Birdseye Maple Cigar

[jbyrd24]

Birdseye Maple Gold Cigar Pen. Got the board from Rockler.
Has lots of birdseyes, but they didn't photograph well.
All comments are welcome. Without them I can't improve.

Thanks for looking

 

[JimGo]

Good kit color choice! [] The finish looks pretty good too! Critiques:
1) the barrels look a little too straight; I prefer a slight curve to them, to make the overall pen look more like a cigar (hence its name)
2) The components don't quite seem to be pressed in all the way. For example, there seems to be a slight gap near the tip and near the center band. This may be due to the ends being not-quite-true (happens to me a lot). If you hit the ends with the barrel trimmer again before assembly (and really preferably before finishing), that should help reduce the gap. Another technique is to use something akin to what FredInNC will be selling soon.

Those are relatively minor nits to pick Bryan - over all, very nice pen!

 

[opfoto]

Nice job. I agree with adding a slight curve to them.

 

[jbyrd24]

Thanks guys for the critique[] Yeah, wished I had put a slight curve
on it, I usually do. That black line at the nib is where the wood was
up againt the bushing. Haven't figured out to get rid of it when working
in light woods. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.[]

 

[swm6500]

Good looking pen Bryan.

 

[JimGo]

Ahhhh...then you're lucky it didn't get any farther than just right there! I have the same problem, but it usually works its way across the pen for me. I usually try to wipe down with DNA between sandings, and that helps. Another thing I want to do is create some "sanding bushings" out of Corian; basically, just an angled piece that any tube can slide onto.

 

[TheHoneymooners]

Very nice pen Bryan...gotta love cigars!

 

[pastorbill1952]

Bryan, good looking pen. This is some really nice looking wood.

 

[jvsank]

Great looking pen

 

[alamocdc]

Sweet looking pen, Bryan. Lou (at least I think it was Lou) mentioned once that applying DNA between sanding grits would help prevent that problem so I started trying it. Especially on stuff like maple... and it works great for me. No more dark ends.

 

[jbyrd24]

Thanks all...............[]
I'll wipe the barrels down with DNA next time........Can was right
beside me.....I've always had a problem with the light woods
especially maple.