Photo (and Pen) Critique Request

[Vaughn McMillan]

Sorry, but I feel compelled to remove the text and pics in this post. I cannot publicly explain my reasons for doing so, but if you would like more information about the project or the reasons why it was removed, I can be contacted at SMC -at- tg3k.com.

[Jim Becker]

Photos look great, Vaughn! The "hot spots" are "cool", but you may want to play with your lighting some more to tone them down even more. They will never go away with shiny things, however...nature of the beast.

[Corey Hallagan]

Hi Vaughn, great post. I love the photo set up and have thought about making one of these myself out of plastic pipe fram and tshirt type material for the fabric.

The photos look great to me but I am far from a photo specialist. The pens are beautiful. You seem to have a handle on the Flat Tops. Still my favorite pen for best all around feel. The Perfect Fit pen is on my list and will be the next new kit I buy. Did you try it as a pencil?

I have never done any of the plastics of other than plastic stabilization. That carmel swirl is absolutely gorgeous! I love that one and the green slimiline is cool too. Sorry I can't see the fix in the teal which the luminous qualities do come thru in the photo. Question on finishing the plastics, did you wet sand with MM and then use a plastic polish or just wax? Your CA finish looks great. Nice job all around Vaughn! I have to get me some more buckeye burl, it looks so cool with a chrome, platinum or black ti pen. Nice job.

Corey

P.S. Vaughn, does the Berea Steamline kit have a larger center bushing than the nib and cap bushings?

[Vaughn McMillan]

Boy Corey, you're full of questions today, huh? :p


Hi Vaughn, great post. I love the photo set up and have thought about making one of these myself out of plastic pipe fram and tshirt type material for the fabric.
I thought of making my own, but by the time I included the time to make it, I would have spent more than just buying one off eBay. There are several folks selling them there, but this guy offered what looked like the best deal. True "photo" fabric (a short-nap nylon velvet) and 6 backdrops. (White, black, gray, red, green, and blue.) Many of the sellers offer 4 backdrops...this is the only guy I saw selling with 6. This one is 30", and it was about $48.00 shipped. Watch out though...there are guys selling 12" photo tents that seem to be too small for a lot of things.


...You seem to have a handle on the Flat Tops. Still my favorite pen for best all around feel. The Perfect Fit pen is on my list and will be the next new kit I buy. Did you try it as a pencil?
I'm gotten better on the flat tops, but I'm getting tired of babysitting the assembly, and the action is inconsistent from one pen to the next. Even after making nearly a dozen (and being very meticulous about it), it's still a gamble as to whether it'll be silky smooth, or a bit stiff. I'm tired of gambling every time I make one.

So far (after only one pen), I like the Perfect Fit better. They seem more forgiving than the Flat Top kit, although the two halves have different diameter holes. I've ordered a few more of the kits, and some of the pencil inserts are well. I'll either sell the pens with both pen and pencil inserts, or use them to make a few matched pen & pencil sets.


...Question on finishing the plastics, did you wet sand with MM and then use a plastic polish or just wax?
Dry sanded with Micromesh to 12,000, then buffed with White Diamond.


P.S. Vaughn, does the Berea Steamline kit have a larger center bushing than the nib and cap bushings?
Yeppers, that's pretty much the only difference. I've noticed Rockler has a similar kit, too, but didn't check their bushings. (I made one of the Rockler kits a while back thinking it was a Slimline, then I wondered why the ring seemed oversized.) Very simple to make, but I like the look and feel better than a regular Slimline.

I hope that helps, and thanks for the compliments, Corey.

- Vaughn

[John Miliunas]

Hey Vaughn, great photo setup and the pens are kick-butt! :D I believe those are some of the best shots I've ever seen of acrylic pieces. Well done! :) And, I gotta' say, you're one quick photographer! How the heck you got the shot of the setup WITH the camera included is really astounding! :eek: :D :cool:

[Corey Hallagan]

Thanks Vaughn and sorry about all the questions :) . I don't think I can make a tent much cheaper than that either. I have found the same on the flattops. I will probably try the CSUSA ones in the future but their kit finishes are limited and no chrome which I like. Forget about the flat top pencil kit from Berea. Total crap!

Corey

[Bernie Weishapl]

That is a nice photo tent Vaughn and boy that produces some nice looking pictures.

[Lee DeRaud]

I thought of making my own, but by the time I included the time to make it, I would have spent more than just buying one off eBay. There are several folks selling them there, but this guy offered what looked like the best deal. True "photo" fabric (a short-nap nylon velvet) and 6 backdrops. (White, black, gray, red, green, and blue.) Many of the sellers offer 4 backdrops...this is the only guy I saw selling with 6. This one is 30", and it was about $48.00 shipped.I just bought a 24" from one of the "other guys": I don't do cutting boards so the smaller size seemed more reasonable.

Gotta love the pricing though: $5 for the item...and $20 for the shipping.:D
But the similar one I looked at on B&H's web site was more like $75-80.

[Lee DeRaud]

And, I gotta' say, you're one quick photographer! How the heck you got the shot of the setup WITH the camera included is really astounding! :eek: :D :cool:That's what the "self-timer" feature is for.:cool:

[Curt Fuller]

And, I gotta' say, you're one quick photographer! How the heck you got the shot of the setup WITH the camera included is really astounding! :eek: :D :cool:

Hey, that's right, how did you do that?

Those pens are so well done. I'd be afraid to have that good of a setup. I use my crappy fuji finepix and kitchen countertop setup as part of my finishing technique. It hides the scratches and tool marks pretty well.

The more I look at those pens, the prettier they get.

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

Vaughn, that's a nice looking setup you have. I can't find anything to critique on the photos that you haven't already mentioned, and the pens look absolutely beautiful.