It Can Happen To Anyone!

Paradise City Arts Festival is coming up this Memorial Day Weekend in Northampton, MA. As usual, I am scrambling to get things finished. This past weekend was a crazy busy weekend with all the “honey do’s”, taking care of the lawn, and I had to squeeze in making a few last minute pens (14 of them) and (7) pepper grinders. (The photo is only showing 3 of them.)

Pens & Pepper Grinders for Show

As I was turning one of the casted abalone shell pen blanks, I chipped out one of the ends. I lost my concentration and “ding” it went! I looked for the little chipped out piece for about 20 minutes, cursing all the time “how stupid and dumb” I was for letting it happen. But then I remembered what someone once told me, “it can happen to anyone”. Even the best of turners have a lapse of concentration, and can blow up a project. So I took a deep breath and a few seconds later I found my little chipped out piece.

Now, what to do with the chip?

I used medium CA glue and glued it back in, and then for good measure added, some more medium CA glue around the entire chipped out piece. I put it back on the lathe and this time paying attention, finished it without any further issues. Once it was all done and polished, I put the repaired section underneath the clip, and you can see the results for yourself – no one will ever know – please don’t tell anyone about this, especially at the Paradise City Arts Festival!