CameronPotter
Member
Hi all,
I LOVE the learning curve! Why? 'cause it means that your last piece is always the best. Well, anyway, after not having turned a pen for ages I finally got myself organised again and got this done from go to woe. I used a Pen 2 kit for it and did the closed end from a combination of methods I had read about.
Firstly (before cutting the blank in half) I drilled a 10mm hole from one end. It went about 8cm deep. Then I cut off about 6cm for the lid, the body part was then drilled about 4cm deep (an extra 2cm). Then, I drilled a 6mm hole in the base (but not all the way through). The tube would only fit part of the way in, but it only had to...
This meant that the blank could actually be screwed onto the end of the mandrel (and supported by the tailstock). This worked much better than expected.
I turned the base of the pen, and sanded it leaving a small nub for the tailstock that needed to be removed later.
I cut this last little knob off using a jeweller's saw and simply sanded the mandrel spinning free hand. I also applied the obligatory UBeaut EEE and Trad. Wax as a finish.
I did the lid as you would for any other pen.
Then when assembling, the 6mm hole is just too narrow for the pen refill to fit in comfortably (as the refill is about 6mm wide itself). So I redrilled it with a 6.5 mm bit and the fit was very nice. This could be carefully and slowly drill deeper to give the best length fit for the pen refill as well.
This technique worked perfectly - even if I do say so myself. The one thing I might do to improve it is cut down my second (broken, but that is a different story) mandrel and tap another thread onto the shorter length - to make it just a little bit stiffer.
I am thrilled with the result!
(The photos are a bit dull, but getting better with practice).
View attachment 200651201225_CloseEndedPen2.jpg
Cam
I LOVE the learning curve! Why? 'cause it means that your last piece is always the best. Well, anyway, after not having turned a pen for ages I finally got myself organised again and got this done from go to woe. I used a Pen 2 kit for it and did the closed end from a combination of methods I had read about.
Firstly (before cutting the blank in half) I drilled a 10mm hole from one end. It went about 8cm deep. Then I cut off about 6cm for the lid, the body part was then drilled about 4cm deep (an extra 2cm). Then, I drilled a 6mm hole in the base (but not all the way through). The tube would only fit part of the way in, but it only had to...
This meant that the blank could actually be screwed onto the end of the mandrel (and supported by the tailstock). This worked much better than expected.
I turned the base of the pen, and sanded it leaving a small nub for the tailstock that needed to be removed later.
I cut this last little knob off using a jeweller's saw and simply sanded the mandrel spinning free hand. I also applied the obligatory UBeaut EEE and Trad. Wax as a finish.
I did the lid as you would for any other pen.
Then when assembling, the 6mm hole is just too narrow for the pen refill to fit in comfortably (as the refill is about 6mm wide itself). So I redrilled it with a 6.5 mm bit and the fit was very nice. This could be carefully and slowly drill deeper to give the best length fit for the pen refill as well.
This technique worked perfectly - even if I do say so myself. The one thing I might do to improve it is cut down my second (broken, but that is a different story) mandrel and tap another thread onto the shorter length - to make it just a little bit stiffer.
I am thrilled with the result!
(The photos are a bit dull, but getting better with practice).
View attachment 200651201225_CloseEndedPen2.jpg
Cam
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