First (and second) pen!

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panamag8or

Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2011
Messages
577
Location
Hogtown, Florida (Gainesville)
So, I've been lurking around for a long while, and love all the info here. I finally got my lathe today! It's a used Rikon 70-100, that I got used from one of the members here. I have never used a lathe in my life, but it looked like something I could get into, since I am anal about details, lol. My girlfriend got me one of the PSI starter kits, and I got to turning!

The one with the clip is the first one I did. I didn't quite get flush with the bushings, but it doesn't look bad, and it works. The clipless, I did right after. I like it much better, and my GF snapped it up and claimed it right away.

They are the generic rosewood blanks, with 3 coats of Shellawax, and the 24k slimline kit.
Sorry about the crummy pics, but... baby steps, right?
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Retract the refill on the second one and see if it fully retracts into the body. It appears the tip extends too far out.

If it doesn't retract fully, you may want to disassemble it and not press the transmission in so far.

Otherwise, you're on your way.
 
panamag8or said:
... I am anal about details ... My girlfriend got me one of the PSI starter kits ... I didn't quite get flush with the bushings, but it doesn't look bad, and it works ... baby steps, right?
Click to expand...

A great start! And based on the snippets I quoted above, I'd say you've got the right combination of a critical eye, priorities, and patience to really excel... and that GF seems like a keeper, too!
 
When you are trying to get your material flush with a pen part I would suggest a digital caliper to check the diameter of the pen parts not the bushings. There can be a variation between the two and the "flush" must be with the parts. It took me a long time to buy my first digital caliper so you might as well start using one sooner rather than later.
 
Thanks guys! I can tell I'm going to love this, and yes the GF is a keeper. The second pen does retract, I got nervous and went to check again, lol. I can definitely see calipers in my near future, especially for some of the other things I want to do.
 
Welcome from the Evergreen State!
Its kinda funny to see your pens and then to look back at the first ones that I turned a few years ago, they could make a matched set. Before you know it you will be pouring your own blanks and making kitless pens.
 
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