Started working on some Christmas gifts

[dthayer]

Howdy!

This is going to be a fun Christmas -- no problem coming up with gifts... pretty much everyone on my list is getting a pen! :biggrin:

I've gotten a good start on them and wanted to share my progress so far:

The first one is for an uncle that does woodworking and has always given us some great hand-made gifts. I wanted to do something special for him so I tried using some purpleheart with oak segments. The kit is a Jr. Aaron.

The second one is for a good friend that I've know for waaaay too many years and I wanted to do something segmented for him too. I used some great cutoffs that I got from TonyL (THANKS AGAIN!!). I think the wood may be Bocote. The wood and acrylic pieces are separated with brass. The kit is a Caballero.

Next is one I did to donate as a silent auction item for the Harvest Festival at our church. It is a Faith/Hope/Love kit with an acrylic segmented cross blank from Exotic Blanks.

The final one in this batch is a Music Twist kit with a Lava Lamp Golden Glow blank. This was made for our son's high school steel drum band teacher.

Well, that's it for now. I hope you enjoy. C&C are always welcome.

Have a great weekend!

 

[Sappheiros]

They're all such great pens! The second one, segmented wood/acrylic really catches the eye. I wouldn't have thought a pairing of those colors would work, but I think it looks really nice. What kind of copper did you use to separate it? Just plain sheet metal?

 

[Jim15]

Great group of pens.

 

[dthayer]

They're all such great pens! The second one, segmented wood/acrylic really catches the eye. I wouldn't have thought a pairing of those colors would work, but I think it looks really nice. What kind of copper did you use to separate it? Just plain sheet metal?

Actually, I misspoke (mistyped? ), it was brass. I just used some pieces that I cut from a craft sheet that I got at Hobby Lobby. I also got some copper at the same time and I thought I used that until I just went to look for the part number. :redface:

Thanks for the kind words!

 

[lorbay]

Wow. Very nice. Can I be in the family. Lol
Lin

 

[magpens]

Those are GREAT !!!!! . How did you do the jagged segmenting on the first one ?

 

[ChewTerr]

Those are GREAT !!!!! . How did you do the jagged segmenting on the first one ?

Yeah, that first pen is some of my favorite segmenting I've seen in a while. Great work!

 

[dthayer]

@Jim15 and @lorbay, thanks much (and lorbay, sure you can -- but I'm not sure you'd want to if you knew more about us! )

Those are GREAT !!!!! . How did you do the jagged segmenting on the first one ?

@magpens, thanks! To get that jagged segment, I cut a diagonal notch on each of the four sides of the blank about as deep as where the tube would start and then glued in a piece of oak of the right thickness. I originally planned on having two rows (that's why the ring isn't quite centered vertically on the body of the pen) but I don't have very good tools for doing those cuts (used an old radial arm saw and feared for my fingers the whole time). I was getting a lot of chipping -- I was afraid a second set of cuts so close to the first would trash the blank beyond repair.

I've submitted a budget to the boss for next year that will allow me to improve that situation. Unfortunately, it has yet to be approved. :crying:

 

[Skie_M]

Got a circular saw?

Build yourself a table saw using that and make yourself a nice fence and sled for detail cutting.

 

[ELA]

They are all very beautiful pens. The recipients will be pleased.

 

[SDB777]

I'm enjoying everyone one of them....as they are all different!



Scott (excellent gifts all) B

 

[mark james]

All are wonderful, but I have a vote for the first two!

I love the jagged segment. And the combinations of segments I also would not have chosen - but they work beautifully!!

Darn, you new guys are getting good

 

[dthayer]

@ChewTerr, @ELA, @SBD777, & @mark james - Thank you so much for the kind words and encouragement. At this point I think it is still more luck than skill when the pens come out as I envisioned but I'll take it!

@Skie_M - I had been knocking something like that around in my noggin but then discovered the Byrnes 4" Table Saw and now, if I built my own, it wouldn't be anywhere near as good but I would lose my justification for the budget I submitted to the Boss! Thanks for the suggestion -- I may still try to do something like that if management knocks down the proposal.

 

[stonepecker]

They all look special. You have the talent.

My favorite is the last pen. But then I am a music nut.
Can you tell us who you got the kit from?

 

[dthayer]

They all look special. You have the talent.

My favorite is the last pen. But then I am a music nut.
Can you tell us who you got the kit from?

Thanks!

It's a Music Twist kit from PSI.