JimGo
Member
OK, not quite. I still need to get myself set up to do spirals! (hint hint Bruce!) 
But, considering it was about the seventh pen I've made, and the first attempt at a base, I don't think it came out too bad. It's a purpleheart desk set that I made for a friend at work for her birthday next week. Over all, I'm pretty pleased, although it was my first attempt turning something of the size of the base, and the first time using any inlay material, and I think I can do both better. The inlay was a pain; I used thin CA at first with the black embossing powder, and I think I'd be better off with medium or thick, this way it doesn't dry quite so quickly. Had to skew-down the pen and base once the inlay was dry to get off all the rogue pieces of embossing powder, but over all it isn't bad.
I finished both the pen and the base the same way, although the base looks better in this picture. I sanded using Abramesh through the entire range, then MM through the entire range. Drilled a two-step hole for the pen tip, and sanded the inside. Did the inlay and turned down as described above, then re-sanded with MM. 2 coats of BLO/CA using thin CA, then 2 coats of some shellawax. Let the shellawax cure for a day or two, then a coat of TSW which was buffed using a little buffing wheel I got at Harborfreight. Comments/criticism welcome.
But, considering it was about the seventh pen I've made, and the first attempt at a base, I don't think it came out too bad. It's a purpleheart desk set that I made for a friend at work for her birthday next week. Over all, I'm pretty pleased, although it was my first attempt turning something of the size of the base, and the first time using any inlay material, and I think I can do both better. The inlay was a pain; I used thin CA at first with the black embossing powder, and I think I'd be better off with medium or thick, this way it doesn't dry quite so quickly. Had to skew-down the pen and base once the inlay was dry to get off all the rogue pieces of embossing powder, but over all it isn't bad.
I finished both the pen and the base the same way, although the base looks better in this picture. I sanded using Abramesh through the entire range, then MM through the entire range. Drilled a two-step hole for the pen tip, and sanded the inside. Did the inlay and turned down as described above, then re-sanded with MM. 2 coats of BLO/CA using thin CA, then 2 coats of some shellawax. Let the shellawax cure for a day or two, then a coat of TSW which was buffed using a little buffing wheel I got at Harborfreight. Comments/criticism welcome.
