2 firsts 1 pen

[firewhatfire]

This is my first acrylic and first cigar pen. It will be a retirement gift for my as he is retired after tomorrow for all practical matters as he has vacation till the end of the month.

Let me hear the good, bad or anything else you can come with about it. It took a while to do as I was terribly scared of messing it up.

Thanks

Phil

 

[BSea]

From what I can see it looks really good. About the only thing I'd suggest is that when you take pictures of a dark pen, put it on a light background. How do you like the cigar style personally? I've not bought any of those yet.

 

[G1Pens]

Looks very good to me. Looks like the fit and finish are very nice He should be very happy with it.

 

[firewhatfire]

I messed up the first set of blanks I turned, the bushings are 4 different sizes and dont go together the way you think they should(or at least the way I thought they should). I had the 2 center bushings backwards is all. It is a nice pen set other than that.

Phil

 

[ctubbs]

Phil, overall that is one fine looking pen. About the bushings, you are in very good company. there are many here with the same learing curve. That probably won't be the last time you do that.
The black background makes it difficult to see, but it looks like the lower barrel may be just the tiniest bit proud. it may be the curvature of the kit parts that makes it look that way more than anything else. From end to end, you have a very good fit and finish. The blank is beautiful and turned and finished very good. keep up the good work.
Charles

 

[firewhatfire]

Charles it probably is a bit proud as you say. The acrylic part of it had me sweating as I worked it. I figured I better quit while I was ahead, and it is smaller than the one I messed up.

Always appreciative of the help given here.

Phil

 

[ghostrider]

Phil, overall that is one fine looking pen. About the bushings, you are in very good company. there are many here with the same learing curve. That probably won't be the last time you do that.
The black background makes it difficult to see, but it looks like the lower barrel may be just the tiniest bit proud. it may be the curvature of the kit parts that makes it look that way more than anything else. From end to end, you have a very good fit and finish. The blank is beautiful and turned and finished very good. keep up the good work.
Charles

I noticed that also.

Other than that, I think the pen looks pretty good. Just remember that if you have to be "nit-picky" to find fault in your own work, your still doing good work.

I guess I'm different in that I started out with the Cigar kit rather than a slim style. How this relates to your pen is that I've found that I like (prefer) to keep the lower barrel in line with the upper barrel, making it "proud of the coupler ring. To keep the lower barrel from overshadowing the coupler ring, I give the end an exaggerated rounded look. That way, instead of going to the edge of the coupler ring, and then 90* down, It rounds down to the couple ring (sometimes even slightly below it). I like my cigars like that. It gives them a more "beefy" look while still giving the hardware a chance to show it's stuff.

 

[boxxmaker]

Beautifull.like said though,a lighter background would (I think) make them stand out better.I just started making pens about a month, ago and put a few of the cigar pens together wrong,luckily I was able to save the pen itself.I still have to be carefull when putting the bushings in the right place,when turning the pen

 

[bobjackson]

Looks great to me. Nice job. I'm sure it will be cherished.

 

[Dudley Young]

:biggrin:I agree with everyone but you didn't say who was retireing. Looks better now?

 

[ctubbs]

Phil, I still remember my first non wood pen that I turned. Talk about nervous, it was a Toni Yellow Rose blank set for my Bride. I was afraid to even put it on the lathe much less apply sandpaper, yes paper, no tools, to it. For your first acrylic, not even counting a brand new type kit, you did wonderful. I absolutely had no intention of being critical of your work. Heck, My second expensive blank is my daily carry FP and it is nowhere near perfect.

The day I make the perfect pen, one that I can find no fault with, I'll pull the plug on the lathe, sell all my tools and bask in the glory. I truly hope that day never comes!

Charles

 

[firewhatfire]

It is my boss director that is retiring after 30 years of law enforcement and 9-1-1 director service and he did really like it. Said he would use it in his new consulting jobs meetings and maybe sell a few

 

[Drstrangefart]

It's definitely a very nice piece of workmanship. My first acrylic was a slimline and I was SOOOO skittish. It took 3 more before one exploded on the lathe on me. The small chunk still glued to the crushed tube remains in my shoebox o' scraps. Beautiful combo of blank and kit, to boot!