Pen Kit Comparison

[woodtoolguy]

Is there a comparison chart that is available to determine which pen kits are the same, but out on the market under different names?

 

[magpens]

No, there isn't.

The closest thing to that is the tables of kit data which our Library Manager, Wayne, maintains .... in the "Resources" section.
But you still have to have quite a bit of basic "kit knowledge", and a lot of patience and perseverance to assemble the info that you're wanting.

For example ..... who would ever think that a company would name their pen kit "Tenacious" ?
But there is such a kit name ..... marketed by Woodcraft.
And it is identical to a kit sold under a different name by another prominent company.

But, far be it from me to spoil your fun and tell you which kit or which company !! . . . . Actually, I forget !!!

If you find it, let me know ! . . But there is no prize !!!

 

[Kcimdrib]

I find it staggering that there are so many Kits available it seems that in the UK we do not have so many. But I guess that it depends on personal preference,
I don't make Pens for income but for pleasure, I prefer a kit which allows imagination in the turning. When I look across this site a good many rely on the kit to make the Pen attractive guess its called Eye Candy and if you are selling Pens this is important.
I try to find Kits which allow maximum wood exposed I do not use Acrylic because it gives me little scope.
So we come back to personal choice there is no right or wrong.
All of my Pens are well received and some do have slight defects. But Wood is a natural thing.

 

[civilwartalk]

I don't disagree with your thinking, but there is one flaw I've encountered, as soon as you start jumping from one manufacturer to another and buying what are essentially copies, or "clones" of another design, you find tiny differences.

For instance, in the Slimline kits, just about every manufacturer has a "version" of the slimline. However, you may find that the inner tubes vary in height ever so slightly, so your refill either always sticks out, or never comes out at all. Or, maybe the tube diameter is just a little bigger or smaller than another manufacturer, and sure the same drill bit may work for making both kits, and the tube might be slightly snugger or looser in the blank, nothing CA Glue, or Epoxy can't handle. But when you go to insert the other manufacturer's pen parts in this tube and make a functional pen, the troubles begin, things are either too tight / won't go together, or too loose / fall apart when they shouldn't.

I just bought some slimline tubes from Woodcraft, but I forgot that my wife bought the kits I had from Woodturningz, that didn't match up so well. The new tubes were too tall, and too tight for Woodturningz parts....

I've seen the same issue with real Sierra's and Sierra clones, as an example, the Rockler versions called Manhattans are "just a little" different, I don't recall which ones are bigger or smaller, but siting side by side you can see a difference between the tubes, so you know the fit won't be perfect. Maybe you can alter some of the tubes to be shorter if they are too long, but I don't know how to make a tube longer, do you?

So, a list "might" be useful to an extent, but then again, it's not helpful if you plan on sharing the parts between different kits....

 

[Kcimdrib]

I think I lost the plot a little and rambled on a little. Here in the UK I know of no such list and it would be big challenge to create one.

 

[jttheclockman]

First there is no such list and kits can change so regularly and yes they are clones but usually the parts have different looks which gives them their distinctness. Just find a kit you like and stick with it till you find something else. Forget about interchanging parts. Just label parts for whatever kit they belong to. There are way too many other concerns when turning pens than that. KISS. that is the saying that works well in this hobby.

As far as wood vs acrylic is a matter of choice and both work well In my mind plain wood is a such a bore I do not even look at pens done with it. Even boring historic wood is not what I want to see. Now burls and exotics can have some appeal and beauty. Now acrylics too can attract the eye. Over the some 35 years I have been selling items I always noticed color attracts peoples eye. Throw in segmenting and you got the Holy Grail of pen turning.

 

[Kcimdrib]

I respect you comments but cannot understand how wood can be described as boring it is a natural product and as ben used for years to make beautiful items.
I realise you make pens to sell which probably clouds your judgement.
But again a lot of the Pens I see for sale rely on the Glitter of the kit and have minimal creativity from the Turner.
I do it as a hobby and like to add my own take on the finished product.
But again to each is own whether its for pleasure or profit.
I agree that using a kit which suits you and not mixing parts is the best idea.

 

[jttheclockman]

I respect you comments but cannot understand how wood can be described as boring it is a natural product and as ben used for years to make beautiful items.
I realise you make pens to sell which probably clouds your judgement.
But again a lot of the Pens I see for sale rely on the Glitter of the kit and have minimal creativity from the Turner.
I do it as a hobby and like to add my own take on the finished product.
But again to each is own whether its for pleasure or profit.
I agree that using a kit which suits you and not mixing parts is the best idea.

It is very easy for me to say these things. It does not cloud my judgement at all. I have worked with wood for over 40 years and my main hobby is scrollsawing but turned to pen turning. I use mainly red oak in my designs. It is the designs and patterns that sell the piece and not the wood. I use Baltic Birch on items as well and that has to be the most boring wood but cut into a pattern and people look past the wood. Now this is my opinion. But yes a piece of plain wood can look good if it were on a piece of furniture which has a larger mass. But then the shape and other details can take over. With a pen it is such a small canvas. Sometimes the kit can enhance or even detract from a blank. But when you take various colored plain woods and segmented them in geometric designs it gives that wood a different look. But put a piece of plain oak on a pen blank and you do not have my interest. Yes mother nature does a great job with the wood product but look how many times here that pretty wood has character such as burls or color or inherit growth patterns. Can also get into weather people like a shiney finish such as CA or a natural feel and finish on a wood blank. Again matter of preference. Just my opinion and good luck with your pen turning.

Just one other thing you touched on and that is creativity of a kit. I let my blanks sell my pens and not the kit. I will use a kit designed to enhance the blank because of a theme but mostly the blank is the eye candy. Not sure how much pen turning you have done but you will find the many aspects of blank making to be more fun and rewarding if you look into casting, segmenting, clay working and so on. The mind is your only limitation. I am constantly making blanks that I have never done and many people never thought of. This is what drives me in this hobby. I do not sell alot of pens. I give more away than sell. I do this for the pleasure. My main seller is my scrollsaw work.

 

[PatrickR]

Straight grain defect free wood does make a rather plain pen. Until I started making pens I would always buy lumber that was defect free, straight grain and quartered whenever possible. For pens just the opposite. I go for the worst looking pieces I can find.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kcimdrib]

I have been Wood Turning about 12 years and am still learning I have been playing Golf for nearly 40 years and still learning so I guess the learning process is on going.
I enjoy being involved with IAP and getting involved with others.
Considering this thread started with cataloguing pen kits its amazing whats come out of it.
Just enjoy what you do.