First attempt

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M

MDVolle

Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2023
Messages
23
Location
Lake Elsinore CA
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

Pen 1a.jpg
 
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
Excellent Mark! Either you are an EXCELLENT engineer, or you have had some previous woodworking experience, Or BOTH! đź‘Ť
The wood grain shows through well!
 
BULLWINKLE said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Drewby108 said:
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.
Click to expand...
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...
 
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.
 
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.
 
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