HI from MD, USA

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bizmiard

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Jul 25, 2014
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Hello all, looking forward to getting to know you through penturners! I've been collecting fountain pens for a few years now, and have been really interested in making my own pens as well. Just got access to a lathe, and figured it was a good time to try turning.

One of the main reasons I wanted to start turning pens is because I'm pretty dissatisfied with the price/quality ratio on a lot of calligraphy pens and holders, and wanted to take on the challenge of doing it better myself. I have a few I like but nothing custom unfortunately :(.

As of right now I have about 20 pen blanks and a pretty well stocked lathe- if anyone has advice on where to go from here, it would be much appreciated. I've looked at the library and couldn't quickly see what I wanted, I'll go for a more in depth perusal later. Some questions for example, 1) If I buy a pen kit will I still be missing pieces I need to start turning pens, 2) Is there a cheaper way to get the parts I need than a pen kit?
 
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Welcome from Texas.

The pen kits will have everything you need to make a pen except the blanks. And of course if you turn on a mandrel, you will need appropriate bushings for the various kits.

You can buy component parts for a lot of kits and when it comes to fountain pens, there are some here who like to go kitless and make most of the pen from scratch. That's beyond my skill level though.
 
Thanks! Would you recommend starting by making a ballpoint first? From the videos I've been looking at over the last half hour they seem a fair amount easier.
 
bizmiard said:
Thanks! Would you recommend starting by making a ballpoint first? From the videos I've been looking at over the last half hour they seem a fair amount easier.
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An easy pen to start with is a Sierra style. It's a single barrel, and easy to assemble. It's very forgiving as far as the barrel length, so if you take some brass off when trimming, it's no big deal.

Many people start with slimlines because they are inexpensive. But they are harder to make. Because of the small size, it's harder to line up things to press together. Plus there are 2 barrels. But don't be intimidated. I don't mean to make it sound hard because it isn't. There are failures. They happen to the most experienced turners. So if that happens, don't be discouraged. Just don't throw everything away. We call those "Design Opportunities". :rolleyes:
 
Welcome to IAP!

Yup! Go simple for the first 10-20-30 pens. Get a feel for the tools and your lathe. (actually, that goes for the first 100+).

Sierra is an excellent suggestion.

Don't worry about making anything good for a while... That's hard advice :tongue: Just practice.

I wish I could "Recall" my first 50 pens... They probably look like s..t. Don't start with wax friction polish... just skip to Dr's Pens Plus, or a CA finish, or some others... And keep asking Q's.

But... Have FUN!
 
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