What are you working on?

[jttheclockman]

How many people here are working on making pens right now? And if so what kinds. Anything real special? I will start. Right now I am working on a couple for my sister and a friend from church. They are professor kits and will be themed. I also picked up 2 new kits that I have not seen here yet so will not give them away but they too are themed and all kits will be cast on tubes. Then I have a couple sierras that I will finish that too are themed but only the blanks. Of course I still have a few on the workbench from last year that I hope to get to. I picked up some Aero kits that are for a client or should say potential client. These also will be cast on watch part blanks. Pretty ambitious but it has been quite some time when I had some free time to actually do something I like. I will see how I unveil these, weather I wait to get a bunch done and show them or if I decide to show as I get done. But will have some pens to show off soon. Put segmenting on hold for awhile but do have 2 on the bench maybe I can finish. Mostly now will be cast on tube blanks but a little different than what gets shown here.

 

[JohnU]

At the exact moment I posted this I'm sitting at my work table working on some feather blanks. Some of these along with some figured ash wood Jrs will be turned this weekend for an upcoming donation I make yearly to help fund a scholarship program that is awardees to students who are studying in the field of conservation and environmental improvement. I have others on the bench that I started for some friend and family members a while ago but those seem to pushed back for a rainy day.

 

[jttheclockman]

At the exact moment I posted this I'm sitting at my work table working on some feather blanks. Some of these along with some figured ash wood Jrs will be turned this weekend for an upcoming donation I make yearly to help fund a scholarship program that is awardees to students who are studying in the field of conservation and environmental improvement. I have others on the bench that I started for some friend and family members a while ago but those seem to pushed back for a rainy day.

John, hands down you are the KING of the feather blanks. Anyone who has owned your blanks can attest that the craftsmanship involved in them is second to none. Always amazed at the beauty of those blanks. Excellent sir.

 

[JohnU]

Thank you. I really appreciate that. They are not a quick task. If I didn't like them so much I probably wouldn't make them as often as I do, which still isn't often enough.

 

[Wayne]

I'm always working on the Pen Suppliers info.

But at the moment I'm working with my Bookmarks Ninja Home page.

This is an excellent bookmark manager that I've used for some time. Check it out at

Bookmark Ninja - The Ultimate Bookmark Manager

Bookmark manager with a clean UI. Cross-browser support on desktop and mobile. Advanced search and tag management. Watch short demo video on website.

www.bookmarkninja.com

It's not free , only, $2 per month. There are also other browser add-ons out there that are free!

 

[InkyMike]

Not now as in now, but I did a bit earlier. Pen for a friend of mine who is a motorcycle salesman. He wanted Husky blue. I'll have it finished tomorrow. Had to remake the finial.

 

[jttheclockman]

I'm always working on the Pen Suppliers info.

But at the moment I'm working with my Bookmarks Ninja Home page.

This is an excellent bookmark manager that I've used for some time. Check it out at

Bookmark Ninja - The Ultimate Bookmark Manager

Bookmark manager with a clean UI. Cross-browser support on desktop and mobile. Advanced search and tag management. Watch short demo video on website.

www.bookmarkninja.com

It's not free , only, $2 per month. There are also other browser add-ons out there that are free!

I wish I was more computer literate but it just not going to happen in my life time. Depending how my health issues go the next couple months I still need to upgrade my phone and with some suggestions from members here when I posted the question I will look into this but can imagine just learning have a dumb guy learn to use a smart phone will be enough geek speak I could handle.

 

[TDahl]

I am currently refining my casting skills, with 5 to 8 color pours with tight swirls. I will post something on this in the next few days. I have also been working on a few bespoke Rollerball pens (a couple a from requests.) I also want to get some advance segmenting going, but they may not happen until the summer.

 

[BULLWINKLE]

Haven't really worked much on the lathe lately. Don't have a shop anymore since I moved. It's not very practical working in my garage. I have been thinking about doing a sterling silver kit. Of course if I do, I'd want to use an exceptional blank.
It wouldn't be cheap, and I'm hesitant to spend that much in this poor economy. With the recession, hobbies have taken a back seat to things like food.

 

[BULLWINKLE]

I'm always working on the Pen Suppliers info.

But at the moment I'm working with my Bookmarks Ninja Home page.

This is an excellent bookmark manager that I've used for some time. Check it out at

Bookmark Ninja - The Ultimate Bookmark Manager

Bookmark manager with a clean UI. Cross-browser support on desktop and mobile. Advanced search and tag management. Watch short demo video on website.

www.bookmarkninja.com

It's not free , only, $2 per month. There are also other browser add-ons out there that are free!

While most search engines allow you to create folders to organize bookmarks for free, they don't share across all your devices. I think this Ninja looks great and would definitely be beneficial. I'm not sure if I have the patience to do it though. I'm not the most organized person. I'm going to try it out and see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Edgar]

I'm working on a couple of themed kits that my wife gave me for Christmas, next is a cast Jack Daniels label blank that I picked up on the Penturners Facebook group to go on a deer Hunter bolt action for my brother's birthday.

After that, I'll be working on a few for my personal military pen collection: P40 Warhawk, Nuclear Submarine, Tank, Grenade, Semi Auto Rifle, Semi Auto Handgun, and a 45 Bullet BP.

I'll also start working on several patriotic themed pens soon that I will donate to the small community of Weesatche, TX where my brother lives. They hold a fund raiser event to honor local veterans & support wounded veterans every year. It's a big deal with a genuine Chuck Wagon meal, car show, and other fun family activities. For a little town that barely even shows up on the maps, they raise over $25K each year for this cause. It's called Weesatche for Warriors, or W4W.

Of course there's always database updates to be made to the Bushings & Tubes app.

 

[glw20109]

I just finished a Classic Fountain Pan, first time turning stabilized burl. Also finished a Sloth pen for my daughter. I've got almost all of the items I need to start casting acrylic, hopefully make my first blanks this weekend. Next big project will be designing and making 3D printed blanks and I want to do a segmented pen.

 

[RichAldrich]

Finished a segmented pet urn. Working on a segmented oak lamp. 21 layers 16 segment rings. Eight Sierra's and two kitless Fountain Pens. Learning CNC.

 

[rixstix]

Working to salvage a Berea Thin Blue Line blank being used as a special pen for a special friend that I haven't seen in 45 years. Right now, it's getting shorter and shorter.

 

[jcm71]

My golf game. Not having much success.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I made these duck calls for a friend and now he wants me to make a couple of pens with the same ranch logo for the owners of the property that he guides on.

 

[bsshog40]

I'm still working on my shop so I can start making things. Lol

 

[Lew]

I'm working right now on a Classic pen with Wenge as the material. also a Presimo pen with white marble with black veins for the material. I have recently finished some gift pens that were well received. I haven't been turning pens lately as the love of my life has asked for some more furniture. I still have one piece to go but I wanted to get some pens turned first.

 

[walshjp17]

Cleaning up my shop is job one. But, I am also working on a razor (Mach 3) -- a request from my daughter, a few Berea locking key chains, several Bullseye Apollo and Artemis pens in wood and resin and a few segmented pieces. I am also going to be working on a few wig stands and Beads of Courage bowls as part of a challenge project with my turning club.

 

[pssherman]

I am learning to work with PR for tube-in casts of braided sleeves.

 

[Alan Morrison]

Going through an order for 20 bullet pens.
Now on numbers 19 and 20.

 

[howsitwork]

Well currently , given it's winter, I'm harvesting ( read hoarding according to my family ) wood for future plans! Yesterday got some 4" DIAMETER boxwood . Now end sealed and carefully stored away to season. There was also some SPALTED BOXWOOD. in smaller diameters that I have frankly been drooling over as never seen it before. What it turns like I don't know but if needed it will be resin impregnated as colours are good.

The YEW is also seasoning well . The resin blanks from Greenwood blanks are " stored carefully " with some of last year ( and the previous years blanks )

I plan to do some thread chasing practice over next few weeks using previously seasoned Box wood and Holly . Its on the to do list but so are a lot of things……

 

[SabertoothBunny]

Couple of projects on the docket: making ducks, travel cup and lids for mason jars with a honey dipper attached.

 

[Brian G]

I decided to gather the odd-ball, odd-sized, and outcast blanks I've made from leftover resin during casting runs. These are the resin remnants where I mis-estimated how much to mix and poured the extra into the "just in case I have too much" molds during casting sessions.

I have 28 in the queue, but a few might be too skinny even for a slimline. Hoping to get the blanks cut, drilled, and back painted today.

We have one degree outside somewhere, so it's a good day to hunker in the basement shop.

 

[Jans husband]

Going through an order for 20 bullet pens.
Now on numbers 19 and 20.

Does that mean you are on the first 2 (counting down from 20 ) or the last 2 (counting up from zero?
a hefty task either way!
Mike

 

[newcal]

Working on preparing for a fair where I hope to sell my pens...I have display cases full as well as pen stands....got a picnic table, got a canopy, got a Square gizmo to accept credit card payments.....Any advice would be extemely welcome!!!

 

[Alan Morrison]

Does that mean you are on the first 2 (counting down from 20 ) or the last 2 (counting up from zero?
a hefty task either way!
Mike

Finished!!!

 

[jttheclockman]

My my. we have been busy. Suggestions, just be careful about sun and heat on your pens. Not sure what type finish you have on them but pens in general do not like extreme weather and temps. Good luck. Let us know how you do. We will look for your report. Hope things are beginning to open up with shows and things now.

 

[Penultimate]

I'm prototyping a plunge filler FP. I've made a couple but want to refine some of the design. The fit between the reservoir wall and the seal is important. Also, I am trying to improve the static seal by the finial.
After the proto is finished I have some nice translucent green for the body and grean diamond cast for the other parts.

 

[InkyMike]

Todays project was a rolling cart to organize my blanks - using large ammo cases from sportsman's warehouse. It's not super elegant but it works really well.

 

[jttheclockman]

Todays project was a rolling cart to organize my blanks - using large ammo cases from sportsman's warehouse. It's not super elegant but it works really well.

I have 3 of these and got them from Harbor Freight for about this price a few years back Mine are black though. So easy to keep all blanks in and I use them also for casting materials. Pull a draw out and all same colored blanks. I do not do plain wood blanks so my wood blanks are few but are unique. Many burls. If I need to I can roll around but now are up against wall in game room. The game room has become my shop storage room. Bought other rolling carts for all my pen kits too, They are a different style with a working bench top on them.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rolling-...rs-Handle-Hook-Large-/1856060510?athbdg=L1600

 

[InkyMike]

I have 3 of these and got them from Harbor Freight for about this price a few years back Mine are black though. So easy to keep all blanks in and I use them also for casting materials. Pull a draw out and all same colored blanks. I do not do plain wood blanks so my wood blanks are few but are unique. Many burls. If I need to I can roll around but now are up against wall in game room. The game room has become my shop storage room. Bought other rolling carts for all my pen kits too, They are a different style with a working bench top on them.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Rolling-...rs-Handle-Hook-Large-/1856060510?athbdg=L1600

I'd thought about another set of tool
Chest drawers. Being unemployed at the moment, I had some gift certificates to sportsmans which is how I bought the ammo boxes. I had the plywood on hand, just needed a few 2x4s. It's also fairly narrow - I'm running out of room in my 3rd bay "shop".

 

[howsitwork]

i Made a splitting axe mid week or rather put a handle on these Spent today at the green woodwork group using it for 3 hours . Handle is 3 ft long and head weight is 6Lb . They work like a dream but boy am I tired tonight.

 

[Smokey S]

I have a couple of CCFD Paramedics that provide night shift medical coverage in my on-site occupational clinic during turnarounds in the refinery. They have been doing this for quiet a few years now. I am getting ready to retire and wanted to give them a token of my appreciation. I prepped and tubed a Woodriver thin red line blank yesterday and because he loves hunting & shoooting I will pair it up with a PSI 30 Caliber in gun metal. Now for the other paramedic it will be another thin red line although I need to decide which hardware to pair it up. A good cold front blew in last night, pretty cold, windy and dreary this afternoon for which will keep me out of the shop for a few days. Oh well, not much, it's just me time………S

 

[pssherman]

I am currently making shop-made fordite. Here is a pic of a 6x6x1 block of layered powder coat paints. There are about 60 layers with each layer having to flow out before I can put down the next layer. This block took about 28 oz of powder and 4 hours to make. It will provide provide 7 blanks that are 3/4x3/4x6.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

I am currently making shop-made fordite. Here is a pic of a 6x6x1 block of layered powder coat paints. There are about 60 layers with each layer having to flow out before I can put down the next layer. This block took about 28 oz of powder and 4 hours to make. It will provide provide 7 blanks that are 3/4x3/4x6.
View attachment 348184

Do the powder paints dry hard enough to imitate fordite naturally? My understanding is that fordite is as hard as it is because of the heating process used at the factory. Just asking for my personal knowledge.

 

[pssherman]

Do the powder paints dry hard enough to imitate fordite naturally? My understanding is that fordite is as hard as it is because of the heating process used at the factory. Just asking for my personal knowledge.

Yes, they cure out hard. The powder is made from epoxy and is cured at 400F. Powder coat paint is used on automobiles and is very durable.

 

[goldendj]

Making a pen out of leftover epoxy blanks. My wife and I took the mini epoxy river tray and after everybody poured their tray, a few of us used the leftover to fill a silicone mold. My wife promised the young lady at the next table I'd make a pen with hers, and bring it to the store Saturday when she's taking another class.

 

[PenCasso]

I'm currently searching on here why my pen mill barrel trimmer is trimming some of my pen tube.

What a newbie huh? Lol

 

[egnald]

I'm not working on pens at the moment. The last things I turned were walnut handles for my beer faucets. I have been downsizing my brewing equipment so I can make smaller, but more batches - I am targeting 2 to 2.5 gallons. Tomorrow is brew day for my first apple ale. - Dave