Guess who has a prototype Beall Pen Wizard

[thewishman]

:bananen_smilies051:

J. R. Beall hosted an open shop for the Central Ohio Woodturners (that's right - COWs) and demonstrated his new Pen Wizard. He then donated two prototype Pen Wizards to our club. Using a combination of assumed permission and wheedling (actually by promising to demo it to the club) - I have got a Pen Wizard in my very own house.

Mr. Beall says that the Pen Wizard should be available before Christmas and that they are being made here in the states. There are 500 in the first batch.

Anyone wanna come over and play at my house?

 

[toolcrazy]

Congrats, dude. You are a very lucky man.

 

[beck3906]

No pictures, it ain't true.

Rick

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

As Rick said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:search: No pictures, it didn't happen!!!

No pictures, it ain't true.

Rick

 

[DocStram]

Yeah, yeah. talk is cheap. Put your camera where your mouth is.

Umm Chris? What did your say your address is ..... and is the house ever empty during the day?

On a serious note, I'm turning green with envy. Hot dang!

 

[DocStram]

Chris ... you dog! I just visited the COW website and the open house picnic was today from 10 until 4. You posted at 5:30 today! Whoaaaaa ........ get off the computer and get playing with the Pen Wizard. Can't wait to see pictures!!

 

[PaulDoug]

I DO NOT SEE A THING!

 

[thewishman]

I'll try to get a picture. Just got back from looking at Dremel tools - there is a threaded adapter for one and a sleeve for another tool - Foredom or something. I have neither, so I am just practicing turning the knob and changing wheels for different effects. Gonna start with a spiral and work my way up to the guilloche attachment.

It is a compact device with 7 wheels to change patterns and a 24 position index plate along with other things I don't know the names of (of which I do not know the names - Cav.)

Got a Dremel - come over and we'll start 'er up.

 

[thewishman]

A pen mandrel Just the mandrel, not the morse taper, screws into the inside of the indexing wheel and is held in by the brass pointed screw. A rotary tool goes into the black collar on top of the pexiglas - 1st picture, or the collar can be removed to expose a threaded opening for a Dremel.

There are seven extra wheels of various sizes that can be used in many combinations in the second picture. Spirals, wavy patterns and many others are possible.

 

[brycej]

Did Mr Beall give any indication what the price of the Wizard would be?

Now, did you get yourself a Dremel tool? Let's see what this thing can do.

 

[wood-of-1kind]

Chris,
looks like a good (Beall) machine and it seems solid. I see that the "gear" mechanism is plastic (nylon perhaps?). Does it turn smoothly and does it have a solid feel about it? Like others here, I'm anxious to see some reults (pics) of a finished pen. Congrats on the score and please do keep us posted.

 

[Darley]

Could you tell us the price of this little toy and any successful pen yet or post the miss up blanks just to see Thanks

 

[fstepanski]

Very cool Chris, congratulations.. Can't wait to see a couple Beallized pens...

 

[ahoiberg]

i must have missed some posts about this, i haven't heard of the pen wizard. does it take the lathe out of the picture or something? it kinda looks like a really small taig or something.

 

[turned_for_good]

Disregard

 

[thewishman]

The price is about $350 and it runs very smoothly. Very little pressure is put on the gears - it is powered by a hand crank.

After turning a blank to correct size at the ends, and leaving a bit of material for embellishment, a mandrel (Berea makes the ones that screw into the MT arbor) screw the mandrel into the metal piece held by the indexing plate (left front inside on the 4th picture.) A rotary tool (you supply) in inserted in the holder (top middle of the 1st picture) the depth of cut is controlled by a screw at the bottom of that assembly, and set the gears to make the kind of cut you desire.

Turning the hand crank turns the mandrel and moves the rotary tool along its length. After a pass, move the index plate to the next position and return the crank to start another cut.

This link shows some samples that were cut and then filled:
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1227&highlight=beall+wizard

There are many other cuts and designs that can be made. I'll post some when I get the Dremel and practice a bit. I have to get a buffer, too, to polish the finished blanks - sanding won't do the trick.

 

[thewishman]

This should answer a few questions

http://jrbealltool.com/lathewiz.htm

The Lathe Wizard is a different device - no longer made. The Pen Wizard is a stand alone tool about 15"x6"x about 6" high. It weighs around five pounds.

 

[altaciii]

How does one get on the list for this little puppy? I gotta start selling pens so when the time comes, I may be one of the lucky 500.

 

[brycej]

Go to the Beale website and send an email asking to be notified when it becomes available.

 

[alamocdc]

Two words for you, Chris. You suck! :devil::wink:

Congrats, my friend, and please forgive my jealousy. Now hurry up and post some results!:biggrin:

 

[desertyellow]

Thanks for sharing the good news.
Do a full write up on it so we can live vicariously through you.

 

[Ligget]

Looks brilliant, great score my friend!

 

[drayman]

chris, now thats what i call a gloat:tongue::tongue::tongue: well done.

 

[Jarheaded]

This totally sucks, I have a complete dremel setup and no wizard to use it with. Want to trade?

 

[Darley]

Thanks for sharing the good news.
Do a full write up on it so we can live vicariously through you.

Ditto, Tutorial would be nice, you see now what you done to yourself:biggrin:

BTW the little toy will be available next month, that what JR say to my email

 

[thewishman]

Ditto, Tutorial would be nice, you see now what you done to yourself:biggrin:

BTW the little toy will be available next month, that what JR say to my email

He told us that if everything goes right, it should be ready in about a month. I added a bit of time to cover possible delays.

Just got back from borrowing a Dremel and bought the pen mandrel that unscrews from the MT taper. I just sat down to catch my breath before cutting and drilling a few blanks to try this thing out.

I'll get some experience and try to get some pictures, too.

 

[thewishman]

Here are some photos of the Wizard at work (the machine - not me. Lots of adjustments, I need to fine tune the depth of cut. Took out the secondary gear and just made spirals in walnut. Advancing every index hole made the lines quite close together, tried three and then four holes for more space between lines.

Lots of things to try out. Only took 25 minutes to get things set-up and running, including figuring out the Dremel. Too tired for more tonight.

I'll try for better pictures tomorrow.

 

[Mikey]

I see now, it looks to be a small pen size version of the tool PenWorks has. (can't remember the name of the company but the cost is like a grand)

 

[gad5264]

:bananen_smilies051:
Anyone wanna come over and play at my house?

PM me your address, I am only 20 minutes North of you.

 

[titan2]

Looking forward to when they're available for all of us.

I got a e-mail from JR and he said to watch the site and that they should be out in a month or so.....

I'm waiting....

 

[Woodlvr]

I look at his web site first thing when getting on the internet. Guess I started a little early, about one month ago. I guess that my eagerness guides my actions.

 

[DocStram]

So Chris .... my very good friend .... are you getting bored with that Pen Wizard??? Don't you think it's about time you sent it down to Macon so your closest friend (me, of course) can have a chance to play with it????

 

[thewishman]

I've invited Grant over - Al you can come over, too.

 

[rjwolfe3]

How far is Reynoldsburg from Mansfield?

 

[Skye]