Need Comfort Pen Advice.

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William Young

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Jul 8, 2004
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Wynndel, British Columbia, Canada.
I turned my first two comfort pens today. Don't everyone laugh at once about the appearance of the rubber grip. I'm learning with various kits .[:I] [:I]

Comfort%20Pens.jpg


Problem # 1 was that I used the bushing set recommended for comfort pens which is a standard 7 mm .330 for the tip end and a .420 for both the centre and clip end. When I pushed the clip on the end of one, I realized that I sould have used a .330 bushing on that end also and not a .420 as supplied. So I dissasembled it and put them both back on the lathe and turned them down to a .330 bushing so that the clip cap matched the diameter of the top of the pen.

Second problem was that there was no instruction about turning the tip end of the blank down to accomdate the thickness and length of the rubber grip so I pushed the grip over the top and I think it looks bad sticking out from the pen that way. Please inform if it is supposed to be on top the way I have it or set in to be flush with the lower barrel. I feel pretty sure that I have it wrong in which case I will simply remove the grip and have a modified power pen.

Growing pains ... .. .. Aargg ! !
W.Y.
 
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I had just finished reading the instructions before I saw this post. The instructions are not great but do indicate that the standard .330 bushing is used for the upper end of the upper barrel. The 2 .420 bushings are for the center and the tip.

The instructions also indicate that the lower 1 inch should be parted off the accomodate the confort grip. This information is in both step 5 (Lower Blank) and in the drawing.

If you got your instructions from some other source, you might try downloading a copy from http://www.pennstateind.com That is where I got mine.
 
Hi Bill,
had the same problem you did with first one i did. since i us calipers to measure the o.d. of the rubber grip. turn the top of pen, thenturn bottom round. part off section for grip. turn parted off end down to size of calipers and finish to the bushing in center. hopefully you shoule be able to finish the pen then. i try to sand just a bit more on the parted off end. seems to help me. nice finish on those pens, still a work in progress for me. hope this helps, let me know how it turns out! Jeff
 
OK , thanks guys. I'm like the skunk standing if front of the fan , .. .. it's all coming back to me now.[:0]
I had printed the same instructions from PSI and I learned a lesson on this one . Always read <u><b>both </b></u> pages when starting a new one that I have never done before. I skipped the first page and only used the second page for the assembly and that caused me a major screw up. [:I] Oh well, it's not the end of the world. I think I'll survive. [:o)]
I'll see if my 7 mm dissasembly tool will take it apart and re-do it. The tool works great on slimlines and these are the same 7 mm tubes so it will probably work. ( I hope).
I am wondering now if the rubber grip will go back to its normal size after it being stretched out over the top of the pen.

W.Y.
 
Here is an update. Same two pens,.. a little later
It's a done deal. I dissasembled them, corrected my boo boo and re-assembled. The rubber grip on the teak pen is still a little stretched but I am going to tightly bind it with elastic bands for a day or so and see if it gets back to its original diameter.
The honduras cherry one fits just right.
This has been a lesson in making comfort pens that I wont forget.
Thank you all for your help.
W.Y.

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William, if the grip does not shrink back the fix is pretty simple. Drill a short blank, square one end, use CA and glue it to the tube. Then just turn with a taper down to the nib size and you will have a very nice two toned pen.

Wayne
 
Just my input but I have sold about 50 of these. People seem to prefer the rubber grip when it is matched with acrylics or corian or dymondwood. When I do wooden pens in this style, I always leave off the gripper. I think people like them because they are slightly fatter than a slimline (kind of like myself) [:)]

Chris
 
I made 3 of the comfort pens today and I leave the gripper off altogether because I like the fatter style.

<b>Image Insert:</b><br />
1759_182Sassafras%20n%20Red%20Grenadillo%20Comfort.jpg
<br /> 34.16&nbsp;KB

<b>Image Insert:</b><br />
82601830_184Zebrawood%20n%20Bobote%20Comfort%20Pen.jpg
<br /> 27.3&nbsp;KB

<b>Image Insert:</b><br />
0482601911_183Mulberry%20n%20Wenge%20Comfort%20Pen.jpg
<br /> 30.04&nbsp;KB
 
Bev;
Those are awsome. I dont think I will use the gripper anymore either and I agree with the fact that they look nice fatter and without it.
What is the little black strip betweem the laminations on the top two pens? Ebony , or a plastic material or something else. Sure looks nice.
W.Y.
 
Didn't think anyone would notice. I use a fine permanent ink pen and just outline the insert. This also hides any imperfection in the way they match although I haven't had any trouble matching them so far. Just a little trick I thought of.
 
I was curious about that too, Bev. I have heard that some folks use a veneer to keep certain woods from bleeding into lighter woods like Holly. Have you tried that? I'm about to make my first multiple-wood pen as soon as the doctors give me the all clear.
 
Hi Bev;
Those three beautiful pens you showed in this thread were an inspiration to me because I just had to try one similar to that. So now I am a copy cat but this gives me some ideas to try different things with these pens.
Rather than using comfort kits, I would think a slimline kit would work just as good if a person could get the oversize bands separately or even make our own with contrasting wood. I must go back and read that article again about making center bands.
As far as I can tel, the insides of this one are the same as the slimline kit but double the price where I get them.
W.Y.

BTW;
I tried my first attempt with CA finish on this one and I couldn't get it to work right so I sanded it all off and went to plan B and put on the finish that I am presently using. I havn't given up on CA though (yet).
64861304.jpg
 
Try calling the guys at woodturningz about ordering just bands. Even though PSI won't sell them that way, I was ablt to order some of the slimline elite bands seperately from woodturnings. Give them a call and see what they can do for you. Bev, I like the pens. You have to have some seriously steady hands if you did that with a permanent ink pen. I would have lines all over the place. Nice job!
 
When I glue up contasting woods, I seperate them with veneer. I usually use two pieces, and I like a softer wood. That way the venner under the clamping pressure will take care of any little imperfections.

I have also just started turning my own centerband. I turn them with the pen blank, so there is no bushing in between. It allows you to shape the pen as a whole rather then two halves.
 
Thanks Bev;
I just made that one last night and went to the coffee shop in town this morning and showed it to the ownwer of the coffee shop. I had not even given thought of what it should be worth but when she asked , I said $40.00 and she couldn't get the money out fast enough. That one is for her husband and she said she will be getting more from me for Christmas gifts. Now she wants a gift box for it so I will take some in to show her.
W.Y.
 
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