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How to make a Laminated Candy Cane Blank

Here’s a fun and festive project idea for the holiday’s that will surely impress any recipient. Learn how to make a laminated candy cane blank in 9 easy steps. You can also create any color combination pen blank you desire using the same process below. Click here for Printable Instructionshero

Materials you need:

  • Plastic blanks (2, 3or 4 pieces)

For this project choose a combination of white, red and green plastic blanks such as #WXLL05 Aphroditie White Marble, #WXLB6058 Lava Bright Silk Ruby Red, and #WXLB6358 Lava Bright Silk Emerald Green which are the blanks we used in this example.

Tools you need:

  • Skew & Gouge for turning
  • Drill Press
  • Lathe
  • Chop Saw
  • Sander

Step 1: Cut your blanks at a 45 degree angle
To avoid tear-out use a fine toothed blade. Be sure that the blank parts line up straight as the mating surfaces must be cut at the exact same angle.

 

Step 2: Sand both surfaces on a disc sander
You'll want to sand so that the blanks will be flush when gluing together. Keep at a 45-degree angle and use very fine grit. This will help you glue the two surfaces together with no gaps or voids.

Step 3: Glue the two pieces together
 Using CA glue press together tightly and spray with accelerator #PKGLUE9.

 

Step 4: Cut again at 45 degrees
Cut until you have your desired pattern. It is important you maintain the same angle to insure symmetry on your finished blank.
Repeat the first four steps for each new blank
Repeat the steps until you have the desired blank length, making the blank long enough for trimming. NOTE: For a pen with 2 blanks - make one long blank then cut 2 blanks from the original to maintain the pattern once the pen is assembled.
Cut at 45� angle

Sand Glue Cut Again

Step 5: Cut your blank(s) to the tube length. and square up the ends.
 Sand the corners so they're not to sharp. You want to avoid sharp corners that could tear out when turning.

Step 6: Drill the blank.
Drill your blank carefully so that you don't tear-out the bottoms or seperate the pieces. Like all plastic blanks, you'll want to clean your chips frequently and keep the blank cool so that it does not break during turning.
Step 7: Glue the blank.
Spread CA glue over your tubes. Insert each tube into the barrel with a twisting motion to spread the glue evenly inside.
Step 8: Mount your blank and turn as usual.Turn the barrels with sharp tools close to the bushing diameter. Sand the barrels to match the bushing diameter. Sand and polish acrylic blanks with our Plastic Finishing kit (Item # PKFINKIT) and polish with One Step Plastic Finish (Item #ONESTEP).

Step 9: Assemble
Assemble your pen just as you normally would. Just follow the instructions that come with your pen kit.