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James Combs
12-17-2014, 9:05 PM
A couple years back I found and downloaded a pen stand designed by Steve Good at Scrollsaw Workshop (http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/2010/01/unique-pen-stand-scroll-saw-pattern.html) scroll down the page to see his stand. So to start off let me thank him for the inspiration.

I had intended to someday make some like it but never really found an excuse. Well a couple months back I had asked my brother if he had anything wooden from our dad who had passed several years ago, summer 1987. Anyway my brother brought me an old but unused hammer handle that he had found in Dad's shop just after Dad had passed. Even though it was unused it had apparently lain around his shop for quite some time because it was very dirty, greasy looking, and paint spattered and my brother had kept it that way in storage over the intervening years.

Here is a picture.
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I wanted it(or something turn-able) to make some "In Memory Of" pens for all my siblings, two sisters and the brother mentioned earlier, as a Christmas present this year. I was thinking of a "memory pen" on a stand in front of a photo of dad and the "something turn-able". As it turned out the hammer handle was perfect for the pens.

Here are the pens and a prototype of the photo I am thinking about:
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The photo for the background shows dad at two different times in his life and the process used to make the pens, it is a work in progress and subject to change, don't really like it at this point but...


Now all I needed was four small stands, that is when I remembered the downloaded stand template and took a look at it. The plan is actually a scroll saw template and that seem like a lot of sanding work so I thought I would see if I could come up with a similar designed that could be turned on a lathe.

This is the resulting stand.
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All four pens on their stands.
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I will post in another thread my process I used to make it.

Any and all C&C appreciated.

Thom Sturgill
12-18-2014, 6:53 AM
Good job on the pens and I love the stand!

Steve Peterson
12-18-2014, 2:40 PM
I think those are some great looking pens. I like the pen stands and the picture collage. I am sure they would be cherished.

The only thing I could thing of to would be to try to incorporate a small picture of you dad into the stand. That way it would never get separated.

Steve

James Combs
12-18-2014, 2:52 PM
Good job on the pens and I love the stand!
Thanks Thom, appreciate the comment.


I think those are some great looking pens. I like the pen stands and the picture collage. I am sure they would be cherished.

The only thing I could thing of to would be to try to incorporate a small picture of you dad into the stand. That way it would never get separated.

Steve
Thanks Steve, a pic is not practical but the suggestion has got me to thinking, I could add some text to the base of the stand such as "Dad's hammer handle as a pen". I may also replace the group of pens shot in the lower right of the collage with the shot of the single pen and it's stand.

Art Swander
12-19-2014, 7:02 PM
If you have a small photo of him, you could get a local engraver who does Dye Sublimation to sublimate a photo on say a 1" x 1" or so FRP Plate or sublimation metal. I just did something similar on a memorial plaque for a guy who was an avid poker player. Put different photo on a set of 5 poker chips, and attached them to the plaque base. His family was completely blown away with the idea. It could be attached using a clear epoxy on the base and up against the stand. Just an Idea and would allow you a full color photo. Otherwise, its a beautiful stand. Look forward to you posting the procedure to make them so I can try it.

James Combs
12-19-2014, 8:54 PM
If you have a small photo of him, you could get a local engraver who does Dye Sublimation to sublimate a photo on say a 1" x 1" or so FRP Plate or sublimation metal. I just did something similar on a memorial plaque for a guy who was an avid poker player. Put different photo on a set of 5 poker chips, and attached them to the plaque base. His family was completely blown away with the idea. It could be attached using a clear epoxy on the base and up against the stand. Just an Idea and would allow you a full color photo. Otherwise, its a beautiful stand. Look forward to you posting the procedure to make them so I can try it.
Thanks Art, I like the idea and may look into it. I just finished a tutorial on turning the stand, however it's size is extreme, lots of photos. It is too big to upload to SMC but here is a link to it on my site (http://www.jnjwoodsmithing.com/web_documents/howimakemypenstandscp.pdf). It is a PDF, if you use it I would appreciate feedback on it even if it is just a comment that you used it. Thanks again

Thom Sturgill
12-19-2014, 10:47 PM
Nice tutorial James.