BlackPearl
Member
This is the reason I started turning Pens. Back in 1999 I bought a Shopsmith and turned some pens for my sales team, they did not go over. I got busy and with one thing and another never got to use the lathe for a long time. Last year SWMBO told me I could no long work forty hours a week and then ride my bike for another forty or fifty. So I got a new lathe to do lidded boxes and bowls.
We were at one of our local turning stores and there were a couple of guys turning pens. She watched them for a while and stated that I could turn her a pen. She picked out a Jr. Gent and an acrylic blank called "goldfish". We got the supplies and headed home I found about 10 each of the slimline and Round top euro that I had gotten back in '99 so there was my practice. I finally got ready to tackle the pen for her and I got such horrendous run out that the bushings were slipping into the holes. 5 blanks later we discovered that the friction from the bit was causing the acrylic to soften and distort, hence the run out.
Yesterday, armed with a spray bottle of water and a firm resolve I drilled the blank and did not get oval holes!!
Anyway this is the result and I have to say I was at a turn a thon a couple of weeks ago and met "its virgil" and a whole lot of nice guys. So I have gotten over the rejection from 12 years ago and will add pens to my turning on a regular basis.
With all the bushings, mandrels, and blanks that it took to make this, I doubt that there will ever be a more expensive pen to come out of my shop.
Any and all comments and criticisms welcome. The pictures are not great but I really am proud of the pen.
We were at one of our local turning stores and there were a couple of guys turning pens. She watched them for a while and stated that I could turn her a pen. She picked out a Jr. Gent and an acrylic blank called "goldfish". We got the supplies and headed home I found about 10 each of the slimline and Round top euro that I had gotten back in '99 so there was my practice. I finally got ready to tackle the pen for her and I got such horrendous run out that the bushings were slipping into the holes. 5 blanks later we discovered that the friction from the bit was causing the acrylic to soften and distort, hence the run out.
Yesterday, armed with a spray bottle of water and a firm resolve I drilled the blank and did not get oval holes!!
Anyway this is the result and I have to say I was at a turn a thon a couple of weeks ago and met "its virgil" and a whole lot of nice guys. So I have gotten over the rejection from 12 years ago and will add pens to my turning on a regular basis.
With all the bushings, mandrels, and blanks that it took to make this, I doubt that there will ever be a more expensive pen to come out of my shop.
Any and all comments and criticisms welcome. The pictures are not great but I really am proud of the pen.
