Couple of Pens

[Lee Koepke]

Here are a couple of walnut pens I tinkered with this weekend. Tried the maple insert on one ... not too bad, I wish I had used a thinner slice of maple.

I have tried different photography methods, and still am not good at that yet, but I keep trying different settings.

The second walnut pen has some really unique gray tint to it, hard to tell though.

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[Bernie Weishapl]

Both are really nice pens Lee. I agree the maple being a little smaller might have stood out nicely.

[David E Keller]

Well done, Lee. When I do segmented pens, I use contrasting veneer strips to fill the cuts I make on the bandsaw. You can also use aluminum from cans, old hotel room cards, and a host of other things for the contrasting material. One tip on the photograph... Use the color correction feature on one of the photo editing packages to correct the background color. That seems to help me quite a bit.

[Lee Koepke]

Thats some good ideas David.
Does the aluminum cut OK with your tools? I imagine it would do OK. As far as the photos go, I will try that, and I need to work on my lighting (need the right bulbs)

[James Combs]

Thats some good ideas David.
Does the aluminum cut OK with your tools? I imagine it would do OK. As far as the photos go, I will try that, and I need to work on my lighting (need the right bulbs)

You got a couple nice pens there Lee. As to segmenting materials, here is a Wall St II that I did using some aluminum roof flashing that I had left over from some project. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?140034-Segmented-Wall-Street-II&highlight= It seem to work real well. Aluminum cans will give you the same effect. Just a note on using aluminum, make sure to sand off the coatings so that glue will stick. Even the flashing has some sort of clear coat.

[Peter Hay in Aus]

Lee,

The pens came out well, like the display of opposite twist in the alternate timber. When you take pics try using a simpler prop or support to throw the direct interest back to the pen. I personally use nearly always Slimline kits with separate Streamline centre bands giving new oportunities for shape that enable fatter pens with your technique of contrasting timbers you would enjoy also.

Kind regards,
Peter (down under)