And now for..... my second pen!!

[sachbvn]

This is also Osage Orange - dunno why - but I really like that stuff. It seems like it turns well too.

THIS TIME I took longer and put more care into finishing it.... the last one was kinda - test out all my new stuff, so I was probably in a bit of a hurry.

I sanded, 220, 320, 400, 600 grit - afterwords I cleaned the pen (and tips of bushings) with denatured alcohol to clean off any dust and metal that may have come from the bushings - I picked that tip up long ago before I even thought about turning....it was over at ww.com - I think Tim might be who to thank for that one.... (thanks!) which - it worked really well.

I let it spin for a while, drying - then applied a coat of Crystal HUT finish and friction polished with a soft paper towel - then let spin for a little bit.

I tried out my Beall buffing system - LOVED it - it was pretty sweet. I think it may have gotten a little much white diamond paste on the wheels - that or just didn't it buffed off quite perfect. It took a while to charge the wheels cuz they were fresh and new - but I got 'em going. The carnuba wax put a nice slick finish on them! Uh...so slick one of the pieces slipped right from my hands.....LUCKILY no dings, dents, scratches!!! lol - I found it, picked it up - wiped it cleaned and buffed it again.

Then..... I assembled the kit - lol - used a hard/soft rubber tip hammed to get all the pieces together.... I did use something semi-soft to not damage the tip when driving in the turn mechanism.

So.... this is it! Black Titanium slim line kit with Osage Orange wood.

Oh - and this one has a little more shape to the upper barrel - which.... started by accident, but as opposed to fixing it - I kinda went with it because I thought it would look neat for the top part - but not be weird to hold since your hand wouldn't really be touching that part.








Thanks for the help guys!!!!

Zac

[TDHofstetter]

Now THAT's what I'm talkin' aBOWWWT.

We gonna' hafta' figure you a pen press, Zac - no more hammers or mallets. Drill press? That works well with a short dowel in the chuck to keep from marring the metal. Lacking all else... the tailstock on the lathe will press pens, too.

It's a lot easier with a dedicated pen press, though - geez, somebody else got the one I made Limey at the estate auction... I don't even have a photo of it.

[sachbvn]

Well Tim - a pen press made it to the Christmas list for idea for other people. Lol - I'll look into rigging my DP for it - that way I don't offend anyone here Nah - I know they wouldn't be THAT hard to make..... a cam clamp is really all you need for special pieces - the rest could literally be stuff you have 'round the shop.

Thanks for lookin!

Zac

[sawduster]

I've tried several different methods for pressing the kits together and found that, for me anyway, a pipe clamp held in my old bench vise works best. A couple blocks of wood temporarily attached to the jaws instead of those rubber pads gives a sturdy enough surface and doesn't damage the pen parts.

BTW, those 7mm twist kits, while seeming simple, are good practice for other kits. Most others don't want the wood turned down as thin on the tubes.

[Ruffnek]

Zac,

THAT is a great looking pen...especially since Bois d'Arc is about my favorite wood. I like the way you maintained the clean, slim look to the pen, too. I'm not a fan of wasp-waisted or whoop-de-doo pen shapes.

FWIW, I use the wooden vise on my bench to press the pen parts together...but a pen press is the ideal tool.

[Joe Lyddon]

Another beautiful pen, Zac!

You're on a roll!

Thank you!

[sachbvn]

Hey Jerry - that is a GREAT idea - just use a pipe clamp - it's already got the threaded crank which will give slow - constant force..... I like that!

I don't have a woodworkers bench - or ww vice, I have a common "anvil style" vice that has two plywood scraps attached to the jaws - it works really well, just not to press pen parts together.

I agree Cody, I'm not a huge fan of hoop-de-do style pens... I mean - I give credit because it takes skill to make all the profiles - but to me, it's simply not useful....which.... some pens are just for show. I'd like to make pens people could use.

Jerry - I have some Euro kits and the bushings - I think I'll try them shortly. I've been practicing some tapers on just plain ol' pine - seems to be going well....just takin' it slow!

Joe - thanks - where's the bug spray?

Zac

[glenmore]

Zac Great looking pen. Really like turning that kind of wood. Comes off in nice ribbons for me.

[Doug B]

Nice looking pen Zac! That Bodark is some nice wood too.

A dedicated pen press really makes things much easier when assembling pens. I hope that someone chooses that for you off your list

And, for one of only a very few times I can ever remember, I have to disagree with Cody - the slimlines benefit from a little curve in the middle of the bottom barrel in my opinion. Some kits, like the Classic Twist and Cigar pens I prefer a straight profile, but not the slims. You can definitely overdo the curve on the slimline - I usually turn to about .400 inches to .420 at the largest diameter of a slim lower barrel, compared to the .335 inch of the nib and centerband.

Just don't ask Woodmangler about whoop-de-doos ;D

[TDHofstetter]

As I recall... Sonny made some INTERESTING pens. Only the ends of each blank were tapered, leaving the middle VERY LARGE - something like 3/4" - and SQUARE (but with rounded-off edges). You wouldn't think, from that description, they'd be very interesting... but boy they were pretty.

[boodrow]

Zac good lookin pen! Its been my experence that women like the skinny pens , like the one u made , on the other hand men like um with some meat on the bone if u know what I mean. Mostly I make um the way I like my women. Big on top , skinny in the middle and large on the bottom, lol
Bottom line I would urge u to do trial and error , what one person likes the next one wont , and vice versa. Some of the crappiest lookin stuff in my opion was one of the first to sell?
Boodrow

[rhull]

I like it. I've got to get me some of the Osage Orange one day. It's not something we usually see up here in New England.