My first Apollo

fnfalguy · Sep 24, 2023

First off, thanks @KateHarrow for the fun and handsome kit and fast order processing and shipping and @rherrell for the step bits. I was very nervous as prior to this my limited experience has been with typical kits. I didn't want to use a "fancy" blank for this as I was terrified of a few things:
1) Epoxying the parts together
2) Epoxying the blanks together
3) Having the blank explode on me when it was without tailstock support.

Only #2 happened, but fortunately I was able to separate the two blanks. The blank was cut from a olivewood cutting board from home goods or Marshall's. I got a bit thin while turning and hopefully the cap hold up and doesnt chip out. Finish was friction polish and the next time I'm breaking out some Italian acrylics for a go.

derekdd · Sep 24, 2023

Nicely done!

Hippie3180 · Sep 24, 2023

Well done, beautiful olive wood, and it wasn't hard was it?

fnfalguy · Sep 24, 2023

Hippie3180 said:
Well done, beautiful olive wood, and it wasn't hard was it?

Thanks, and not nearly as bad as I envisioned in my head. Probably go with attempt two in a couple of weeks. Next week I'm heading down to Philly and plan on stopping by the Penn State retail store. That can't get too expensive, can it?

Hippie3180 · Sep 24, 2023

fnfalguy said:
Thanks, and not nearly as bad as I envisioned in my head. Probably go with attempt two in a couple of weeks. Next week I'm heading down to Philly and plan on stopping by the Penn State retail store. That can't get too expensive, can it?

You'd better take out a loan.

Have fun!

Lew · Sep 25, 2023

Good workmanship on that pen. I like the way you matched the grain when it is closed. The friction polish finish goes perfectly with the olive wood.

walshjp17 · Sep 25, 2023

That's certainly one beautiful pen. Olive wood really stands out when you don't have to fuss with the extraneous hardware in most kit pens.

egnald · Sep 25, 2023

Very Cool - and encouraging. I haven't dove in to my Apollo kits yet. You did a fantastic job matching the grain up. - Dave

KateHarrow · Sep 25, 2023

Phenomenal job!!! Thank you so much for tagging me so I'd see this - I don't check here enough. This is a beautiful pen. And as a Philly native, please have a cheese steak or a hoagie for me while you're in town

Mike · Sep 25, 2023

Very nice pen. As others said, great job matching the grain. I love the olive wood. I bought a home goods or whatever store olive wood cutting board as well. Got some nicely figured blanks out of it.

Mike

sorcerertd · Sep 26, 2023

That came out beautifully. I do like the way the cap circumference is smaller, but that is definitely a thin wall on it.

My first Apollo

fnfalguy

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derekdd

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Hippie3180

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fnfalguy

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Hippie3180

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Lew

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walshjp17

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egnald

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KateHarrow

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Mike

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sorcerertd

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