First attempt

[MDVolle]

Cheap pen kit and first attempt - lots more to learn
Need better light at the lathe - couldn't see the smaller scratches until the photo
Finish took several attempts - kept sanding through the glue layer
Wood is fallen Manzanita from local fires

 

[Drewby108]

It's a good first pen! Beautiful grain and color.

There's a Show Off Your Pens forum for your next pens to get posted in. This one is for other turning projects.

 

[RichAldrich]

Nice pen! Nice wood!

 

[BULLWINKLE]

Great job and nice wood. Many people here swear by CA finish. Personally I much prefer lacquer or a good shellac friction polish. The acrylics I turn are supposed to feel like plastic and they do which is fine . I prefer my wood pens to feel like a piece of furniture and not plasticized with CA over it. lacquer is easily applied, dries fast and preserves the feel of wood. It's all about personal preference so try not to get locked into one thing. You learn a lot by experimenting. If you prefer CA finish stick with it. You did a great job on this pen and the wood is amazing.

 

[target64]

Nice job

 

[Woodchipper]

Very elegant. Love the wood color and grain! I did some "engineering" and hung an old desk lamp over my lathe. I need to take a photo and post it.

 

[leehljp]

Excellent Mark! Either you are an EXCELLENT engineer, or you have had some previous woodworking experience, Or BOTH!
The wood grain shows through well!

 

[MDVolle]

Great job and nice wood. Many people here swear by CA finish. Personally I much prefer lacquer or a good shellac friction polish. The acrylics I turn are supposed to feel like plastic and they do which is fine . I prefer my wood pens to feel like a piece of furniture and not plasticized with CA over it. lacquer is easily applied, dries fast and preserves the feel of wood. It's all about personal preference so try not to get locked into one thing. You learn a lot by experimenting. If you prefer CA finish stick with it. You did a great job on this pen and the wood is amazing.

I'm completely in the lacquer or even oil and wax finish preference group for wood but wanted to understand the CK process and for gifts that will be used hard and never "maintained" it seems like a necessary option - the ones I keep probably won't have a CK finish and the Manzanita is so hard, it will sand to 2000 easily - so it doesn't take much to impart a shine.

 

[MDVolle]

It's a good first pen! Beautiful grain and color.

There's a Show Off Your Pens forum for your next pens to get posted in. This one is for other turning projects.

I'll have to turn some other things to "redeem myself" and a tool handle for a new carbide turning tool might fit the bill - no reason it can't be pretty too...

 

[LouCee]

Very nice!

 

[TDahl]

Beautiful pen Mark. I really like the color and the grain of the blank. The components you chose really compliment the material. Very well done.

 

[Sataro]

Very nice pen!

 

[Hartwell85]

Check out the posts on IAP and YouTube videos by Mark Dreyer on sanding and finishing.

 

[BULLWINKLE]

Also, try to find the tutorial on CA finishing by James Mann whose nickname here is Fangar. He disappeared from this site years ago so it might not be easy to find. He was the undisputed master of the CA finish. His finish was amazing !!!
Perhaps someone here has the link to send you.

 

[RKB]

Beaufort Ink - Achieving success with melamine as a pen finish

Achieving success with melamine as a pen finish

www.beaufortink.co.uk

 

[RoxnDox]

Your first looks much better than mine did. <grin>

 

[derekdd]

Beautiful woods make for beautiful pens.

Killer first try!