PenWorks
Member
I totally missed this kit in the new Craft Supply catalog & Wayne brought it to my attention, So something new, gotta try it. I ordered a dozen kits with the mandrel. Not much to the kit, 1-7mm tube, a tension spring & little ball pen that takes the mini refill. When you buy the package, you get another 7mm drill, a small mandrel & 1-7mm bushing.
I saw the photo Bob posted of his and thought, okay it's a nice pen, but nothing exciting. The instructions state drill a 1 7/8 deep hole, to fit the tube and cut your blank about 1/8 longer than the tube. I had these pieces of celluloid laying around that were the perfect overall length 2 3/16, So I drilled the 7mm hole, note you donot drill all the way thru the blank.
Did my barrel trimming, put the mandrel on my chuck, snugged up the tail stock........and.........did a little double take.
There is no place for me to navigate my big hands, The tool rest is to far from the stock and I was cutting material that is not that easy to cut. Just ask RT.
Needless to say I did not enjoy cutting this. Way to small of work for me, Got my self in a jam or two with my tools hitting the chuck, hitting the tail stock. Plus allot of hand sanding the end.
Had I not glue upped 4 blanks, I would have stopped after the first one. When I was finished, they did nothing for me. Bob said he bought 5 kits and has enough for a lifetime, well I guess I have enough for two lifetimes.
Took them up stairs to show my daughter & friends that were over and they flipped, thought it was the coolest thing I made. (go figure)
I said. Happy Thnaksgiving, keep them they are collectors items because there will be no more from this turner.
When it comes to pocket pens, I compare them to what's out there and my high standards. In the photo is what I believe to be the best pocket pen available, good German ingenuity from Lamy for only 32-38 dollars. Try em, you may like turning them, I don't.
Sooooo, what to do with my other kits.........next post....Anthony
I saw the photo Bob posted of his and thought, okay it's a nice pen, but nothing exciting. The instructions state drill a 1 7/8 deep hole, to fit the tube and cut your blank about 1/8 longer than the tube. I had these pieces of celluloid laying around that were the perfect overall length 2 3/16, So I drilled the 7mm hole, note you donot drill all the way thru the blank.
Did my barrel trimming, put the mandrel on my chuck, snugged up the tail stock........and.........did a little double take.
There is no place for me to navigate my big hands, The tool rest is to far from the stock and I was cutting material that is not that easy to cut. Just ask RT.
Needless to say I did not enjoy cutting this. Way to small of work for me, Got my self in a jam or two with my tools hitting the chuck, hitting the tail stock. Plus allot of hand sanding the end.
Had I not glue upped 4 blanks, I would have stopped after the first one. When I was finished, they did nothing for me. Bob said he bought 5 kits and has enough for a lifetime, well I guess I have enough for two lifetimes.
Took them up stairs to show my daughter & friends that were over and they flipped, thought it was the coolest thing I made. (go figure)
I said. Happy Thnaksgiving, keep them they are collectors items because there will be no more from this turner.
When it comes to pocket pens, I compare them to what's out there and my high standards. In the photo is what I believe to be the best pocket pen available, good German ingenuity from Lamy for only 32-38 dollars. Try em, you may like turning them, I don't.
Sooooo, what to do with my other kits.........next post....Anthony
