My First Pen

[John Hart]

This is my first attempt at a pen/pencil. Yesterday, I got good advice from Blake McCulley and the nice folks at Berea Hardwoods. I tried to pay attention and do everything they said. So this is the result. Both made from some cherry scraps laying in the garage. Didn't do anything fancy (as instructed) and only used a scraper (per Blake and against the advice of the book)

I'm happy I didn't destroy them. Think I'll make a couple thousand more!:rolleyes:

[Harry Pye]

They look great John. Cherry is one of my favorite woods. It normally doesn't look good on a pen because the small pens don't allow the grain to show. These have a really nice swirl to the grain and make outstanding items.

[Blake McCully]

John,
Great looking pens. That is ONLY the beginning. I can see it all now, pen after pen after.... welll you get the idea.

Keep showing us your new pens. When you get to some of the larger styles, check out Bill Baumbeck at Arizona Silhouettes (however you spell that word) he's got some great dyed and stabilized wood. A little better price than some of the other sources, but really great wood.

Keep up the great work.

[Carole Valentine]

Good job, John. Do you have a spindle gouge? Try it...you'll like it. Then move to a skew chisel.

[Charlie Stein]

Hi John,
Well you finaly don it, now all you have to do is practics practics and more of the same, but get creative,don't make them all the same. They look nice, good job for the first.
Just Charlie & Betsy

[Michael Stafford]

John, my first pen did not look that good. You are a natural. Learn to use a skew and turn a few hundred... like the rest of us. It is addictive. Good job!

[John Hart]

Thanks all...Yup..I'm going to try all different tools and techniques once I'm comfortable. I want to pay close attention to grain matching and that sort of thing too. It'll take a while...Got pretty accustomed to large mountains of shavings flying around. :) This is different!

[John Miliunas]

Nice looking pair of pens, John! I'm a sucker for Cherry, so they look even that much better to me! :) Yeah, it can be contagious, that's for sure! But, as you say, not nearly as messy as spinning out those big bowls, platters and vessels!:) Keep up the great work and continue to show us the output...I have a hunch there will be plenty more!:) :cool:

[Ken Salisbury]

Cherry is an excellent wood for a beginner turner to use. It is one of my favorites. I would suggest that you use a spindle gouge to begin with turning pens until you approach the desired finished diameter, then finish with a very sharp scraper (15° grind) to finish.

Good Luck !! with your turning endeavors.

[Fred Ray]

Very nice looking pens, John. Especially for your first ones. I see it coming, though. You are now hooked!!:eek: You'll be scrounging every piece of scrap anything that's 3/4" square by 5 - 6" long. First you'll start to buy pen kits in quantites of 10 for the discount. Then you'll start to try the acrylics and the resins, and every species of wood known to man. Then you'll start to buy pen kits by the 100s for the biggest discounts, you'll start to cast your own resins, You'll be begging every hunter you know for deer antler. You'll be spending time searching the Net for more pen making ideas. Your other woodworking endeavors will start to slip as you fall deeper into the abyss. You are addicted!! You cannot kick the habit! The various penturners support groups understand your addiction well, yet they know there is no cure. They can offer only solace for your penturning woes and advice on how to overcome your latest penturning problems.

But, alas! There is a bright side! You will be in the daily prayers of many folks. The guys and gals at Berea Hardwoods, Penn State Industries, Craft Supplies USA, and Arizona Silhoutte, Will thank God for you every day for helping make their business so succesful.

DAMHIKT!:cool: :D ;)

[John Hart]

Fred...Are you psychic or experienced?

Heh heh...I just got back from Berea Hardwoods because they had a great discount on 10 kits...then I powered up the computer while I had my head stuck in my scrap bin....and after digging out an assortment of old cool scraps, I took a look at my email and SMC...Fred hits the nail on the head!!!!:eek:

I'm STILL chuckling!!!:)

[Fred Ray]

I do, indeed, speak from experience, John.

[Dawn Sunkle]

One is all it takes :)

I really like how your first attmept came out. You really are a natural and I invision a "few" more pens in your future :)

Dawn

[John Hart]

Late last night, my girls came up to me and said, "Father...we admire you so much and you work so hard...you are so wonderful"

I said, "Waddaya want"

"Oh please oh please, would you make 4 pens so we can give them to our teachers on the last day of school"

"Sweet children", I answered, "It's late...and your last day of school is Tuesday...And I have to work Monday....And I know not what I am doing! You are asking me to accomplish the impossible!"

"Oh father!....PLLLEEEEAAAASSSE???"

Gah!!! So I took the day off...went and got more kits...and made three more pens today. I threw in the one from yesterday...so that makes 4.

I'm beat and I didn't get any of my other responsibilities done today!!!

This addiction seems like a lot of other ones I can think of!!:)

[Bill Esposito]

John,

I think you have to pay the girls a bit more to smile the next time. :)

I can hear them now. "Oh dad, this is so lame"

:D

[Ernie Nyvall]

You did a great job on the pens John. I haven't attempted that yet, but been thinking about it. Your girls must be proud of you. I bet they wanted to take them to school to show them off.

Ernie

[Roy Wall]

John,

I guess this turning gig is as addictive as the slippery slope....maybe it's all tied together in parallel universe........:confused:

Great work...............and you did a good "Dad Thing" for your daughters - very cool!!!:)

[Dawn Sunkle]

Those pens look great.. and loved the story :)
I know their teachers will use and appreciate them very much.

Dawn