KMCloonan
Member
I was very inspired earlier this week when I posted a picture of my first attempt at a segmented blank pen - the feedback I received from all of you was very positive, and I was enthused and motivated!
Well, I think today I learned that there CAN be too much of a good thing. :redface:
I'll explain.
In my mind, I imagined this really cool PSI Olympian Elite 2 piece pen, with segmented blanks for the cap and main shaft made from Bubinga, Maple and walnut. So I jumped in, glued up the blanks, and I was really getting into it.
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I then went about cutting, drilling, and gluing tubes into the blanks, and tonight I made the first pen.... and I don't like it at all. There's too much going on.
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So the lesson I learned is that a segmented blank like this would probably look ok on a single barrel pen, but not on a 2 piece.
I also learned a little about turning woods with different grain directions - the Bubinga (center section) was soft and turned very easily, but the Maple was end grain, which is much harder. The walnut is also end grain, but a bit softer than the maple. The result is uneven material removal as I passed the gouge along the length. I ended up sanding more at the end, to get everything to the final diameter. Also, as I sanded, the maple seemed to burn a bit, resulting in some dark discoloration. I think some of the walnut sanding dust may also have gotten into the maple's pores. Dunno.
Anyway, I have a pen that writes ok, but looks like I tried too hard to make a fancy pen... I don't think it's going out of the house, except maybe in my wife's purse, so she can cross stuff off of the grocery list at the store.
Thanks for reading. Any tips would be appreciated.
And by the way, I still had a blast making it! I learn a little (sometime a lot) more with each pen.
Well, I think today I learned that there CAN be too much of a good thing. :redface:
I'll explain.
In my mind, I imagined this really cool PSI Olympian Elite 2 piece pen, with segmented blanks for the cap and main shaft made from Bubinga, Maple and walnut. So I jumped in, glued up the blanks, and I was really getting into it.
, , I then went about cutting, drilling, and gluing tubes into the blanks, and tonight I made the first pen.... and I don't like it at all. There's too much going on.
, So the lesson I learned is that a segmented blank like this would probably look ok on a single barrel pen, but not on a 2 piece.
I also learned a little about turning woods with different grain directions - the Bubinga (center section) was soft and turned very easily, but the Maple was end grain, which is much harder. The walnut is also end grain, but a bit softer than the maple. The result is uneven material removal as I passed the gouge along the length. I ended up sanding more at the end, to get everything to the final diameter. Also, as I sanded, the maple seemed to burn a bit, resulting in some dark discoloration. I think some of the walnut sanding dust may also have gotten into the maple's pores. Dunno.
Anyway, I have a pen that writes ok, but looks like I tried too hard to make a fancy pen... I don't think it's going out of the house, except maybe in my wife's purse, so she can cross stuff off of the grocery list at the store.
Thanks for reading. Any tips would be appreciated.
And by the way, I still had a blast making it! I learn a little (sometime a lot) more with each pen.
