Aluminum pens

[jahlg]

I have access to round aluminum stock, and would love to try and do a pen out of it, anyone done this, and do i need a metal lathe to accomplish this task, or can my Jet mini handle it?? Im always looking for new things to turn!

Joe

 

[btboone]

Hi Joe, There are a lot of people who have made an aluminum pen on their wood lathe. It can be done. Take thin cuts to remove the bulk of the metal without chatter and finish with a radius end cutter. It takes lots of sanding to get it smooth, but the results are worth the effort.

 

[smoky10]

What type of aluminum? The best to use is 6061 aluminum. Most of the rest is too hard for your use, especially the stuff from lowes and Home Depot.

 

[Fangar]

http://www.penturners.org/content/alcigartut.pdf

is a good place to start. Under tutorials on our home page.

Cheers,

Fangar

 

[Skye]

Fangar's not one to blow his own horn, I'll do it for him.

His great wordless aluminum Baron tutorial: http://www.thepenshop.net/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=872&PN=1

 

[btboone]

Honk Honk. Yup, Fangar's pen is great. The only thing with aluminum is it will have to stay waxed to avoid the white oxide that would eventually form if left a while untouched.

 

[kgwaugh]

but I think you will find that Fangar uses clear powder coat to give a pretty darned tough clear-coat to his al pens...not bullet-proof, but pretty good.

Gene