Baseball bat pen help?

[Woodlvr]

My granddaughters that play fast pitch pitch softball, 8yrold, 9 yr old, 11yr old 13 yr old, have decided to ask Grandpa to turn some (150+ probably) bat pens for their league participants. I have researched and asked a few questions to no avail. What wood is best, I have seen Hickory and Ash mentioned most I believe. I would just like to make a 5" to 6" long bat and just insert a Bic style ballpoint in it. Also they would like me to make them in different colors, I am not sure which woods would hold the "Dye" the best. Of course their ideas are for some for their team colors, and let each girl decide on a color to either match her favorite color or her favorite bat color-UGH!!! Any opinions and ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am sorry for the wordy post-It seems that I cannot explain myself in short sentences anymore-getting old-er sucks sometimes. Thanks all.

 

[bensoelberg]

For 150+ pens that need to be a variety of colors, I wouldn't worry too much about the wood species. I would use maple or whatever you can get cheapest, turn them to shape, sand them down, drill the hole for the Bic and then turn them over to the girls to paint however they want.

 

[mredburn]

If your going to donate a 150+ pens would plain ole pine work? That many pens is going to be a lot of work and it could be a lot of expense. THen as Ben states let them decorate them.
Mike

 

[Andrew_K99]

When searching for a picture of the rosewood capped baseball bat pen I bought while in NY last year I found this site. For 150 pens, it would cost $4.10/pen and that includes laser engraving! Not that you want to buy them, or spend $600 on pens but I was surprised how 'cheap' buying this type of pen was.

I've been looking for a kit that I could modify to make a few like this but haven't come across anything yet (or I am just not creative enough).

AK

 

[OldGrumpy]

When searching for a picture of the rosewood capped baseball bat pen I bought while in NY last year I found this site. For 150 pens, it would cost $4.10/pen and that includes laser engraving! Not that you want to buy them, or spend $600 on pens but I was surprised how 'cheap' buying this type of pen was.

I've been looking for a kit that I could modify to make a few like this but haven't come across anything yet (or I am just not creative enough).

AK

I received a pen like the one pictured for a stocking stuffer Christmas gift. Thought it would be really neat if PSI or one of the other vendors would offer such a kit.

 

[worknhard]

I had a similar project a couple years ago... it wasn't making pens but it did involve turning nearly 100 baseball bats about 5" long.... I used oak. The project didn't take as long as I thought... the turning goes pretty quick once you can visualize the proper bat proportions. It just depends on how detail you want to get. To make it as easy as possible I started from 5/8" red oak dowel rod. The finishing process for each bat took longer than turning the bat shape. All of mine were natural color.... they turned out pretty nice. Since you plan to dye yours different colors you might want to use the wood that handles colored dye the best... perhaps maple or birch. Good luck!

 

[its_virgil]

I've made well over a hundred of those exact same kits. I purchased them from a supplier in England and they were sold by Craft Supplies UK. Sadly, the kit is no longer available where I was getting them. I have not found a source for the kits. I have contacted several guys who make the and they do not reply. I suppose they are not IAP mambers:biggrin::biggrin:. I suggested to several suppliers to stock them but no one was interested.:frown::frown:Still Looking.
do a good turn daily!
Don

When searching for a picture of the rosewood capped baseball bat pen I bought while in NY last year I found this site. For 150 pens, it would cost $4.10/pen and that includes laser engraving! Not that you want to buy them, or spend $600 on pens but I was surprised how 'cheap' buying this type of pen was.

I've been looking for a kit that I could modify to make a few like this but haven't come across anything yet (or I am just not creative enough).

AK

 

[Woodlvr]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and advice. Ben, I had not thought about letting them decorate them themselves, Great Idea. I think that I will use some light wood so they can decorate them and if they use markers and pens it will soak in, I hope. I am hoping since this is a "Grandpa project" that I will not be thought of badly for letting them do them themselves. Quite a few of them has seen my pens at craft shows for the support of the league. Thanks again.

Mike

 

[rrlove]

I had a similar project a couple years ago... it wasn't making pens but it did involve turning nearly 100 baseball bats about 5" long.... I used oak. The project didn't take as long as I thought... the turning goes pretty quick once you can visualize the proper bat proportions. It just depends on how detail you want to get. To make it as easy as possible I started from 5/8" red oak dowel rod. The finishing process for each bat took longer than turning the bat shape. All of mine were natural color.... they turned out pretty nice. Since you plan to dye yours different colors you might want to use the wood that handles colored dye the best... perhaps maple or birch. Good luck!

Did you use a mandrel, trying to think of how to turn this...maybe between centers?

 

[BRobbins629]

I've done some stick baseball bat pens with water slide decals for names and logos. Just another decorating idea. Tried ash but maple seemed easier.

 

[its_virgil]

I used to make that exact pen purchasing kits from the UK. I've made scores of them for local little league and softball teams. The company I purchased from stopped carrying the kits and I've not been able to find another source. I still look from time to time. I now make baseball bat pens from slimline kits.Do a good turn daily!
Don

When searching for a picture of the rosewood capped baseball bat pen I bought while in NY last year I found this site. For 150 pens, it would cost $4.10/pen and that includes laser engraving! Not that you want to buy them, or spend $600 on pens but I was surprised how 'cheap' buying this type of pen was.

I've been looking for a kit that I could modify to make a few like this but haven't come across anything yet (or I am just not creative enough).

AK

 

[its_virgil]

When I was getting those kits and making the pens I tried to get several suppliers to order and carry them. No one was interested.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

When searching for a picture of the rosewood capped baseball bat pen I bought while in NY last year I found this site. For 150 pens, it would cost $4.10/pen and that includes laser engraving! Not that you want to buy them, or spend $600 on pens but I was surprised how 'cheap' buying this type of pen was.

I've been looking for a kit that I could modify to make a few like this but haven't come across anything yet (or I am just not creative enough).

AK

I received a pen like the one pictured for a stocking stuffer Christmas gift. Thought it would be really neat if PSI or one of the other vendors would offer such a kit.

 

[its_virgil]

Here is the kit mentioned in an earlier post and the same one I've made. When I was making them I found the kits here but the MOQ was way beyond what I wanted to get. Now they have changed their policy. I would be interested in going in with some others to get a larger discount. Never ordered from this company and know nothing about the process.

http://www.penkits.com.cn/products.asp?classid=1732

This link may or may not work. I had to register and wait for approval. Give it a try.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[quaddrussell]

You can modify a slimline without a center band and either turn it closed end or make a cap that matches. I used a maple 1 inch smoker stick I found on Amazon, box of 88 1X6 sticks for $27. You have to dry them a bit but they turn great.

 

[magpens]

Kinda glad I don't have any grand-daughters ... don't think I could make 150 pens the same !!

 

[Gregory Hardy]

Not necessarily "high-end pen-making," but letting kids do their own decorating is a really good idea. Since this is one of those "OMG - what did my kids get me into" moments, you need cheap and easy. Maple accepts Sharpie marker colors really well with limited bleeding. Bore, turn and sand. No finish. Teach a brief lesson on the use of masking tape to mask before coloring, and turn 'em loose. Then you can be the second-coolest grandfather on the planet. (Olivia and Margaret, my granddaughters, already think I am the coolest Papa.) Good luck, brother. Nothing too good for the grandbabies.