Claddagh engraved pen

[Michael Doyle]

Hello everyone, this is the first example I have posted. I enjoy the site, and have found some really useful information here.
I make pens, among other things, and have been looking for something to set my work apart. I think this type of embellishment might be the answer
I used the Epilog rotary device for this, on a Helix 45 watt machine.

[Stephen Beckham]

VERY NICE!!!

I can't say much more than that...

Was that a 3D image or just a very high DPI raster?

[Mike Null]

Michael

Very nice job on the pen and the engraving.

[Michael Doyle]

Steve, I drew the pattern in corel draw, and then played around with the color values until I got the depth that I was looking for.

[Frank Corker]

This is very nice work. You will get a similar result on wood using tattoo art. The darker the shading the deeper the engraving.

[Mike DeRegnaucourt]

Excellent work Michael!

Did you have to do any sort of special setup with the Epilog rotary attachment? For example, sometimes when doing smaller diameter items, such as a pen, you can sometimes run into the engraving head (the autofocus plunger or air tube) hitting the wheels because of sitting so low in the "valley" between the pairs of wheels on each end. Did you have to make some sort of jig to hold the pen and raise it up a bit while it is resting on the wheels?

That is a very fine example of a cigar style pen. I'm sure you will not have ANY problems selling those.

Keep up the excellent work and sharing your fine workmanship with us.

[Michael Doyle]

Thanks guys.
Mike, there are a couple of routines that have worked for me. I always lower the table when finished, so when I turn the machine off and back on, the focus plunger clears the rotary device. I also engrave the pen while still on the mandrel ( that is the shaft that you mount the pens in the lathe with)

[Tom Radachi]

Hmmmm.... I've seen that pen before...

Once again Mike, great job. Your photo's show more detail too.

Tom (Radman on TPS)

[Belinda Barfield]

As the others have said Michael, very nice work! Thanks for sharing.

[Michael Doyle]

Tom, I posted this pen on the IAP site, you might have seen it there.

[Stephen Beckham]

Michael - funny - I never thought of doing the pen while still on the mandrel.

BTW - pens is how I got into lasers... I use be a 'laser bum' and get free minutes by giving pens to the engravers... It turned into a passion to have my own laser.

Now I ignore my lathe for the laser.... I occasionally get out to the garage and make a pen or two, but it's only when I want to put them on the laser.... Next time I do, I'm going to laser it on the mandrel....

Steve