Bakelite materials

[dfurlano]

have been working on getting some Bakelite materials made. Here are some samples that I have worked with so far. I plan to have some opaque yellow with white swirl available soon.

 

Let me know what you think.

 

1-2) Translucent Gold and Green with White swirl. Ebonite black ends. Wanted to see how it would look as an eye dropper.

 

3) Translucent yellow/orange on the out side but a pale yellow once turned. Part looks like porcelain when finished.

 

4) Red cap with four start thread inside.

 

5) Purple with white swirl made into an eye dropper with ebonite ends.

 

6) Yellow transparent.

 

7) Vintage Bakelite beads in a pale yellow. beads had a hole in them and that is why they have "eyes". Very limited material but more beaded materials are planned in limited runs.

 

http://www.pencraftsman.com/bake3.jpg

[EventHorizon]

Number 1 and 2 look great.

So how does one get Bakelite material made? I'm thinking it's not at your local craft store.

Edited March 24, 2008 by EventHorizon

[Abhik]

Hey, I also think No.1 & 2 looks great! Please keep us informed about further developments!

Thanks,

Abhik.

[dfurlano]

Bakelite was developed in 1907 and was the first synthetic plastic with no direct analogue in nature. Materials like hard rubber (1839) and celluloid (1871) predate Bakelite but were materials that were originally made using natural compounds and later synthetic equivalents.

 

Bakelite is a phenol formaldehyde reaction (used in adhesive materials for carpeting and composite wood products) that requires a great deal of knowledge and heat (one - two weeks in an oven) to make.

 

Dan

[FarmBoy]

Will you be selling the rod stock after you have it produced? I see lots of uses.

 

Todd

 

 

[Robert Hughes]

Bakelite is a phenol formaldehyde reaction (used in adhesive materials for carpeting and composite wood products) that requires a great deal of knowledge and heat (one - two weeks in an oven) to make.

 

Dan

That's why it's better to stick with more basic materials, like celluloid. All you need is several gallons of Nitric and Sulfuric Acids, a bale of cotton fibre, analine dyes - and a signed letter from the principal saying it's OK to blow yourself and the rest of your block to smithereens if you mess it up!

Edited March 24, 2008 by Robert Hughes

[dfurlano]

update, two eyedroppers... I have a lot of pieces that I will post in the for sale form.

 

http://www.pencraftsman.com/bake_2_.jpg

[icango]

Another vote for #1. Reminds me of a couple of my Sheaffer flat-tops. Have you thought about black-sleeving the barrels? #1 looks better in its raw-stock form than in its thin-wall form, to my eyes anyway. A sleeve, on that yellow pen in the pic, would bring out the contrast with the solid end, too. I would say all the colors look better opaque than semi-transparent, but then my tastes run to the understated/traditional anyway.

[OnPoint]

No. 7, perhaps a c/c? What's the stain resistance of the bakelite?

[dfurlano]

The number 7 material has been claimed. I am not sure how much bakelite stains. There are Parker Jack Knife Safety pens with translucent bakelite from 1913 for that look good but whos knows how much ink was in them.

 

http://www.pencraftsman.com/bake1.jpg

 

I'll let you know over time how it looks.

 

Dan

 

 

[dfurlano]

For people that asked I put some raw material up for sale in the "Parts and Tools" classified forum.

 

Dan

Edited April 11, 2008 by dfurlano