A little less frustrated with Pen Turning

[RichMagnone]

A few weeks back, I posted regarding my frustraton with pen turning in that my tubes were consistently splitting. Thanks to some helpful advice, I adjusted my CA thick glue technique and learned how to "ride the bevel" a bit better. I'm still pretty shakey with the skew and I still have a bit of trouble judging when it is time to stop. I've completed two pens prior to these two that I think are okay but not picture worth. These two, while still flawed here and there are starting to come along. The first is a simple slimline in diamondwood without a pen cliip that my daughter asked for and the other is a spalted maple cigar that I put together for my father.

Thanks to all here for their tips!

[Corey Hallagan]

Very nice Rich, you are doing just fine!

Corey

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

Nice work, Rich! I really like that spalted maple, and your daughter's compatriots are going to flip over the dymondwood pen.

[laurie sullivan]

turning is just like fine wine, you got to give it a little time. i was the same way. and after a few hundred pens you look back at the first one and smile.

these look great.

laurie

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Nice ones, Rich.

Bruce

[Kenneth George]

I think they look very nice!

I would offer you a couple of tips on using the skew that I learned when I first started with it. Until you get the hang of it take a thin Sharpie marker and draw a line in middle of the bevel on both sides of the skew. Basically you want to separate the long point from the short point with a center dividing line. It does not matter which point you cut with as long as you never cut above that centerline. I like cutting with the short point when I was doing pens so you rest the short point lower bevel of the skew on the turning wood, start to bring the handle towards you until the skew starts to cut and then make your pass. Watch the bevel of the skew as you see the shavings being cut by it and don’t let those shavings get higher than your center line you have drawn.

Anyhow that worked for me and removed my fear of that tool.

Ken

[Christopher K. Hartley]

Keep it up, they are lookin good!:)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Beautiful Rich. Looks like you headed in the right direction. Keep'em coming.

[Ernie Nyvall]

They look good Rich. Keep them coming.

Ernie