I could enter these in the ugly pen contest.. Grrr...

[Fay Prozora]

I made these few pens and the ones to the left are pens blanks I casted and they are not clear. I do not yet have a pressure pot as yet. So they came out cloudy and bubbles. The one with the flag, I call that one Old Glory on a cloudy day and the next one if my flower garden. It is just a piece of fabric wrapped around the brass tubes. The fatter one is just a wood pen with a wide band. Then the crochet hook handle. and there is one that has a leather like fabric in it and then the light blue pen with the two beads I cut on it. This picture is not great but then I'm no photographer either. Enjoy the uglies.... Fay

 

[Edgar]

I think you're being a little hard on yourself there, Fay. They look pretty good to me, especially considering all the new things you are trying. Keep up the good work!

 

[Fay Prozora]

Thanks Edgar. I thought they looked good until I got the blanks turned and I saw the edge of the fabric looked like it was separating from the other edge. I can always chalk it up to lessons learned. Later I will be able to look back and see a difference once I get a pressure pot set up and going. I'm going to our new HF store tomorrow to pick one up. I have the air compressor on order so I'm looking forward to more experience and more lessons learned. My sister thought they looked pretty good too but I think they could be better. I did find it hard to tell how far down to the tubing to turn it. I just love those tube in molds. I may have to order another one or two more. Fay

 

[vakmere]

Looks aside, how do they feel writing with them? You can have looks and ergonomics together. Your casting skill will get better. The fun is just going at it and launching whatever comes to mind. I saw a vid of a guy who casted Captain Crunch with Crunch berries. Interesting.

 

[Fay Prozora]

I saw that vid too. I tried beads and buttons but those nearly ruined my new Robert Sorby spindle master. I was so mad and I couldn't for the life of me get those blanks turned. So I tossed those. So in about an hour or so I'm headed to the new HF store and then hopefully this weekend I will have some new blanks casted and such. We'll see how things go. Back to the drawing board. I'd like to try other things as well. I did see some where that some one had casted pasta in blanks too. I have a lot of fly fishing stuff for tying flies and I might try feathers and other goodies that I have stashed in the closet. I haven't tied any flies for a long time but I used to catch good trout on them too. Some of the flies I tied are for display and much to pretty to use for fishing. I'm going to have a look at that stuff one day and see what I can come up with. So many things to try out. Fay

 

[hcpens]

Always remember beauty is in the eye of the buyer. I think you have done a good job of testing your abilities, these are not failures but a learning experience.

 

[mecompco]

Your finishes look great, and I like the pink/purple thing (seam ripper?). It's just a thing with me, but I detest the wasp-waisted look--they just look somehow "wrong" to me. Have you seen the YT vids making "Fatline" pens--you get rid of the center band and replace it with wood/acrylic or whatever. A much better way to make a think pen out of a Slimline, I think.

Regards,
Michael

 

[MarkD]

Your being alittle to hard on yourself. We all have to start somewhere. The awesome pens you see on this site are usually not the first pens that people make. Your trying alot of new things. Learn from your mistakes and keep trying. Oh, and keep those pens around and in 6 months compare then to your current pens. You will be amazed!

 

[Fay Prozora]

Yeah I know about that center band thing. The all look like they are wearing belts The wood pen to the far right is one that has a wide ring on that I made. I don't glue it together as I make some that I can interchange for a different look. I have a lot of scrap acrylics and woods I can use up for this purpose. I don't really like using those little rings that come with the kits but in some cases they are used. So I save them. I have a couple of black ones and a few gold one and some of the ones that came with this batch of pen kits. Thank you all for the nice compliments on my stuff. The lavender thing is a handle for a crochet hook. I could have tapered that down a little bit too but decided to leave it as is. I have arthritis pretty bad so I need some thing fat to hold onto. Well my pressure pot is all most all set up I just have to wrap the thread tape on the threads and get it together and I will test it for any leakage and when the next set of pen kits get here, I will try casting and this time use the pressure pot to see how it will all go. Take care . Fay

 

[Big]

I agree with Ed, those are not bad at all. Keep making them.

 

[RustySplinters]

I appreciate the name "Old Glory on a cloudy day." And you accomplished what many cannot say they have. That in and of itself deserves commendation.

Cheers!

 

[Fay Prozora]

I have more kits coming and I have plenty of that flag fabric and if I can get my pressure pot to hold air it will be great to finally cast some thing and maybe with out the cloudy look and bubbles I know they will be much better. Looking forward to getting this going in the right direction.. Thank you every one. Fay

 

[Tom T]

They look nice to me. Keep going don't stop now.