement! I have never turned one of the money blanks, but I agree with you about the CA. Maybe when you are at the final shape and before to much sanding a couple of coats of thin CA soaked in and sanded between coats would have strengthened the money and a final coat of medium to make a skin over the whole thing would have let you not feel the tiny bumps. Keep up the good work!

Jeff

[alex carey]

very cool. Shredding money, I never would have thought of it.

[Steve Schlumpf]

David - very nice pen! Sure has a different look to it! I am sure it made a great gift! Nice work!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking pen. That is a nice gift.

[Tom Wilson66]

Great looking pen, and the paper clip holder is good looking too.;) I wonder if a sanding block would even out the surface any.

[David Walser]

I appreciate the suggestions, compliments, and encouraging words. It really is great to be able to share what I've done and to get such wonderful feedback.

I have two more of these blanks drilled and glued and ready to be turned. I watched Ed Davidson's tutorials (again) last night. That, together with your suggestions, have given me some ideas on how to reduce the bumpiness on the final pen. Once I have time to get back into the shop, I'll let you know if any of those ideas produce a better result.

Having said that, the bumpiness really is a minor issue. My now former co-worker came into my office at least three times to thank me for the pen. Throughout his last day, everywhere he went the pen was in his hand. When I walked by his office late in the day, I saw him talking on the phone while he rolled the pen between his fingers. Yes, I think he liked it -- bumps and all!

Link to Ed Davidson's tutorials (scroll down to "12. EPR "Bucks" (shredded US currency) Pen Turning): http://yoyospin.com/tutorials/ I would have used Ed's EPR Bucks blanks for these pens, but Arizona Silhouette was out of them when I ordered.

[Bob Noles]

Great post David and very timely for me. I just got 2 of those blanks in from AS a couple of weeks ago and I am dying to try them. Glad to learn of the challenge involved, that way I won't be taken by surprise.

Nice job and a great gift!