Pen Display

[Bobby McCarley]

This is another display for a couple of cartridge pens that I may take to the GAW Woodturning Symposium on Sept. 8-10. It's a piece of mesquite that I've had laying around for some time. I attached a piece of antler to prop the pens on.

[Travis White]

Very nice Bobby! I would like to do something like that. I am going to get some mesquite soon.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Excellent Bobby. I really like that. Very nice.

[Keel McDonald]

Bobby,

Nice pens. I've made several out of deer antlers, but what is the lower part made of? It appears to be some sort of ammo. How did you do it?

[Henry C. Gernhardt, III]

Bobby, those are really pretty. I second Keel---I would like to see a tutorial on how you constructed the cartridge pens. Am I correct in assuming that the shell you used as the barrel is not widely available as a kit of parts?

[Mike Jory]

Bobby, Very cleaver at using the cartrige. Although I can't really tell, it looks like a .30 case? What kit works in that case? You've got me. I know a Range Master here in California that would go wild over a gift like that.
Thanks,
Mike

[Travis White]

Those are 300 winchester mags right?

[Bobby McCarley]

Thanks for the comments fellows, they are greatly appreciated. The casings are 308 winchester using a slimline pen kit. I have used 300 short mags but they are a little too fat for my taste, and I have used 300 weatherby mag. but that casing is almost too long. I find the 308's to be the best fit in my hands for me.

Henry and Mike, when I get home I'll send y'all a description on how I did these.

Bobby

[Dale Overman]

I have wanted to do some of these pens also. So please let me know also. My question is how do you put the slimline mechanism in the casing. Thanks. Your pens look great.

[Bobby McCarley]

This is my method of making these pens. While there are almost as many different ways to do these as there are different shell casings, this works for me.

I drill out the primer end of a 308 casing using a 5/16 drill bit, please make sure it is a spent casing,. Then I take an old arrow, as in bow & arrow, size 2018 and insert it from the primer end into the casing. It should be a snug fit and the outside dia. of the arrow is a snug fit into the taper end of the casing. For reloaders, if you use a new, never fired casing, the fit into the taper is a little more snug, but it will fit. After you get the arrow shaft in the casing, then a regular 7mm slimline brass tube will fit inside of the arrow shaft. Then you insert the tip and ink cartridge transmission as normal into the brass tubing. The upper portion of the pen you turn just as you would a regular pen, except turn the dia. to the same size of the primer end. The clip end can be turned as usual or left a little bigger, whatever looks best. Also, if you use antler, drill and turn it just as you would a piece of wood. But you may want to wear a respirator while turning, it really stinks.

As I stated earlier, you can use different casing, you may just have to experiment with them in order to use different pen kits. I hope this helps more than it confuses anyone, and I expect to see a showing of cartridge pens in the coming weeks.

Enjoy
Bobby