It hasn't been this fun in a long time

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Daniel

Daniel

Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2004
Messages
5,921
Location
Reno, NV, USA.
I am making a pen. But first a bit of a story. My Uncle will be turning 70 next month. This is that sort of Uncle that was your favorite when you where growing up. He had a son and a daughter. His son Troy was one of my favorite cousins to hang out with during the holidays and what not. Many happy memories with Troy. When we grew up Troy became a very accomplished Pianist and Pastor. When he was 22 he was killed in a head on car crash. Larry My uncle planted a cotton wood tree in his front yard and called it Troy's tree. Trudi, Troy's sister called me a couple of weeks ago asking me if I could make a pen from a piece of Troy's tree. Something with a religious them. My first thought was Eagles Cross. I sent her a photo of an example of it and she loved it. I now have a blank cut from a limb that was barely big enough. the blank is cut and the pocket hole is drilled for the cross inlay. I have now spent two days in the shop trying to get the inlay right. I am close but still not good enough.
The combination of the importance of this pen. the significance of the material and the challenge of making the inlay has brought an enjoyment to making pens back that I have not had in quite a while. Thanks to Eagle and his "Get off your but and go to the shop" SECRET! This will be a pen I will never forget. It is going to be a cigar pen made from Cotton Wood. Nothing special on the surface, while I have never made a pen more important. It is funny what can come together to make a project really count.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
the story makes the difference -- Love a pen with a significant story -- and this has to be among the best of stories.

Thanks for sharing the story - because it is now our story too.
 
I am sure it will be every bit as special for your uncle to hold it as it is for you to make it. Thanks for sharing. Good luck with the inlay, getting it just right can be a bear!
 
Jon, I am finding that bear fairly quickly. Figuring out a few things along the way. I have one more very good idea. I am about to go see if the scroll saw thinks as much of it as I do.
 
Thanks for the story Daniel. Good luck with your project, I have no doubt that with your skills and experience that you will be able to get the fit exactly the way it needs to be. Sometimes a little divine inter guidance with your patience can work wonders. I am sure that we would all love to see the finished product for such a worthy cause. I turned one of the Cross Pens for my uncle when he passed a few years ago to present to his wife, my dads sister, and she looked at it like it was a $.49 pen from the drug store. Not being Catholic I decided rather than selling it to put it away as my remembrance of a great man, marine veteran, and all around great guy.
 
Dale, Originally the idea was for the cross to be a walnut background oval with the cross made of the lightest wood from the Cotton Wood. I spent the entire day trying to get the cross down. the cross part I have but the oval is not coming out oval. My drill press is simply not accurate enough to get the hole drilled straight to the center of the blank and jsut a little run out masses up the oval really bad. so plan B is I will hand carve the oval after the barrel is turned just proud of finished then fill it with Ebony dust. I will then hand carve the cross and fill that with crushed opal. I know I can do the hand carving and simply do not have the time it will take to figure out the cross Eagles way. I will not give up on doing one just because the old fart has ticked me off now.
 
Daniel, Great story and no matter how you do it, it will be special and yes that old fart had a habit of ticking me off about once a week, darn if I don't miss it.

 
Daniel,
How about using a dremel to carve out the needed area. You can get straight edged bits, similar to a router bit. It would probably be easier then a scroll saw, as long as the barrel is in a vise.
 
Thanks everyone, It took 14 hours but I finally got it with the Dremel. Not exactly Eagles cross, But i think he would approve of it being that way. Here is the photo so that people don't think it is all story. I am pretty proud to say that inlay is hand carved.
1_Larrys_pen_finished_2.JPG

Sorry the Photo is not better.
Inlay ended up being Ebony sanding dust and Opal dust for the cross.
 
very nicely done. glad you found a method that worked for you! sometimes the journey is the point, but you got a very nice ending as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom