Engraving on Turned Pens?

[Jerry Moriearty]

I was just wondering if anyone does any engraving on their turned pens. I started turning 7mm pens a few months back when my grandfather left me his pen making tools. It was a good way to make all of my scraps into money making items. My pen sales have been fantastic, but I keep having people asking about getting a pen personalized. My main business has always been carving and fretwork, but doing lettering on a pen is brutal. I've tried rotary tools, but they slide around way too much. The only thing I can think of is a laser engraver, but they are way outside my price range for engraving 50 or 60 pens a year. Any thoughts?

[Jim Burr]

IAP is the place to ask...I know of 6 guys there that do it. Also check your local trophy shops...they do ingraving.

[Darryl Hazen]

There are plenty of engravers here on SMC. Why not ask one of them ?

[Jim Underwood]

Perhaps pyrography? I saw a fantastic pen created by Cynthia and Michael Gibson the other day...

[Keith Outten]

Jerry,

Click on the red Friends of The Creek link on the menu bar above. There are a lot of people here who offer engraving services.
.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

There are examples of that being done here in the past by Creekers.....turning the pen and others engraving it.

[Steve Busey]

You don't list your location Jerry, so we can't tell if you're near anyone who does that. All the ideas mentioned here will work. If you can afford the time to mail it, Ken Kallenshaan in Las Vegas is one of the best. If you're in a hurry, a local trophy shop can probably do it. If you're doing pens, definitely get over to the IAP site!

[Billy Tallant]

Jerry, check out the local trophy shops. Some of them are now doing laser engraving. One of the local trophy shops does my engraving for me. If you have any slimlines engraved be careful with them. The slimlines need to be made a little fatter or the engraver will burn through to the barrel.

[Sid Matheny]

I have used Kallenshaan several times with great results.

Sid

[Eric Holmquist]

You may wish to check out either a local AAW chapter or IAP chapter. Since joining both, I've gone from knowing no one with laser engravers to several who I see regularly.

[Jerry Moriearty]

Thanks for all the advice guys. There is actually only one engraver that I know of in Lubbock that has a laser machine and I'm not anxious to send my work off, even if it is mostly 7mm pieces. I was honestly hoping for a more plausible old school tip, maybe scrimshaw or hand engraving. I'll check with some of the guys on IAP. Thanks for all the help!

[Jason Ritchie]

I have used the laser printer toner transfer method before with some success. I think it works ok for business logos and such but may not be fancy enough for some. Just don't do a CA finish over it without a shellac coating as the CA will "wash" off the toner. You can usually find the heating iron in most craft shops. It looks like a soldiering iron with a large flat tip.