Pen turners.....

[sdb777]

I was just wondering how much wood is left(or any material for that matter)? I am asking about the thickness when turning a blank that has been drilled with a 7mm drill bit.

And at what point does the thickness get too thin to support the weight of someone writting? Asking about wood here.



Scott (showing the noobie in me now) B

[TDHofstetter]

The final thickness of a slimline tube is only about 1/32". Some other pen kits allow for more thickness, but the nib (or tip) end is nearly always pretty near to that thickness.

There's generally very little problem with crushing the pen, or the wood surrounding it, unless the writer has fantastic hand strength & very little control of it. Glue (polyurethane or CA) fills the very small gap between the brass tube & the drilled wooden blank, so the turned tube is pretty stout.

[Doug B]

Very thin. Some pen kits leave more than others, but all end up with just a thin layer of material over the brass tube.

You will not be able to crush the material with hand pressure because of the brass tube. They would have about the same strength as a brass cartridge.

[sachbvn]

Yep - the problem with the thickness is that you are semi-likely to sand through the blank into the tube if you aren't careful. I don't think it's possible to crush a completed pen unless they were monkeying around with it - the brass tube gives too much support for that.


Zac