My son's first pen!- Please encourage him guys!

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tgsean

tgsean

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I taught my son today, and he turned and finished his first pen. I am so proud of him. Let's encourage him friends. Please put your feedback, so he can see it, and improve and be encouraged. Its also the first resin blank that he has turned, also one of the first blanks that we made together using PR!! Its a sierra rollerball finished with CA (which he did). It is our 3rd attempt at making our own blank. The first was just ok, second was better but we like this a lot with opaque pigments and pearlex. We are just making these blanks for ourselves and no intention to sell.

We are desperately trying to find out when should we mix in the pearl ex in order to get good swirl effects?

Any gurus out there?
 

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tgsean said:
Its also the first resin blank that he has turned, also one of the first blanks that we made together using PR!! Its a sierra rollerball finished with CA (which he did). It is our 3rd attempt at making our own blank. The first was just ok, second was better but we like this a lot with opaque pigments and pearlex. We are just making these blanks for ourselves and no intention to sell.
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That is a great first effort! Stash that pen and don't sell or give it away. In a year or two make another pen and take a look to see how far you and your son have come.

I'm leaving on a ski trip this morning. Winter on this side of the world.
 
Well done to both of you - firstly to the young bloke for turning such a great pen and secondly to Dad for encouraging your son to have a go at such a rewarding hobby. I have tried to get my 11 year old son out to the shed to have a try at pen turning a few times but he isnt even slightly interested!
As for when to pour your resin I work on a "try it and see" method! I have been pouring my own blanks for about 12 months and have had mostly good results but also the occasional one that is hidden in the back of the cupboard. I have only tried once to delay pouring until the resin got "tacky' to get a better swirl effect but ended up with 2 cups full of set resin so now pour pretty much as soon as I have everything mixed. I then give it a light swirl with a thin wire once it is poured to mix the colours but not blend them too much.

Hope this helps and again awesome job with the first pen young fella!:biggrin:
 
No Guru here.

I know good work when I see it. That pen looks great. Nice fit. Good color. That is a pen to be proud of by anyone.

Keep up the good work and show us more soon.
 
Nothing like teamwork, to get not only satisfaction of finishing a project, but a member of the team to share it with. Well done!
 
Thanks everyone, really appreciate the feedback. I have been waiting for it to be tacky before I mixed, but that idea of using a thin wire and only mixing a little. Do you have some pics of the swirls or blanks that you have made, so we can get a look see?
 
great looking pen. very well done. i wish my first looked that good and i started in my 30's. i started my son turning this past year also and it has been great to see his love for it. although i made him get a few wood pens under his belt before i let him step up to acrylics.
keep up the good work and enjoy the bonding time
 
Excellent Job and a memory that will be there forever! I really like the blank color and the pen color - great match. Take a picture with your son and the pen at the lathe.

This is my fond memory. This is what he made!!!
 

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Very good first effort. I like the blank and the finish. I would encourage him to work on a closer fit to the components, it looks a good bit proud of the fittings on each end. If he is nervous about turning that close to the bushings then more time with the 150 grit. Still the pen looks really good and can't wait to see his next one.
 
He did a good job! I think the color of the blank really goes well with the plating.

That must be such a great feeling to be able to spend time in the shop together,can't wait to see more!


Steve
 
tgsean said:
I taught my son today, and he turned and finished his first pen. I am so proud of him. Let's encourage him friends. Please put your feedback, so he can see it, and improve and be encouraged. Its also the first resin blank that he has turned, also one of the first blanks that we made together using PR!! Its a sierra rollerball finished with CA (which he did). It is our 3rd attempt at making our own blank. The first was just ok, second was better but we like this a lot with opaque pigments and pearlex. We are just making these blanks for ourselves and no intention to sell.

We are desperately trying to find out when should we mix in the pearl ex in order to get good swirl effects?

Any gurus out there?
Click to expand...

Well, well, well, I was wondering why the blanks I sold you are disappearing so quickly...! so you have another pen turner in the house, huh...???:eek::wink::biggrin:

Great to know, you have a 15 year old son that is actually willing to spend some time with you in the shed/workshop, that alone is and achievement, having him interested in making pens, that a bonus, the only problem I see is, unless you buy another lathe, you may struggle to get him out from it...!

A very good first attempt, no doubt, congrats to both of you...!

As for the PR casting swirls making secrets, lets see, I make those kind of blanks, you buy them from me, you see me everyday sharing ways of doing stuff so, why haven't you asked me before...??? Do you think I have any problems in giving you or anyone else, as I often do here on IAP where I show what I done and they tell what I used and how I did it, no such thing as "trade secrets" here. To many closer to me, they even see me doing them, on the spot so that they see and know fist hand how I do things, I have no problems with that...!

I'm not going to get into details about the resin mixing secrets right now as it's 12:30am here, and I'm tired and ready to hit the fart sack...!:eek::rolleyes:

Cheers
George
 
Great looking pen. The blank came out really nice. Keep your eye's on that young man he's going to be a great turner in no time and be leading the pack in blank making.
 
George, tell me the secrets! I would love to know. I should have asked ages ago. Why didn't I think of it! Well never late than never. So please when you have the time please do let me know, and if there are any videos it would be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Sean & Michael
 
.......he is off to a great start! What better way to spend time with a family member? Well done!
 
He is really excited that so many are encouraging him. He will try and make another one soon! Thanks everyone.
 
Dad will be getting tips from you pretty soon! Keep up the good work.
Nothing better than Father and Son spending time in the workshop together!
 
The pen looks great!!! You said it was a sierra rollerball kit? I never heard of one of those. Does that take a rollerball or a parker refill? I just want to double check, because I would buy a bunch of them if they took rollerballs.
 
Welcome to pen turning! It's a great hobby and it looks like you're off to a great start. Congratulations to both you and your dad for working together. The best time in the world is the time the two of you spend together doing something you both like.
 
:good::good::good:Bravo on your first pen, you two will never forget it. If I were you guys I would be very proud of this joint effort. Put it in a safe place, it is a great memory.
 
Nice pen, he did very good. But like others have said the best part is the time spent with him doing the project. Enjoy it cause that time always seem to be very short.
 
Very nice pen! I put my first one away so I could look back and see it later. Lo and behold, my son (16), has adopted it and really likes it. He has started to check out my blanks and just might start turning soon.
 
Nothing like being able to spend time in the shop together. Really nice looking pen and the fact that you guys even made the blanks together is even better.

CtL
 
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Great job on the pen. Being the first one and a resin one at that works wonderful. Keep at it. Glad to see young people interested in the hobby. I agree have him turn another one and enter it in the contest.
 
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