My first posted pens

[jmm666]

Hello IAP
I have been watching and admiring all the great work displayed here. I've been doing pens for about a year and these are my first posted.
The first two pictures are a Sierra click pen done in birch plywood. I haven't seen anyone try this yet, so don't know if I'm the first. That would seem unlikely.
The other two pictures are a slimline in corian, cherry and walnut.
Comments welcome.

 

[G1Pens]

Nice looking pens. Keep posting your pictures.

 

[MorganGrafixx]

Looking good. Nice one on the plywood. Never considered that before myself. But now that I think of it, there are other possibilities for you to try with that stuff too. How about gluing up (sandwich style) several of those pieces with aluminum between them, then cutting it at an angle to get your blanks from it. Should produce a pretty cool effect.
The slim looks like antler. If you hadn't told me it was corian, I would never have known the difference from the pics.
Keep on turning and keep on posting.

 

[jmm666]

That's a good tip Morgan. I've seen aluminum used in pens and it's very striking but I wonder about what tools to use for turning it. I wouldn't mind trying it though.

 

[Jgrden]

Keep up the good work. I like the shape of the Slimline, they are hard to make look good.

 

[Ankrom Exotics]

Nice work..... I like them both. I agree about the shape on the slimline.

 

[BSea]

That's a good tip Morgan. I've seen aluminum used in pens and it's very striking but I wonder about what tools to use for turning it. I wouldn't mind trying it though.

I just did my 1st pen with aluminum in it, and I turned it with my woodchuck pen pro (Carbide insert tool). But I think most tools will cut aluminum since it's pretty soft.

 

[MorganGrafixx]

That's a good tip Morgan. I've seen aluminum used in pens and it's very striking but I wonder about what tools to use for turning it. I wouldn't mind trying it though.

You can turn aluminum with any wood turning tool. Hell, you can turn it with any DULL wood turning tool.

 

[jmm666]

Thanks for the comments and the tips on aluminum. I'm going to gve aluminum a try.

 

[KenV]

Plywood, OSB etc have been used before -- Spectra Ply etc

Aluminium has caused challenges to some for turning because of density changes, and glue bond issues. Heat is not good, and sharp tools and light cuts help.

Pens look good -- the slimline would look better in my opinion without the center band (I am not a center band fan).

 

[jmm666]

I think you're right about the center band, Ken. I'll have to try one without.