Lesson in patience...

[McKenzie Penworks]

I'm not sure this pen qualifies as showing off, I'm just happy I got it together. This stuff is Glulam or Paralam that I got in a box of blanks from a guy I've bought from several times before. Talk about fragile!

I decided I'd cut up a few pieces and put them in some turquoise alumilite in hopes that the pressure would fill most of the voids. Apparently many of the voids are buried enough that even under pressure it didn't get there. If I do it again I might have to try and stabilize it first though I'll have to research the glue to make sure it won't screw it up.

I'd made sure to liberally apply the epoxy I used to glue in the tube to minimize chances of it blowing up. Still managed to have this come apart on me twice on the lathe. Thankfully it came apart in chunks big enough I could CA glue them back together with a little bit of dust in the missing areas. Not my best turning job but once it was close I decided to cut and run with what I had. It might just be a cheapie Sierra kit from a certain notorious Chinese supplier but it was definitely a good lesson in not giving up on a pen and learning how to piece it back together!

 

[Jim15]

That looks great.

 

[Charlie_W]

I think your patience served you well! A very unique looking blank and it appears to be turned and finished very nicely!

For some reason feel this blank might be more at home on another kit. Perhaps the black portions of the hardware stand out and conflict instead of complimenting the blank.
Still, a very nice job and save on the blank. I am looking forward to your next version of the Paralam pen blank.

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Not my favorite kit for sure but it was a safe way to play without sacrificing another one. I've got 3 more of these from my initial casting, any suggestions? Part of me wants to try a longer one like the Zen rollerball...

 

[Charlie_W]

Not my favorite kit for sure but it was a safe way to play without sacrificing another one. I've got 3 more of these from my initial casting, any suggestions? Part of me wants to try a longer one like the Zen rollerball...

A Zen is a very good palate as the blank takes center stage to the pen components. And now, the Zen is available in a fountain pen version.
Also note that the blank can be reversed easily by unscrewing the nib & finial and switching direction of the blank.
Another plus is with the magnetic cap, there are no threads to get damaged.
I like to turn the blanks straight on these pens. Then they sit flat on a desk. With a curved blank, the cap end is heavy and will not sit flat.

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Yep, I've turned a handful of them and I think they are great pens. Only issue I've found is with the Chinese version the gold plated ones don't quite have enough magnetic attraction and the cap ends up way too loose. Thankfully I have a few dayacom made ones here still. Can't wait to see how many voids I find in that long pen body lol