My best of pen

[Displaced Canadian]

Blank is alumalite with 3 different colors. Boat is veneer. A lot of fun to make. However the people in the office are wondering why the big paper cutter doesn't cut as well as it did before.:biggrin:

 

[ironman123]

Good looking pen there DC. Is it a tow boat, house boat or what? Thought it was a tow/push boat but didn't wee any push knees.

It is still a great looking pen. Really like that blank.

Ray

 

[BRobbins629]

Nice entry!!

 

[Displaced Canadian]

Have you been talking to my wife? :biggrin: She asked how I was going to put tires down the side of it because that it what they have on tug boats. The 2 boats I used for inspiration were the Luna and the Arthour Foss. Up north most of the tugs you see either tow or are tied up beside the barge. It is fun to watch them work.

 

[mredburn]

excellent entry,

 

[mikespenturningz]

Love that pen. The blank is just beautiful. I also like that stainless steel hardware set. I have made several of those!

 

[Canadian_Kid]

very nice! I like the boat as well as the colors and swirls in the blank.

 

[Jjartwood]

Cool looking pen,love the color in the blank, I am amazed at how you get the clear
clean image when working with pieces that small,I try to imagine a pile of what appears to be toothpicks on the table and thinking "where do I start?" beautiful work.
Mark

 

[Displaced Canadian]

The secret to a clean image is when you are done making the boat coat it with as much thin CA as it will hold. When I am done with each section I coat it with CA then with clean sandpaper sand off the extra. Then after it is all put together I do it all over again and just wipe off the extra. This pretty much fills all the voids in the wood so it stays clean for turning. Just watch as you turn and if you see grain stop and apply more thin CA. Also don't do any more final sanding than you have to, try to turn it as close as possible to final shape. I used tape to hold it in the mold, just be mindful of the orientation or the completed pen may have an upside down boat on it.
I do have to give credit to Jeff Powel because the look of his scroll sawed blanks is what gave me the general idea for this one.