yellow micarta

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could this possibly be cut into ferrules? Does it look any good?

Hi,

I would slice it on a bandsaw, put 60 degree centers on both ends and cut it between centers with my tool post router.

Anyone have a shaft large enough for this huge Micarta Ferrule?:rotflmao1:

I weighed these ferrules and they are a little lighter than Juma. Because the rod is so heavy I assumed they were heavier than other ferrules but I was wrong.

Material Description:

General Electric 1960s Micarta Material used for 345,000 KVW Power Grid Insulators. Great ferrule material, hits better that Ivory and won't crack.

This material has the sheet aggregate spiral woven within the resin for a very tight and dense cross section. It is denser than the flat sheet Westinghouse micarta that was laminated and has been used by some cuemakers for micarta ferrules.

I bought this rod from Ken ( Stupendous ) Mortensen who aquired it in the 70s. Ken was a cue maker for over 40 years starting with Bert Schrager in California and was the featured Pantograph artist at Schuler Cues for many years.

Real Micarta is a very expensive material because of it's hit, history as a ferrule material, what cuemakers used them, and now it's demand because of it's scarcity as it has not been manufactured for many years.

I would venture to say that any material that was designed to be an insulator for a 345,000 KVW power grid should have some incredible density and resistant structure due to the tight spiral weave and the resin chemistry.

This material is not commercially available and all of the material that was in the field was replaced and remediated because of the asbestos formula.

If you are looking for the real old school micarta, this is the good stuff.

Rick G

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These ferrules shown were cut between centers with a router bit. When single pointed at a higher speed on the lathe the RMS finish is is very smooth while taking light cuts and it polishes out real nice.
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Stew Mortensen
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could this possibly be cut into ferrules? Does it look any good?
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Yes, and no.

No reason you couldn't make some ferrule blanks out of it BUT...

Micarta is a trademarked brand name Westinghouse, and now someone else, used for many types of plastics.

This is not what was originally used by Schon, etc for ferrules.

First, it is a phenolic, the good stuff wasn't phenolic. Also, it was called
'White Micarta' the yellowing onlw came with age. It is a soft
off-white when you first cut it. Kinda like, oh, I don't know, maybe ivory.

Dale
 
could this possibly be cut into ferrules? Does it look any good?
---------------------------------------------------------------

Yes, and no.

No reason you couldn't make some ferrule blanks out of it BUT...

Micarta is a trademarked brand name Westinghouse, and now someone else, used for many types of plastics.

This is not what was originally used by Schon, etc for ferrules.

First, it is a phenolic, the good stuff wasn't phenolic. Also, it was called
'White Micarta' the yellowing onlw came with age. It is a soft
off-white when you first cut it. Kinda like, oh, I don't know, maybe ivory.

Dale

Yes, I'm sure many others can as well, but I can confirm that. It yellowed over time, and The stuff that Schon used does resemble ivory, but you can tell the difference if You look very closely at it. I've had several customers and friends alike swear up and down that their ferrule was ivory, when in fact It was Micarta. Trying to convince them of that was sometimes easier said then done. Like I tell them though, I'm not trying to be the burden of bad news, quite the opposite, to replace that Micarta would cost several times the amount to replace It with ivory. Some of them seem bewildered by this when I inform them of It. I guess It's hard for them to imagine a man made material costing more, but It's no longer produced, and That's what happens when supply can't meet the demand.

I trust Dale's knowledge on this subject, He is the one that I have asked in the past when I had any questions pertaining to The authenticity of This material. He knew where to look for It, was kind enough to share some of that info with me one time before, and that info I have not shared with anyone. Even knowing where to look doesn't make It any easier to find though. I think a lot of It was destroyed, and could be buried in land fills for all I know. Anyone got a shovel, and a clothespin?:thumbup:

Greg
 
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