My first! It's ok to laugh, I am.

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MarkHix

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Jul 6, 2007
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Carrollton, Texas, USA.
Howdy! I completed my first pen today. It was a blast. It only took me 3 blanks and 4 tubes. I pushed the twist mechanism in too far so I had to get another one of those too. I glued 2 fingers together. I had watched a CA finishing turorial that used a paper towel. Yep. Had to sand the paper towel off the pen. LOL It writes so it is a success. Can't wait to make my second one! Hope you see the humor in this that I do.
 
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You are now beyond a beginner! You experienced most of the pitfalls in one pen! Congratulations! A GREAT Experience, you didn't give up, and you came out with a very good looking pen for a first one!

ON the twist mechanism, it is probably salvageable, if you didn't bend it. PSI makes a disassembly tool and most people buy a set of punches from Harbor Freight that do the job.
 
Mark,

I see the humor but I also see a nice first pen. Be sure to keep it as a reminder of the expence $$$$ your getting yourself into[:D].
 
Looks better than my first. Here's a hint. I apply CA with a folded up piece of paper towel also. With the lathe turning at about 7-800rpm, I put 3-4 drops of thin CA on a corner of the paper towel, then run it along the blank without really any pressure. I used to glue paper towel to myself regularly until I started doing it this way. Thick CA takes longer to soak through the folded towel so I rarely have trouble with the thick.
 
Well dang Mark, no wonder you're having trouble -- look at all the checks in the wood you're usin' [;)]
And, none of us has ever glued our fingers together -- how'd you accomplish that. [}:)]
Seriously, that looks better than my first pen did. Nice fit.
Keep having fun.
Gary
 
I'd be very proud of it. My first pen outside class, I glued the long tube in the short blank, and I'm embarrassed to say some of what I've done since. Congratulations.

Originally posted by MarkHix
<br />Howdy! I completed my first pen today. It was a blast. It only took me 3 blanks and 4 tubes. I pushed the twist mechanism in too far so I had to get another one of those too. I glued 2 fingers together. I had watched a CA finishing turorial that used a paper towel. Yep. Had to sand the paper towel off the pen. LOL It writes so it is a success. Can't wait to make my second one! Hope you see the humor in this that I do.
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What amazes me is that you only glued two fingers togeather! My first pen i glued half my hand together and that was just gluing in the tube! [:)]
Nice clean pen, good job! My question is, do you know what you've gotten yourself into? [:D] Welcome aboard!
 
Mark,

Way to hang in there. You have a very credible first pen. More importantly, you understand that this is not serious work, this is fun!! Never part with the first pen you make, there are too many memories attached.

Welcome to the insanity, and thanks for the trip down memory lane. Paper towel makes an interesting sound when spinning on a lathe, doesn't it? [:D]
 
Yeah, CA glue makes for some fun accidents. I have glue my fingers to about everything that is in a penmakers inventory. What is the blank you used for the pen. Nice looking pen by the way.
 
Thanks for all the nice words. I woke up this morning thinking about turning the next one.
The blank was some scrap poplar from another project. It was very easy to turn and had the right price.
 
Very funny. I got "stuck" to my first blank when I was inserting the tube, trying to get it off the insertion tool. What a mess.

Your pen looks good. I have my first pen in a jar on the counter.

Brian
 
Looks great! Glad you clued us in to most of the accidents that can happen with pen turning. Nobody here has ever done anything like that.[;)][}:)] Seriously though, nice job. Careful not to glue the blank to the mandrel when finishing with CA. Nobody's ever done that either. [}:)][}:)]
 
Good looking pen and congrats for "sticking" with it. It's definitely better than my first. Heck I thought picking CA off of your fingers was a normal activity while watching tv [:D]
 
Mark I think we can all laugh. I know I did some pretty funny things trying my first. Keep that pen and look at it one year from now to see how you have improved. That is a mighty fine first pen. Keep'em coming.
 
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