mesquite/snakeskin

[its_virgil]

This is my pen sent to 1080wayne for the pen swap that ended at the end of Sept. I mailed the pen to Wayne in Canada on Sept 27 and it arrived this week.

The pen is a baron closed end in mesquite burl.The cap is snakeskin and the kit clip finial is replaced with a matching wooden finial. I also concealed the clip ring by recessing it into the finial.

Comments welcome.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[PenWorks]

Great looking pen Virgil, I am sure the new owner will be proud to carry this
I like the cap and clip work.

 

[LostintheWoods]

Beautiful piece of wood, and nice job on the pen, Don. Wayne is gonna be plenty pleased!

 

[txbatons]

That's a very nice-looking pen, Don. I really like the mesquite burl.

 

[Ligget]

Lovely looking pen Don, love the recessed clip ring![]

 

[rherrell]

Good looking pen Don!

 

[rhahnfl]

Beautiful work as always. I really need to acquire a closed end mandrel and try a closed end pen.

 

[wdcav1952]

Don,

Mail to Canada is always a problem. I would suggest you mail the next one you make like this pen to Pennsylvania!! [][][]

 

[its_virgil]

Chris,
Although the special closed end pen mandrels are nice and work well, you don't really need one. Closed end pens can be turned using a standard mandrel. Take a look at this.

<b>Here is how the blank looks prior to turning:</b>

<b>Here is the way the pen looks after turning:

</b>

How to hold the pen to finish the end after parting off the waste.[/b]

Email me and I'll send you the article I wrote for More Woodturning that uses these pictures and others.

Good luck and make one of these closed end pen and show us what you made.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by rhahnfl
<br />Beautiful work as always. I really need to acquire a closed end mandrel and try a closed end pen.

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks to all for the comments on the pen. I should make another one and take a few pictures of the process for making the wooden finial and concealing the clip. It was not difficult at all. I used a drill bit whose diameter was the same size as the width of the clip ring. I ground it in the shape of a parting tool and cut a groove on the bottom side of the finial to recess the clip ring. I used several Beall collets to hold the finial so I could work on it.

Cav,
I don't think mail can go from Texas to Pennsylvania...but I may try it someday[]
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Don,

Mail to Canada is always a problem. I would suggest you mail the next one you make like this pen to Pennsylvania!! [][][]

 

[Verne]

Don,
Nice work as usual
Vern

 

[Darley]

Very nice Don like the combination of wood and snake skin

 

[BRobbins629]

Nice one Don. Curious about your thoughts on the shape of the finial relative to the shape of the nib holding section. Can't figure out if they should mirror each other or if one is flat, so should the other, ditto if one is rounded like yout nib holding end.

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks Bruce. My thoughts...hmmmm... I struggle with that same question and I have not settled on a style I like. I struggle with the shape of the barrel. I like the shape that others do but can't seen to replicate the ones I like. They never look like the original I copy. I lean a little toward the cap end and the barrel end mirroring each other, but I see commercial pens that don't do that. The cap end is rather blunt and squared off and the barrel end is rather tapered and rounded. I shall keep playing and try to find a shape and style I like. I suppose it is just a personal choice thing. We see several closed end pen and they run the gamut nof possibilities. I'm not happy with the shape of the clip finial. I tried to mirror the shape of the metal one from the kit but missed it a little.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by BRobbins629
<br />Nice one Don. Curious about your thoughts on the shape of the finial relative to the shape of the nib holding section. Can't figure out if they should mirror each other or if one is flat, so should the other, ditto if one is rounded like yout nib holding end.

 

[its_virgil]

Thanks Serge. I will definitely have more of these coming. I need to refine the closed end shape and the shape of the clip finial.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Darley
<br />Very nice Don like the combination of wood and snake skin

 

[Nightingale]

I like your use of the mesquite burl segments on top and the bottom of the snake. I feel your top cap blends with the bottom barrol beautifully and frames the snake beautifully as well. thanks for posting your pen, john

 

[dscm1]

Virgil,
You have mail!

 

[johncrane]

Looks really good Don!![]