My fifth pen - final of the first series

[vferdman]

I just completed the last pen in the series of five kits I bought along with some basic pen tooling (mandrel, pen mill, bushings). This one I am not sure what the wood is, but the band on the end of the cap is purple heart from scrap I had from pen #4. I decided to do away with the center ring as in pen #2, but wanted to create a look of a cap posted to the pen. I think I achieved it mostly. I could have gone a bit more dramatic in making the "cap" a bit larger at the bottom, but I am pretty happy with the result. My skew skills are improving and I am really loving the slimline kit now that I don't have to use the center ring.

Here are all five of my very first pens in order of creation from left to right:

 

[walshjp17]

The center band is certainly a nice modification. The purple heart goes well with the whatever-wood-that-is on the rest of the pen. You have accomplished early on what some have take quite a bit of time to do. Well done.

If you want to expand your Slimline skills, check out Don Ward's (its_virgil) book Turning Modified Slimline Pens, Beyond the Basics.

 

[wyone]

these are great... so how did you attach the center band? or did you let it float like the metal center band? if so what size of a hole did you put in it? I know... always a ton of questions, but that is how I learn.

 

[Brian G]

Excellent! I think you nailed the shape and didn't need to be more dramatic.

My guess is canarywood.

 

[mikespenturningz]

That custom center band is a huge addition. It really sets this slimline apart. Very nice.

 

[BSea]

The 5th is my favorite too. To me the centerband on a slimline is just a waste of metal. Some other things you might try are custom finials, and custom nibs.

I can sure see a progression in your quality too. The last 2 are a big improvement from the 1st. :good:

 

[Timbo]

Great job on the custom center band pens...especially in light of how few pens you've made so far. I've made almost a thousand and you could give me some tips. Keep it going!

 

[vferdman]

these are great... so how did you attach the center band? or did you let it float like the metal center band? if so what size of a hole did you put in it? I know... always a ton of questions, but that is how I learn.

After rounding the blanks I used a skew to cut the width of the custom ring down to the tube on the cap side of the blank. This needs to be done such that there is a perfect square angle from the tube to the remaining wood on the blank. This will make a joint between the custom ring and the rest of the cap. I then took the blank off the lathe, drilled a normal 7mm hole in a purple heart scrap and squared it with the mill using a spare brass tube without gluing it in there. Afterone end is square, I glue the scrap with a hole in it to the empty tube and squared against the cap material. After that's dry I square off the end of what now is a top (cap) blank with a custom band blank. I then go back to the lathe and assemble the mandrel without the middle bushing. Then I turn to my heart's desire the shape I want. I have put a burn ring on the joint between the two woods because there is usually a dark line of glue there anyway. You could leave it like that, but I enjoy doing the burn rings. I just use the skew to put a tiny groove there and then use steel wire to friction-burn the ring. On this pen I also put a second ring just for fun. So the ring is not free floating, it is part of the cap and there is no perceptible seam. It's a really cool way to make a slimline. I will definitely do it again. Would work great with a piece of pearly resin, I think.

 

[Cwalker935]

Nice job.

 

[vferdman]

The 5th is my favorite too. To me the centerband on a slimline is just a waste of metal. Some other things you might try are custom finials, and custom nibs.

I can sure see a progression in your quality too. The last 2 are a big improvement from the 1st. :good:

Please, tell me where to learn about making custom nibs and finials. I would love to try that. Also, what's the best place to buy slimline kits for fairly cheap. I feel like I need a bunch of them to feed the addiction. I got a few red oak burl blanks coming. Not sure if I need to stabilize those first, but they sure look pretty.

 

[Janster]

The 5th is my favorite too. To me the centerband on a slimline is just a waste of metal. Some other things you might try are custom finials, and custom nibs.

I can sure see a progression in your quality too. The last 2 are a big improvement from the 1st. :good:

Please, tell me where to learn about making custom nibs and finials. I would love to try that. Also, what's the best place to buy slimline kits for fairly cheap. I feel like I need a bunch of them to feed the addiction. I got a few red oak burl blanks coming. Not sure if I need to stabilize those first, but they sure look pretty.

Lee Valley seems to consistently have the lowest cost on Slimlines!

 

[solobiker]

Those look great!

 

[Band Saw Box]

A outstanding pen, fantastic job.

 

[Dale Lynch]

Yor pen turning skills are progressing beautifully.

 

[BSea]

Please, tell me where to learn about making custom nibs and finials. I would love to try that. Also, what's the best place to buy slimline kits for fairly cheap. I feel like I need a bunch of them to feed the addiction. I got a few red oak burl blanks coming. Not sure if I need to stabilize those first, but they sure look pretty.

I don't know if there is a step by step for doing custom finials on slimlines. The easies way is to just copy the finial that comes with the slimline. The nibs I've done have been step drilled. The easies way is to use the stock nib, and play with the bits till you get an idea of how deep and what diameter to drill. At least that's how I did it.

As far as buying slimlines, I'd suggest Smitty's, Timberbits, Wood N Whimsey, or Woodturningz.

 

[nilsdavis]

Beautiful work - you have a nice sense for the shape of the pen.

I've been turning slimlines without the center band for a while now, but usually I only do the wood centerband when I have a blowout that has to be repaired. Doing it on purpose makes more sense!

 

[Mr Vic]

You might also check out this link to Russ Fairfields site. He does five varients of the slim lin whcih end up looking nothing like a slim line...Gret looking pens...

 

[mikespenturningz]

I just love that center band modification.

 

[MikeL]

Great job. I agree and ditto the comments on the center band modification.