Cloth Composite "micarta" Machinability

[Joseph B]

I am in the process of fabricating a fountain pen from cloth/resin composite "Micarta". Attached are some photos showing the excellent machinability of the material. I got this material as surplus so I do not know the manufacturer although I believe it is pretty standard industrial brown canvas composite.

 

I will be posting photos of the finished pen when fully complete. These are of the cap ring assembly.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Joe B.

[jalbert]

Looking good Joe! That is one of my least favorite steps in the cap making process. You've done well! Looking forward to seeing the pen completed!

 

-John

[Nanor]

Interesting material, looking forward to see how it turns out.

[Joseph B]

Photos of the finished pen

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking, Joe B.

 

 

[Barkingpig]

That is a very handsome pen. I much prefer it to the TWSBI Micarta I have. Yours is a much warmer color & I confess to preferring the cigar shape in addition to the color. Congratulations & thanks for sharing it with us.

[Nanor]

Great looking pen. You opted to use an acrylic section not Micarta, was this for aesthetic reasons only?

[tritrek]

What an idea! Usually, you can't get such high gloss on micarta as you do on other resins due to the cloth component however it gives it a soft, rugged look and feel.

[Joseph B]

That is a very handsome pen. I much prefer it to the TWSBI Micarta I have. Yours is a much warmer color & I confess to preferring the cigar shape in addition to the color. Congratulations & thanks for sharing it with us.

 

 

Great looking pen. You opted to use an acrylic section not Micarta, was this for aesthetic reasons only?

 

 

What an idea! Usually, you can't get such high gloss on micarta as you do on other resins due to the cloth component however it gives it a soft, rugged look and feel.

 

Thank you all for your encouraging words.

 

Nanor,

The section is of black ebonite for now. I have had staining on other resin/cloth sections (not this material) and I like the feel of ebonite. I may eventually use a multi-material section, using the composite on the back, a brass ring, then ebonite or Delrin on the front. This will give it a more formal look. I like the contrast between the formality of the construction vs. the utility of the industrial composite material.

[sanyalsoumitra]

This is a lovely work. I can see you have used great patience and very sharp tools. Would you like to polish the material or leave at this finish? I had made three pens using this material and two of them I had polished using CA coat and later fine polish with micromesh. The polished one retained the shine but the un-polished one showed tendency to absorb moisture and become more dull. Attached one photo of one polished pen.

 

[richardandtracy]

Looks nice.

 

Interesting that you've used the material in the orientation you have. Normally, as in the TWSBI Micarta, the fabric is used perpendicular to the axis of the pen. Not sure which is strongest. I think, possibly you run the risk of an interlaminar shear failure if you crush the barrel in a pocket, but are at much less risk if the pen breaking in two if you accidentally bend it. Don't know which is better, possibly the way you have.

 

Next time, see if you can snaffle some rod stock, the fabric is usually rolled, and if you could come up with a slip cap, I think that would exploit all the best properties of the material. Unfortunately rod stock threads badly...

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Joseph B]

^{Very useful information. Thanks.}

[Joban]

Really a very nice looking pen. Great job.