Rookie Pens

[Vaughn McMillan]

I know pen-making is old hat to most of you folks, but I thought I'd show my first three attempts at making pens on my little Wilton mini lathe. I bought a variety of kits from Berea, PSI and Rockler, so I'm working my way through them.

I made the cherry slimline first, then a bloodwood version of the same pen, then a purpleheart Mont Blanc style in Berea's black titanium. All three were sanded to 1200 then finished with several coats of Minwax wipe-on poly (since it was handy) and a couple coats of wax.

Here's a group shot (with less than ideal focus):

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My very first pen :o. Made from some scrap cherry I had laying around. I wasn't paying good attention when sanding the finer grits, so I got a little darkening of the wood as the result of carrying metal sanding dust from the bushings into the wood grain. Also, the wood barrel thickness is a little shy of the hardware. Got a little carried away with the 220 grit flexi-skew:

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A bloodwood version of the same, with a somewhat better (but still imperfect) fit:

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And the purpleheart Mont Blanc knockoff. I need to get better at sizing the tenon for the center band. (I have no idea if I'm using the parting tool correctly when making the tenon.) The tenon fit perfectly before sanding, but was a bit loose by the time I was ready to assemble the pen. Thank goodness for epoxy:

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I still need to get better at judging how much material will be lost to the sanding process. The fit between the wood diameter and the hardware diameter is getting better, but it's still not perfect.

I've got a few fancy blanks that I bought at Rockler, plus some pretty nice scraps from my own woodpile that I plan to use for the next pens. Even though my technique still isn't spot on, I think I'm ready to try using some nice wood. I'm still waiting on the Wolverine sharpening jig knockoff I ordered from PSI to arrive. I've been touching up my HF chisels with diamond sharpening paddles, but I think they need to be properly sharpened before I get too deep into any burly or curly wood.

Comments, critique and suggestions are welcome as always.

- Vaughn

[Frank Fusco]

Nothing to apologize for with those. Finish is always the bugaboo for most turners. Consider buying some Micro Mesh for sanding. Check out forums that specialize in pen turning for tips, like
http://www.thepenshop.net/
I have been using Deft spray laquer for finishing lately with an 80-90% satisfaction rate. My impatience is probably at fault for not waiting between coats long enough when I resand with the fine grades of Micro Mesh.

[Corey Hallagan]

Hey Vaughn, I love the pen making and am a beginner myself but get a little more adventureous with each shot at it. Those are great pens and frankly better than my first shot! Save the first one off the lathe.
Vaughn, I can give you some info that might help with sanding etc. as I have found that help me and some info on finishing as well. First, sanding is the first step to an awesome finish and you must either sand to 2500 grit or 12000 micro mesh as Mr. Frank said. In most materials, the wood is highly polished and looks like it has been finished with a satin finish, but really needs some finish to protect it.
When I sand I use only non dark papers to keep them from discoloring light woods. I sand thru 500 grit then switch to the MM thru the entire range. When I sand I sand in low speed only. takes a little bit longer but it works great and MM should only be used in the lowest speed to keep it from melting onto the wood. I start with 150 grit and do a couple passes and shut the lathe off. I sand rotating the handwheel on the ends by the bushing just sanding that last 1/4 inch of the blank up to the bushing then go to the other end and do the same thing paying attention to not touch the bushing. This sanding is done the back and forth with the grain, then I sand back and forth the entire length of the blank still staying off the bushing. This removes the scratches put on when sanding with the lathe on against the grain. Then I clean the blank with DNA on a paper towell, again staying off the bushing. Go on to the next grit and follow this procedure thru 500 grit. The MM can be done with the lathe on thru the range. A light touch and a few touches with each grit is all it takes!
Finish..... spray lacquer works great if you don't mind doing the multiple coats and dont mind the smell of the finish. When done spraying, avoid touching the blanks for at least 5 days then I go thru the MM range again lightly and it will be spectaular, topped with a coating of TSW.
Also, I have been experiencing with a lathe applied coat of lacquer. See this link and this entire website actually, great resource:
http://www.woodturner-russ.com/FSOriginal5.html
This is a great quickly applied finish, BUT you need to let it cure for 5 days. I reapply it 4 times in about a 3 hour period and then let it cure. It will be a nice semigloss finish that will protect the pen.
Hope this helps Vaughn, nice pens!
Corey

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

Vaughn, those are some really nice looking pens, despite the imperfections. I'm still playing with my little Wilton---learning tool technique, watching as the thing tries to walk off the table when I mount a sizable off-balance blank (and turning the power off reall darn quick), etc.

I'd like to try some pens, but I'm not certain on how to go about drilling the hole. I don't have a drill press---only a hand drill---and I'm not sure whether or not that would work. How did you get the holes true in yours?

[John Hart]

Wow Vaughn...your attention to detail is great. They are very nice indeed!:)

[Vaughn McMillan]

...I'd like to try some pens, but I'm not certain on how to go about drilling the hole. I don't have a drill press---only a hand drill---and I'm not sure whether or not that would work. How did you get the holes true in yours? I'm using a little Delta Shopmate benchtop drill press for mine. The quill travel isn't quite enough to make it the full length of some blanks, so I drill part way, then lift the blank and put a piece of scrap wood underneath to raise the blank enough to finish the hole. The Delta was only about $100, and one of the best hundred dollar purchases I've made for the shop. I use it for a lot of things. I'll let some of the more experienced pen makers here chime in about doing it by hand (or with a drill bit chucked up in the lathe). You can also buy pre-drilled blanks, which might handle the problem for you. I highly recommend trying a few pens just to have the skills in your repertoire.

And thanks all for the tips and compliments.

- Vaughn

[Barry Stratton]

They look good Vaughn - MUCH better than my first dozen or so........ Like anything, practice will get you perfect. And from the looks of those 3 pens, you are so close to being there.:D

[Bernie Weishapl]

Vaughn those are some mighty nice pens. Like Barry said practice makes perfect. Keep'em coming.

[Ned Bulken]

Nice job Vaughn, those are great looking pens!


only problem is , now I need to think about a lathe, or rather stop Thinking about a lathe...

[Keith Burns]

Nice pens Vaughn:) Keep them coming:) :)

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Nice job, love them pen, but the hard part I find is keeping them! :rolleyes:

[Roger Fitzsimonds]

Vaughn,
I used to worry about the tenon on the euro/mont blanc pens. until I figured out the center band was suppose over hang the pen bottom a little bit. With that in mind. the 3/16ths diamond parting tool you got in your HF tool set is the perfect with for the tenon. once I get the bushing to slide on the tenon I stop. I do not sand this space either since it is covered up. I hope this helps a little.

Roger