I just started turning a couple months ago. I started out making conducting batons for my wife and just finished my first pen. I have been lurking this site for a while for inspiration. It is made from ebonite and silver. I made a small brass insert for the section because I wanted to use a threaded converter and I also wanted to limit the pen's diameter to 14mm. Trying to do both caused the wall of the threaded portion of the section to be too thin, so I made the brass insert because it can handle having a wall thickness < 0.5mm.
I think I am going to remake the cap because in bright light the middle of it is slightly brown. I'm not sure if it was just a bad section in the ebonite or if I got it too hot while turning, but none of the other black parts had that happen. I also didn't follow my original plan of making the ring for the clip first, turning the cap to be flush with the ring, and then soldering the clip portion onto the ring last. I was impatient and too excited to try out my clip idea that I completely assembled the clip before turning the cap. Then when I turned the cap, the clip ring ended up being slightly proud of the cap surface. I would prefer everything be smooth as you run your fingers down it. Another thing I would do differently are the threads on the barrel. I made the barrel flush with them because I think it looks really good, but after adding the cap, I think having a very slight step at the base of the threads would make it look better when capped.
I think I am going to remake the cap because in bright light the middle of it is slightly brown. I'm not sure if it was just a bad section in the ebonite or if I got it too hot while turning, but none of the other black parts had that happen. I also didn't follow my original plan of making the ring for the clip first, turning the cap to be flush with the ring, and then soldering the clip portion onto the ring last. I was impatient and too excited to try out my clip idea that I completely assembled the clip before turning the cap. Then when I turned the cap, the clip ring ended up being slightly proud of the cap surface. I would prefer everything be smooth as you run your fingers down it. Another thing I would do differently are the threads on the barrel. I made the barrel flush with them because I think it looks really good, but after adding the cap, I think having a very slight step at the base of the threads would make it look better when capped.
