Inlay Pen Blank Kits from Kallenshaan or Wood-N-Whimsies

[Hartwell85]

Has anyone used inlay pen blank kits from Kallenshaan or Wood-N-Whimsies and what are your experiences with them? What is your opinion of the quality and ease of assembly and glue up of individual pieces and tube? What advice can you give for turning and finishing?

If you used kits from both suppliers, do you prefer one over the other or consider both equal as far as quality is concerned?

 

[its_virgil]

I've only used the inlay blank kits from Kallenshaan Woods. I have used the easy ones and the more difficult ones. Follow Ken's instructions and you will be good. Ken's instructions are very detailed. He assembles the blanks in several ways and his instructions are what he thinks is the best procedure.

I use a skew to do the turning. Most will be close to final diameter when assembled. I do very little sanding following the skew. If I do sand, I can start at 320 then use 400. A sanding sealer of some type will help to keep the colors from bleeding onto each other.

They are fun to make and are quite unique.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[jttheclockman]

I second what Don said. I too only use Ken's inlays and also use a skew to get to final dimensions which is normally close already when put together. Some kits are easier than others but all can be done. A good pair of glasses and a good pair of tweezers will be helpful.

 

[Sly Dog]

I've made 5 or 6 Kallenshaan Woods blanks and they are a lot of fun IF I am in the right frame of mind and give myself the right open workspace. I say this because some of the blanks have pieces that are…well…to say the least…tiny. So tiny that a wrong move with the tweezers can shoot them off into the shoposphere never to be found again. For this reason the lighthouse pen I made for my wife has a missing window or two, and the Black Lab pen I made for myself has a brass-tube colored toe, which I unsuccessfully tried to to fill with black CA. Some folks use pins to spear the pieces, and I've tried that too. I also don't exactly have the hands of a surgeon - they can be a little shaky depending on what I was doing before starting to assemble one of these things, adding to my frustration level with the smaller pieces. I know when I finally got that little dark piece to fit in the Black Lab's hip, I had to stop and take me a little drink because I earned it! . In hindsight, the whiskey might have steadied me enough to get its nose in.

I know I'm describing operator issues and not an issue with the blanks. The pieces all miraculously fit, but for some of the kits it's not always an easy fit. I just think they require more patience than the average bear. Once you have it turned down and put that first coat of CA or whatever on, though, they look really, really nice. Ahhhhh.

 

[jttheclockman]

Russ does make a good point. Work on a large table and either over a box top lid or at least a sheet or two of white paper because some of the pieces are so tiny. When assembling he gives you small rubberbands. Use them!!! Glue them to the blank. They will turn off and believe me they will save you a headache. here is an example or two of his kits.

 

[JohnU]

I've made several of Kallenshaan's inlays also. Some are more difficult than others but all of them work out great following the instructions. I recommend coloring the brass tube black before starting. I usually just use a large sharpie to darken it. That way it doesn't build up on the tube like paint will. Also, you can't use too much glue. I always saturate the entire blank with thin CA after assembly. It will soak in all the cracks between the pieces and help hold it all together for turning. A clean work space and plenty of light helps! Good luck!

 

[jcm71]

I agree with all the above. I have done a number of both. The advantage of the WW blanks is that they come pre assembled, and covered with rubber bands to keep the pieces in place. They also have a brass tube already inserted ,but not glued in. You have to remove the tube and fully saturate the design with thin CA before turning. I have found that the WW pieces have a slightly looser fit than the KW ones so be careful. It is very easy to lose one, so be careful.

 

[magpens]

I have used the inlay kits from both of the vendors mentioned.
The W-n-W designs are mostly quite a bit simpler than the Kallenshaan designs.

Putting together the Kallenshaan kits is a lot of fun, even though some of them are quite challenging and can require patience.
In my opinion, Ken (of Kallenshaan) does a remarkable job of designing and making his kits.

I especially like his dog inlays and the people that I give the finished pens to are very excited to receive them !
I finish with CA and polish to a high gloss.