Aligning the Grain

[Kardav]

Right, I've not been turning many two-part pens (ie Omegas, J Gent etc.) for long and I always spend a good deal of time getting the grain alignment correct between the cap and body. I noticed, with dismay, after I'd completed a junior gent the other month using a cross cut laburnum blank kindly given to me by Woody, that the grain alignment had 'moved'. I couldn't understand this as I'd been very careful with the alignment. After playing about a bit, the light went on and I realised it was a twin start thread. So the grain could be 180 degrees out, pure chance what you get. On doing some Omegas this weekend I noticed the same thing only the Omegas have triple start threads. Maybe I'm thick or something, but what is the point of carefully aligning the grain when there is a 3 to 2 chance of getting it wrong when the cap is placed on the pen. Dan's own instructions for the Omega takes great pains to explain how to align the grain. WHY?

:idontknow::idontknow::idontknow::idontknow:

 

[billyb_imp]

Once you get use to it you will know where to align the grain and get it right everytime

 

[Grump]

You are bringing up an age old argument (wormy can init)
Thing is you have answered your own question, read what you have written to find the answer.
I rest my case milud.

 

[Penpal]

To align where biro extended or not etc always easy for me to decide the choice is yours to make it does transform some pens.

Peter.

 

[Jim]

Dave, it is/can be tricky, but once you move the pen on, the buyer doesn't know what we know .. So they can get this wrong without even knowing what is the right way of putting on the cap ..

I have even done this myself when taking a picture of the pen and not realising it until i see the picture on here after editing ..

 

[wm460]

Its a pain in the butt.

 

[paulm]

To align the grain on the Omega after its finished, it always finishes where it starts, so align the grain and then screw the cap on.

 

[Kardav]

To align the grain on the Omega after its finished, it always finishes where it starts, so align the grain and then screw the cap on.

That's worth remembering, thanks Paul. (Maybe that ought to be in the assembly instructions Dan)

 

[silver]

Maybe I'm thick or something, but what is the point of carefully aligning the grain

It's the forum, it can have that effect... we are perfectionist and only want the pen to look right. That's the point. It doesn't matter what the customer does after they take it away, provided it looks right when you hand it over. Anyway, it will only be other "finely tuned eyes" that will notice the grain..

Dan's own instructions for the Omega takes great pains to explain how to align the grain. WHY?

Because he is a perfectionist as well, tell you how to do it right. If he didn't then there would always be someone tell him how to align the grain.. Smart ar$e's as they are.

But what ever we do don't tell the customer as it will only give them something to play with and then complain that the thread is knackered because they have spent the best part of there life fitting the cap then removing it again to re align the grain..

 

[PhillH]

To align the grain on the Omega after its finished, it always finishes where it starts, so align the grain and then screw the cap on.

That's bloody handy to know, would never have worked that out in a month of Sundays.

Ta.