Acrylic blank suppliers in the UK.

[Paul-H]

Hi all

I am looking for a reliable supplier of good quality Acrylic/Resin pen blanks in the UK.

Anyone got any recommendations they could share.

I bought some from an eBay seller but they were so hard and brittle as to be impossible to drill without cracking so am now in need of some better quality.

The ones I got from my local Axminster were fine but their range is rather limited.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Paul

 

[Morse]

Paul there are a few.

Phil@ www.beaufortink.co.uk
Bucks@ https://www.penblanksandmoulds.co.uk/artisan-resin-acrylic-pen-blanks
Silver, Bammer (not able to find their web sites, getting old)

Dave

 

[alpha1]

These have a good selection.

Home | The Turners Workshop

The Turners Workshop will appeal to all Woodturners, Pen Makers, Pen Collectors, Craftsmen and Craft-ladies!

www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk

 

[geordie0928]

https://www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk/
He's ok, I have met and been in have had look around his workshop.
or
Try

GPS Agencies Outlet | eBay Stores

Welcome to the GPS Outlet shop. Here you will find bulk deals on certain core ranges, along with colours not available anywhere else.

www.ebay.co.uk

I have got a box from them for £59. I was over uverjoyed with it.

 

[Nicholas Andrews]

Hi all

I am looking for a reliable supplier of good quality Acrylic/Resin pen blanks in the UK.

Anyone got any recommendations they could share.

I bought some from an eBay seller but they were so hard and brittle as to be impossible to drill without cracking so am now in need of some better quality.

The ones I got from my local Axminster were fine but their range is rather limited.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Paul

One does have to be careful about resin blanks; some can be pretty awful. Good quality suppliers like Beaufort Ink , Styles & Bates, Turners Retreat in the UK have blanks which can be relied upon. If you can get them (try eBay) some of the very best acrylics were used by the late Conway Stewart pen company. These were made in Italy and when CS went in to liquidation the stocks of blanks were bought up by one or two organisations. Interestingly, I saw on an American pen website last year they were advertising blanks of the kind used by CS and made in Italy but of course I can't now remember who they were!

 

[Paul-H]

Interestingly I just been looking at https://www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk/ and they claim to have bought all the old Conway Stewart blanks

See here

Conway Stewart Pen Blanks - Pen Blanks - Shop

The Turners Workshop will appeal to all Woodturners, Pen Makers, Pen Collectors, Craftsmen and Craft-ladies!

www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk

The trouble is the blanks I got of eBay that were like glass came from them so not going to be ordering from them yet, will wait until I have gained more experience drilling blanks, just in case it's my inexperience drilling acrylic that gave me issues with their blanks.

 

[ValleyBoy]

Interestingly I just been looking at https://www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk/ and they claim to have bought all the old Conway Stewart blanks

See here

Conway Stewart Pen Blanks - Pen Blanks - Shop

The Turners Workshop will appeal to all Woodturners, Pen Makers, Pen Collectors, Craftsmen and Craft-ladies!

www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk

The trouble is the blanks I got of eBay that were like glass came from them so not going to be ordering from them yet, will wait until I have gained more experience drilling blanks, just in case it's my inexperience drilling acrylic that gave me issues with their blanks.

Yes that’s correct, turners workshop bought all the remaining stock from Conway Stewart when they closed their doors for the last time. They did the same with the Omas factory. I use both types of blank a lot and can confirm that it’s the case.
The factory that made the blanks for Conway Stewart still make some of the patterns to the same recipe but they are called “Conway Colors” to distinguish them from the original stock.

Cheers
Ash

 

[Bammer]

Hi all

I am looking for a reliable supplier of good quality Acrylic/Resin pen blanks in the UK.

Anyone got any recommendations they could share.

I bought some from an eBay seller but they were so hard and brittle as to be impossible to drill without cracking so am now in need of some better quality.

The ones I got from my local Axminster were fine but their range is rather limited.

Thanks for any recommendations.

Paul

Be interesting to see what blanks were giving you trouble

Polyester blanks can be difficult to work if your not used to them
Acrylester blanks are worse, even after 25 years I wouldn't even touch those buggers.

Turners workshop has a great range of blanks in different resins.
Beaufort Inks has lot's too.

The easiest to drill and turn has to be Alumilte blanks, ..... make sure they are Polyurethane and not Alumilite Amazing Clear cast shite

 

[howsitwork?]

Ive had some great stuff from

Woodturning Supplies & Tools | Bowl Blanks | Lathes

Woodturning supplies Tools pen/bowl blanks/planks exotic/homegrown wood. Pen Turning Kits. Robert Sorby ProEdge, Record Power lathes, machinery tools Yorkshire

www.greenvill.co.uk

who I find very helpful . Not sure quite what the resin is but it turns ok with HSS tooling I’ve found

 

[Paul-H]

Be interesting to see what blanks were giving you trouble

They were from their Erinoid ltd range apparently made from Acrilate ?

 

[alpha1]

Be interesting to see what blanks were giving you trouble

Polyester blanks can be difficult to work if your not used to them
Acrylester blanks are worse, even after 25 years I wouldn't even touch those buggers.

Turners workshop has a great range of blanks in different resins.
Beaufort Inks has lot's too.

The easiest to drill and turn has to be Alumilte blanks, ..... make sure they are Polyurethane and not Alumilite Amazing Clear cast shite

I would be intersted to know what is it you dont like about Alumilite Amazing clear Cast all the latest pens I have posted on here are wearing Alumilite Clear cast blanks that turned and polished up really well. The polyurethane we cast did not turn out well at all. We tried glass cast but the Alumilite Clear just works with out any issues. The pen turners face book page has three of my recent pens head lined (Thanks Paul) they are all Alumilite Clear Blanks we cast our selves. All the pens were turned by me. I would be interested to learn why polyurethane is better.
Dont get me wrong I am brand new to casting and I value any help or advice from experienced blank makers.

 

[Bammer]

They were from their Erinoid ltd range apparently made from Acrilate ?

Ok, I use them all the time, great material, easy to turn and polishes great.

Perhaps you are getting them too hot when drilling, maybe leave them 10 mm longer than you need to avoid the blow out

 

[howsitwork?]

I have had blowout on the ends of plastic occasionally . Reduced the issue by
1 new drill bits
2 more frequent withdrawl to clear drill flutes
3 SACRIFICIAL timber platform for each blank and slowly drill through. The blank end must be flush with the platform to provide support.
4 allowing extra couple of mm ” just in case”
5 Sometimes leaving blank overlong and not drilling all the way through then cutting to length.

This stops end blowout but shattering , when it’s occurred for me , has always been due to inadequate clearing of flutes . Thats only my experience mind , others here have done far more than me .


good luck

 

[Gadget-UK]

https://www2.theturnersworkshop.co.uk/
He's ok, I have met and been in have had look around his workshop.
or
Try

GPS Agencies Outlet | eBay Stores

Welcome to the GPS Outlet shop. Here you will find bulk deals on certain core ranges, along with colours not available anywhere else.

www.ebay.co.uk

I have got a box from them for £59. I was over uverjoyed with it.

I did as well and have already turned a few of them

 

[Paul-H]

Thanks for all the replies some useful links for my list.

Talking of theturnersworkshop has anyone managed to sign up for an online account, I keep trying but keep getting a reCAPTCHA error and there is no contact us option on their website.

Mind you should I even be thinking of dealing with a company that has no contact option for when or if things go wrong ?

 

[Hallelujahal]

Thanks for all the replies some useful links for my list.

Talking of theturnersworkshop has anyone managed to sign up for an online account, I keep trying but keep getting a reCAPTCHA error and there is no contact us option on their website.

Mind you should I even be thinking of dealing with a company that has no contact option for when or if things go wrong ?

Yup me too - I gave up

 

[ValleyBoy]

Thanks for all the replies some useful links for my list.

Talking of theturnersworkshop has anyone managed to sign up for an online account, I keep trying but keep getting a reCAPTCHA error and there is no contact us option on their website.

Mind you should I even be thinking of dealing with a company that has no contact option for when or if things go wrong ?

The turners workshop is run by a chap called Vince who also organises all the uk regional pen shows. So from that point of view he is quite well known in the pen making world as others on here might attest. Just to reassure you there is a real bonafide person behind it.

I buy a lot from him although I admit I don’t tend to use the website, but speak to him directly via messaging (on Instagram for the most part). He also sells some stuff through eBay.

The pen making stuff is not his main job so things may not be perfectly organised, and sometimes you have to wait a little bit, but he’s never let me down and he does have some really nice bits that you can’t get elsewhere.

My advice is, if you’re on Instagram, give him a follow and you’ll see what I mean.

Cheers
Ash

 

[alpha1]

I use the Turners workshop never had a problem I have all ways found them Ok to deal with. I am a big fan of Conway Stuart Blanks.

 

[howsitwork?]

Vince is 100 % sound. Had some good stuff from him and he’s great, if sometimes a bit slow, to deal with. As Ash has said it’s not his job , just a semi professional hobby .