vertex with hexagonal barrel

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its_virgil

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Enjoy and thanks for looking.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 

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its_virgil

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The blank is Black and white Ebony burl. Not as much black as there was prior to turning. I've made several nice pens with these blanks...

The faceted blank was made on a Pen Wizard type tool called the MillLathe. The MillLathe was sold by Woodcraft and discontinued about 2005. I have all of the attachments but have not used all of them. I use it to do these faceted barrels and rope twist barrels. I'm sure it will do much more but I've not really pursued its capabilities.

I use 1/4 inch shaft router bits held in a Foredom 44T handset powered by the Harbor Freight Foredom-like tool.

I have been told that the man who manufactured the MillLathe has a building full of them but is unwilling to sell. They were made in DeRidder, LA.

Do a good turn daily!
Don
 

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magpens

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Very nicely done, Don !!!!!

The wood is beautiful, and unique ... never saw black and white ebony burl before !
 

its_virgil

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Yours are nice also and well done..especially with hand tools. I am impressed. Show us more. Thanks for sharing.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Nice pen and great wood!

I know you Yankees are not necessarily handtools enthusiasts, but I shall nevertheless show you my MillLathe, less expensive, easier to find and for sure a fast worker:
 

its_virgil

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Thanks Peter. You have some nice modifications to the pen wizard. I looked over your posts in the PW forum. I have gotten mine down and started working with it again. I have been reading the PW forum again.

Pierre and I are going to collaborate on an article about the hexagonal and octagonal barrels for the vertex. I will use the PW and Pierre will outline how he does them with hand tools. We are planning to have it finished mid June.

Thanks again.
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 

dogcatcher

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Thanks Peter. You have some nice modifications to the pen wizard. I looked over your posts in the PW forum. I have gotten mine down and started working with it again. I have been reading the PW forum again.

Pierre and I are going to collaborate on an article about the hexagonal and octagonal barrels for the vertex. I will use the PW and Pierre will outline how he does them with hand tools. We are planning to have it finished mid June.

Thanks again.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

You could add another version, use your lathe headstock as a horizontal mill and a mount for the blank on a indexed pen mandrel mounted on an XY table. I believe Skip Rat, Steve has already demonstrated his version of it. For the pen blank mount, look up Sherline Indexing attachment, make a crude one like that.

Here is the Skiprat version. http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/simple-pen-mill-metal-lathes-39683/
 
Last edited:

PenPal

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Thanks Peter. You have some nice modifications to the pen wizard. I looked over your posts in the PW forum. I have gotten mine down and started working with it again. I have been reading the PW forum again.

Pierre and I are going to collaborate on an article about the hexagonal and octagonal barrels for the vertex. I will use the PW and Pierre will outline how he does them with hand tools. We are planning to have it finished mid June.

Thanks again.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Look forward to that friends I have not used the pen wizard for years but I intend replacing the hand drive shaft before I do it has a slight woop in it. I asked the maker about this and he said using a u beaut threaded shaft would add too much to the unit cost. That being years ago I figure by now with the great rush of C&C drives abounding I will look again and do just that.

Kind regards Peter.
 

jttheclockman

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Don you finally made it too. I think Jeff is catching up to us old timers. Very well done and is very unique. It looks great on the front page and well deserved. Congrats. :)
 

wizard

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Don,
That pen looks great!! The wood you chose is unique and somehow lends ittself to subtle but crisp transitions from one adjacent faceted surface to another. Thank you for taking the time to teach anf inspire as usual. I have stayed away from vertex components as they seem to scream for a hexagonal barrel to go with them.
Needless to say, congratulations on the front page!! Come visit when you are in the Houston area or whenever you get a chance. Kind Regards, Doc:)
 

its_virgil

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Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
Thanks Doc. I think all of the vertex pens i make will have the hexagonal barrels.
My son is a trauma surgeon in Houston. He lives in Bellaire and we visit often. I will take you up on your offer to visit when we are there and I have time. Thanks again.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Don,
That pen looks great!! The wood you chose is unique and somehow lends ittself to subtle but crisp transitions from one adjacent faceted surface to another. Thank you for taking the time to teach anf inspire as usual. I have stayed away from vertex components as they seem to scream for a hexagonal barrel to go with them.
Needless to say, congratulations on the front page!! Come visit when you are in the Houston area or whenever you get a chance. Kind Regards, Doc:)
 

merlin777

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Jun 18, 2018
Messages
3
Location
bagshot
The blank is Black and white Ebony burl. Not as much black as there was prior to turning. I've made several nice pens with these blanks...

The faceted blank was made on a Pen Wizard type tool called the MillLathe. The MillLathe was sold by Woodcraft and discontinued about 2005. I have all of the attachments but have not used all of them. I use it to do these faceted barrels and rope twist barrels. I'm sure it will do much more but I've not really pursued its capabilities.

I use 1/4 inch shaft router bits held in a Foredom 44T handset powered by the Harbor Freight Foredom-like tool.

I have been told that the man who manufactured the MillLathe has a building full of them but is unwilling to sell. They were made in DeRidder, LA.

Do a good turn daily!
Don

I'm trying to find a way of doing rope twists and hollow spirals etc in stock slightly larger than pens e.g. up to 8". All the theory is out there but I lack the skills to build something beyond some basic mods to a small metal lathe etc. I thought I'd cracked it when I read about the Mill Lathe then I discovered you can't get them anymore!
 
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