First closed end pen

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drgoretex

drgoretex

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
543
Location
Winnipeg
Hi all. here's my frst go at a closed ended pen in amboyna burl. Started with an El Toro kit, but used a longer brass sleeve (from an El Grande kit) for the pen barrel, and turned my own finial. Gotta work on the barrel shape, as I was worried about thinning the wood too much, but hey, it's a first go.

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Cheers

Ken
 
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Man I love it when people take pics that close up of their pens! I don't really mind the barrel shape but I would have left the bottom of the cap a little fatter to give the upper and lower barrels a more distinct look. Probably have the finial and the bottom of the cap the same diameter, but really it's not bad at all.
 
Nice pen and great job for your first closed end! What did you do for threads in the cap? Is the hardware recessed?
 
Very nice. I see no issue with the shape on the pen body. I'm a little uncertain about the cap. Don't know if I would have left the center a little larger, or tapered the finial a little, or what for sure, but it LOOKS to have a taper about the lower 1/4 to 3/8 inch, and be pretty straight above that. I really love the transition from body to cap as all wood. a metal ring would really not flow as well.

Technically, it looks superb! Fit and finish are excellent, alignment looks spot on, which can be difficult with closed end pens. The balance and silhouette are very subjective, so don't sweat it too much, just work to get what you think looks right. Keep up the good work!
 
NICE!

What did you use on this one? Did you use a pin-chuck, or an expanding mandrel? I've been toying with the idea of making a few closed ends myself, but I wasn't sure if I should try making a mandrel, or buying a pre-existing one.

Keep up the good work!
 
Thanks for the kind words, folks!

Turbowagon - yes, recessed the thread insert by about 2 mm so it wouldn't show.

gr8danish - I'm a little short on optimum tools, gotta keep the spending down :) but I used the pen mandrel with a standard bushing on the open end, with the mandrel recessed into a short smaller bore hole in the end of the blank, which was then supported with the live center. Cut off the waste, polished the end by hand. I think my next purchase will be a Beall collet chuck and collet set....

Ken
 
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