My New Slimlines

[LeeR]

These are my 4th thru 7th pens. I decided to make 4 simple pens, and get some practice on some inexpensive kits I bought on sale. My first couple pens had kind of a satin finish, but I bought the Micro Mesh pad kit, and used the first 4 pads on these, then finished with HUT Crystal Coat. I'm getting better tapers, and glossier finishes with each session on my lathe.

The wood left to right: padauk, curly maple, tulipwood, and "I cannot remember". I have lots of hardwood scraps I'm using for blanks, and just cannot recall the last one. But maybe someone here recognizes the wood?

 

[jimm1]

Keep going. You're doing great.

 

[seamus7227]

Nice job Lee!

 

[nava1uni]

Nice job, maybe Walnut?

 

[Jim15]

They look great.

 

[LeeR]

Thanks for the nice comments. The last pen's wood was from a purchase I made of a bunch of different exotics. I think it might be jatoba, and looking at a picture of this wood on the Internet reminds me of this blank. All the walnut I have is medium to dark brown, and this wood definitely has some reddish tones to it.

If I look thru my piles of wood again, I may another piece that is marked that will confirm the species. Otherwise, it is one of the pens I'm giving away at Christmas, so the family member getting it probably won't care.

 

[ctubbs]

That is a very good group of four pens. The fourth pen is 'WOOD', that is my guess anyway. I never was any good at guessing types of wood. Put bark on it and hang a few leaves and I might stand a chance.
I thought for a moment that the two in the middle was a bit proud at the CB but on closer inspection found it to be a reflection of the background. Your family will be proud that you think enough of them to provide them with such fine writing instruments. Congratulations on a job well done.
Charles

 

[LeeR]

Thanks Charles. I seemed to get the tapers turned down enough on these slims. I've made a couple Wall Street IIs (Sierras) and found I need to turn them much closer to the bushings before sanding, to make sure they are not proud of the nib when done. May just be the bushings I got from Woodcraft, so I'll check future turnings with calipers.

but I've got a decent Nikon DSLR, but I need to get a better lighting setup to go with it.

 

[Laurenr]

I say the pen on the right is Bubinga. ??

 

[LeeR]

Laurenr,

Bubinga it is. And I do remember buying bubinga last year. Googling it lead me to a website that showed a piece of wood with almost identical grain and color. I like it so well I'll have to get some more for pens.

Thanks for helping me solve this mystery.