A Step up from Slimline

[Drewboy22]

I ordered a few things from PSI last week that finally showed up :biggrin:. One of the items was a 7mm Variety Pack that I thought would be cool because I only have a 7mm drill bit. Poking through it I see the "Designer" Series and think why not. So I get the bits out last night and get to gettin'.

All in all it was not that hard of a pen to do. I do have some trouble keeping my cut "flat" across the barrel and this pen has a longer bottom barrel so it took some patience and some real light cuts. Here is the final product.

And Please C&C are welcome and encouraged.

 

[Charlie_W]

Andrew,
Looks like you nailed it! A nice looking pen for sure!
What wood did you use?

 

[BSea]

I love euro's (aka designer). If you want to try something fun, replace the centerband with one of your own. And you can also do a custom finial to replace the kit finial. Don Ward (Its_Virgil on the forum) does some really nice slimline mods, and has written a book on the subject.

 

[Skie_M]

That particular variety pack comes with a 10-pack of 5/8" square by 5 1/2" cocobolo blanks... but it looks like you've pulled out some wenga or bocote ...

 

[Drewboy22]

Andrew,
Looks like you nailed it! A nice looking pen for sure!
What wood did you use?

Thanks! I used the cocobolo that came with the pack.

That particular variety pack comes with a 10-pack of 5/8" square by 5 1/2" cocobolo blanks... but it looks like you've pulled out some wenga or bocote ...

The wood used was from the pack of cocobolo. I think the wood turned out nicely. On the blank itself, one corner had a real light color to it and that is where you see the light "Bump" on the lower tube.

 

[eranox]

That's a fine looking pen! The Euro/Designer kits are my favorite 7mm kits. I probably make more of them than any other kit. Yours turned out very nicely! What did you use for a finish?

 

[Drewboy22]

That's a fine looking pen! The Euro/Designer kits are my favorite 7mm kits. I probably make more of them than any other kit. Yours turned out very nicely! What did you use for a finish?

Thanks for the compliment

When I first read the distructions it said something about cutting a tenon and to be honest, that did scare me a bit. I have only done slimline so I know nothing about cutting tenons or the proper depth or ... (on a side not why do they make them so we have to cut a 7/16 tenon or insert the twist mech until 13/16 is showing? Who not make it 1/2 in and 3/4 in? You are only talking 1/16 difference.) Back on track. When I got home and pulled the kit out I noticed that I got the "New" kit that does not require the tenon, so that made me happy.

For the finish I used 12 coats of CA, wet sand to 12K, and Hut plastic polish.

As for the Finished product... I like the feel and heft of this pen. The top has some weight to it and It feels better when I write than the slimlines.

 

[Skie_M]

Mmm ... usually, in my cocobolo, I see a lot of the lighter yellows and some absolutely stunning oranges popping out when I stain/seal and finish with CA. The stain I use is Minwax Stain and Seal (natural wood color).

I also make sure I wipe down with rubbing alcohol to remove the last of the sanding dust and surface oils and dirt right before I apply that finish .... sanding is up to 1000 grit dry before the finish, 12,000 MM after, wet.


As for the "tenon" thing ... PSI has graciously adjusted that kit to include the Designer "NT" design (No Tenon). You can still specially order the older design that required cutting the tenon, but the newer one is MUCH easier to work with, and as that kit you bought is supposed to be for a "beginner" pen turner, easier is better.

You can glue the "tenon" center band in place against the upper barrel, or you can leave it free floating like a typical center band.



Also, with that "proper depth" thing for the twist mechanism .... well, the twist mechs that they use are all sourced from the same bin for the 7mm style pens. They are all made the same way with the same design so as to reduce the price as much as possible. It is common sense to press the mechanism a bit, then check the depth you're at using the refil and repeat as you go till you are happy with the extension. Keep in mind that you want to check the motion of the twist mechanism every time when you press it, to make sure you are not pressing the "in" setting all the way out to the full "out" extension location by mistake!

 

[Drewboy22]

Mmm ... usually, in my cocobolo, I see a lot of the lighter yellows and some absolutely stunning oranges popping out when I stain/seal and finish with CA. The stain I use is Minwax Stain and Seal (natural wood color).

I also make sure I wipe down with rubbing alcohol to remove the last of the sanding dust and surface oils and dirt right before I apply that finish .... sanding is up to 1000 grit dry before the finish, 12,000 MM after, wet.

I did use some denatured alcohol and instead of the Minwax I used some Boiled Linseed Oil.

I saw someone use minwax under their CA finish once but I am a little skeptical. Several people use the minwax to coat their bushings so the CA wont stick. I want the CA to stick to the pen so I have tried it yet.

 

[Skie_M]

I believe that was a typo on their part ... CA wont stick to wax. Minwax stain and seal does not contain any kind of wax. It does, however, contain about 1/3 boiled linseed oil, if I have the contents remembered correctly.


Using turtle wax to coat my bushings helps a little bit, but I rarely bother anymore. I got some nylon rod and made myself some cone shaped bushings for finishing.

 

[Dave Turner]

Excellent job! The Designer style (I think of as the European style) was also one of the first pens I made and I still like the looks of this classic design. In addition to the 7mm ones that take the Cross refills, I also like the slightly larger 8mm version that takes the Parker refills. Of the 8mm, I like the Berea Round Top European and also the Neopean from Lau Lau Woodworks in Honolulu the best. Both are great quality component sets.