Turning a blank

[Woodchipper]

I'm still learning this pen stuff but I just finished an acrylic blank for a pen. I had trouble with having some high and low places in it. I used a sanding block with 150 grit to try to level the surface. Worked OK but still had one place that had a small dip in it. I used a roughing gouge to round the blank and then moved to a spindle gouge. Made sure they were both sharp and touched up the edges with a DMT diamond file. Never had this with turnings in the past but I 'm sure I'm overlooking something. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated from the forum members.
FWIW, I put my hand on the gouge with my thumb over the top and use my fingers as a guide to keep the gouge cutting at the same distance all along the tool rest. Make any sense? Just thought- might be moving the end of the handle up and down?

 

[lyonsacc]

Until you get a better feel for how much you have turned, or where you want to be at, you may want to stop your turning a little sooner (leave it a little fat) and then sand. When I am out of practice (which is most of the time) I almost always screw up Cigar style pens by taking off a little too much. . .

 

[Woodchipper]

Thanks. I have all kinds of sandpaper- wet and dry. Lived in Cincy many years ago- just around the corner from Mt. Airy Park, off Colrain Road.