Dan's First Pens

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WarEagle90

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Apr 28, 2019
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My first pens. Excuse the messy background, a photographer I am not :)


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From left to right(order of build): Legacy hex pencil using a spruce 2x4 for the blank, Yari ball point dressed in black palm and finally, a Cigar wearing olivewood. There are noticeable issues with the first 2. When I went to insert the tube in the blank for the hex pencil, I failed to realize how fast the CA sets (I use a lot of wood glue, but rarely have I used CA) and fiddled around looking for something to push it home and by the time I got around to it(few seconds), it had set with about a 32nd of the tube sticking out. Instead of throwing it out, I carried on and will just use the pencil in the shop. It works fine. With the Yari, I didn't get the ends of the blank square so they do not seat against the pen parts fully. It's a small flaw, but it's there. You can also see some imperfections in the CA finish on the Yari. It's a long story, but it could have been prevented, newbie mistake. I think the Cigar turned out well, for my third pen. There are some minor imperfections if you look real close, but all in all I'm satisfied with it. Let me know what you think, I appreciate constructive criticism. Thanks for looking.
 
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magpens

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You've done well !! . Black palm is not the easiest of woods, either for turning or for finishing, but you seem to have managed very well with it.. . Your cigar in Olivewood is very good. . I think you are well on your way !!

If as you say, the tube was out only 1/32nd" for the first pen, you could have just turned off that little bit of brass, made the wood barrel the required length for the kit, and let it go at that. The mating hardware goes in sufficiently far that the overall pen would not have been compromised by the little bit of wood unsupported by brass tube .
 
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Alan Morrison

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Good start Dan, and welcome to the site.
There's plenty to learn here, so ask plenty and make good use of the super library

Alan
 

Sataro

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Looks like you are on a roll. Those first three look good. Good job on that black palm. It is definitely more difficult to work with.
 

WarEagle90

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Thanks for all the kind comments.

Mal, now that you point that out, it makes perfect sense, but it never crossed my mind. I'll file that little piece of knowledge away and hope I never have to dust it off but you never know :wink:

Yep, the black palm was much harder to turn, but I just took my time and it worked out ok. I really love nice wood and pen turning will give me the opportunity to work with some of the more exotic woods that I might have otherwise never had the chance to use simply due to cost. I'm currently not planning to sell the pens I make, just doing it for the enjoyment and to give to friends and family. The cigar/olivewood pen has already garnered 5 requests from my office and a couple at my wife's office so it sounds like I will be busy for a while.
 

naynay

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May 20, 2019
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I took wood shop in Jr high school YEARS AGO and we didn't make anything remotely to pens. I have never used a lathe until this past Sunday. A friend is a woodworker and I asked that the next time he donates pens to the Boyscouts to let me know so that I could buy a pen. My friend replied back "you could come over and make your own pen..." I accepted the challenge and told him to tell me when and where. I figured that would be the end of it but days later, he called me out. I went over to his garage/shop which is full of tools and with his guidance, I turned my very first pen. My friend gave me a carbide tool at first but I think it was too long for me to handle and kept jabbing the wood. Once I got a shorter handle in my hand, the cuts got better. A bit of a challenge being left-handed and my teacher is right-handed but it worked. First there were lessons on test wood to get used to using the lathe then it was on to the real deal. My pen is perfectly imperfect and I know what the imperfections are, but I will use this pen and I think it is a great first time pen. I picked the black/white ebony for the contrast. I owned a Mont Blanc years ago but got rid of it because I was afraid to take it outside my home. I will use this pen every day with no reservations. Here is a pen turned by someone who has never touched a lathe. My sister is familiar with the wood because her and her husband went to Shri Lanka and he wanted to buy an ebony piece of wood but she informed me the person refused to sell it because it was illegal? Sounds strange but he was refused the sale. I have NO TOOLS or anything and have been bitten by the pen bug. I figured I would buy a few ebony blanks and other blanks and think about workspace when I get the kits. I'd like to make a his and her set for my sister and brother in law.
 

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naynay

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Not to mention a mini lathe...

Yeah, where to put said mini lathe. I live in a duplex, have no garage. The only thing I can think of is to pull it out, put it on a small table on the porch, clean it off and take it back inside to the corner of the living room when not in use. I try not to let apartment living get in the way of too many things. I got rid of furniture a while ago just to have room for my sports stuff. I saw a small table lathe that Harbor Freight sells. It will do the job. I don't the budge to go all in so it's just little by little. I'll start buying some blanks to have, then kits(not too many) and buy the time I buy it, I'll be able to make a few pens.
 

pshrynk

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Yeah, where to put said mini lathe. I live in a duplex, have no garage. The only thing I can think of is to pull it out, put it on a small table on the porch, clean it off and take it back inside to the corner of the living room when not in use. I try not to let apartment living get in the way of too many things. I got rid of furniture a while ago just to have room for my sports stuff. I saw a small table lathe that Harbor Freight sells. It will do the job. I don't the budge to go all in so it's just little by little. I'll start buying some blanks to have, then kits(not too many) and buy the time I buy it, I'll be able to make a few pens.
You might consider the Pen Pal by Penn State Industries. It's light and very portable and is a good place to get started.
 

Alan Morrison

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The photograph of your pen has gone awol
At least it's not coming up for me, though I'm sure that I saw it a couple of days ago

Alan
 

naynay

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Joined
May 20, 2019
Messages
88
Location
Fallon, NV
My first pens. Excuse the messy background, a photographer I am not :)

View in gallery

From left to right(order of build): Legacy hex pencil using a spruce 2x4 for the blank, Yari ball point dressed in black palm and finally, a Cigar wearing olivewood. There are noticeable issues with the first 2. When I went to insert the tube in the blank for the hex pencil, I failed to realize how fast the CA sets (I use a lot of wood glue, but rarely have I used CA) and fiddled around looking for something to push it home and by the time I got around to it(few seconds), it had set with about a 32nd of the tube sticking out. Instead of throwing it out, I carried on and will just use the pencil in the shop. It works fine. With the Yari, I didn't get the ends of the blank square so they do not seat against the pen parts fully. It's a small flaw, but it's there. You can also see some imperfections in the CA finish on the Yari. It's a long story, but it could have been prevented, newbie mistake. I think the Cigar turned out well, for my third pen. There are some minor imperfections if you look real close, but all in all I'm satisfied with it. Let me know what you think, I appreciate constructive criticism. Thanks for looking.
"/>
 

Alan Morrison

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Jan 15, 2019
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I tried to view your pins in the gallery but I get a parse error. I clicked on the live link that says "view in gallery" but nothing comes up but an error. How does one see the pictures with links like this?
Hello naynay. When I posted it was ( as you said above ) Dan's photos, War eagle 90 that I couldn't bring up, yours are fine.
Incidently, you may be better starting a new thread yourself when inserting your own photos.
Best regards
Alan
 

naynay

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Your right. I should not have highjacked his thread. I thought it was a public "First Pens" thread. That was bad manners of me.
 

WarEagle90

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Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
384
Location
Waverly Alabama
Not bad manners, Renay, bad title. The confusion is on me. Now that I look at it, most any one would make the same assumption. I'll see if I can get Jeff or one of the moderators to change the title so it's not misleading. I think my photos are missing due to the forum upgrade. I'll repost them tonight.
 

WarEagle90

Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2019
Messages
384
Location
Waverly Alabama
My first pens. Excuse the messy background, a photographer I am not :)

View in gallery

From left to right(order of build): Legacy hex pencil using a spruce 2x4 for the blank, Yari ball point dressed in black palm and finally, a Cigar wearing olivewood. There are noticeable issues with the first 2. When I went to insert the tube in the blank for the hex pencil, I failed to realize how fast the CA sets (I use a lot of wood glue, but rarely have I used CA) and fiddled around looking for something to push it home and by the time I got around to it(few seconds), it had set with about a 32nd of the tube sticking out. Instead of throwing it out, I carried on and will just use the pencil in the shop. It works fine. With the Yari, I didn't get the ends of the blank square so they do not seat against the pen parts fully. It's a small flaw, but it's there. You can also see some imperfections in the CA finish on the Yari. It's a long story, but it could have been prevented, newbie mistake. I think the Cigar turned out well, for my third pen. There are some minor imperfections if you look real close, but all in all I'm satisfied with it. Let me know what you think, I appreciate constructive criticism. Thanks for looking.
"/>
 

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Alan Morrison

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Jan 15, 2019
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Dan, if these are your first pens you are well on the way. Black palm can be a testy thing to turn. Welcome to the bottomless pit.
Alan
 
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