Little bit of lemonaide from a lemon.

[BSea]

I had a red dino bone blank for a few weeks (a long time for me in my short pen career). Anyway, I decided to make a cigar pen from it. It was my 1st cigar pen, and I was a little excited to get it done. Well, I heard how hard some of the tru-stone was to turn, and this one said an intermediate tru-stone. Well, I did take a long time getting it round. Took a long time drilling it so it wouldn't blow it out. At this point I thought I was home free. Well, did you know that it pays to pay attention to instructions? And if you get the bushings mixed up on a cigar, you basically have some really nice looking tubes? Well, if you don't know these things, just ask me.:redface:

Well, after a day of getting away from pen making, I thought I'd make a long clicker. Partly because they are easy once they are drilled, and I really like those pens. When I was deciding what blank to use. I remembered I had a block of ebony. So I decided to use that. When cutting the ebony, I saw the small piece of red dino done that was left over from my last . . . . . ummmm . . . . . . . project. I thought it looked good with the ebony, and I'd just read this thread:

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=79007

So I decide to combine that idea & my remnant of red dino bone with some sheet aluminum to accent the fake centerband. Here's the result.

I did find out that if you want to really learn how to finish, then practice on something black. I spent more time finishing this pen than any other, and I still see some scratches.

Critiques & comments welcome.

 

[G1Pens]

Outstanding. I am a big fan of the long clicker (other than the drilling). Your treatment of it is fantastic. The dino bone really sets it off. I think it is a perfect combo.

 

[thewishman]

That is some nice lemonade!

Mixing up cigar bushings, never heard of that.

I remind myself, "The biggest of each pair goes on top."

Even after making many, many cigars, I should have a punchlist, "The long one goes on the bottom."

 

[firewhatfire]

I messed up my first cigar pen and ever since keep them on a ziptie in order of putting them on. I like the the band did you use aluminum can to edge it or something else?

Phil

 

[BSea]

I messed up my first cigar pen and ever since keep them on a ziptie in order of putting them on. I like the the band did you use aluminum can to edge it or something else?

Phil

I bought a piece of sheet aluminum from hobby town (I think that's the name of the store) for aout $1.50. It should be enough to do 20 or 30 pieces It cuts easily with kitchen scissors. This was my 1st time doing this. It was real easy, and turned out better than I expected.

I turn all my pens between centers, so the zip tie thing won't work for me. But I will be extra careful next time. I might number mine with a dremel engraver.

 

[TreeBits]

I always learn alot from my mistakes and occasionally get turned onto some positive new technique or style. Good work! Tom Hale

 

[KenV]

Those scratches are a difficult challenge to get out. If you use power sanding , the power sanding heads applied lightly with fresh abrasives do help cleanup surface scratches. I cannot tell from the photo, but looks like a couple of deep scores into the wood and those have to be done before the finish.

The colors combination works --