round-top euro pens

[Benjamin Dahl]

I have an order to make a number of pens. the client liked the platinum round-top european style from Berea hardwoods. here are five of them, in order, bubinga, bocote, sapelle, olive and gonacalo alves. in the photo the bubinga and sapelle look to be the same wood but in person there is a difference. comments and critiques welcome.

Ben
62004

[Nancy Laird]

Pretty pens, Benjamin. I have to agree that the bubinga and sapelle look identical, at least in the picture. But that's okay--if they look different in person, that's what counts.

How do you like using that pen kit? We don't particularly like turning that style because of the necessity for that tenon to put on the centerband. We do them - occasionally - but we don't advertise them at all.

Nancy

[Bernie Weishapl]

Very nice pens Benjamin. I like them all. Of course I am a little partial to the bocote and olive. Nice job.

[Benjamin Dahl]

Bernie and Nancy, thanks.
Nancy, I don't like the tenon either and was trying to steer the customer towards a cigar pen or something without the tenon, however they liked the shape and they are paying so I am doing the extra step. do you know of any kits that have that shape without the tenon?
Ben

[Nancy Laird]

Benjamin, I don't know of any other kits with that shape without the tenon. We "specialize" in American Flat-Top Double-twists - they require a tenon too, but the "tenon" is cut out all the way down to the tube so it isn't as critical as the European.

[Jonathon Spafford]

Excellent pens... beautiful wood selection! I especially like the dark red woods... nice going! I am sure you customer will be quite pleased!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work Benjamin! All your pens look great but really like the Olive!

[Ron Raymond]

Very pretty pens, Benjamin. Don't you just love olivewood?

[Grant Wilkinson]

Those are beautiful, Benjamin! The shape is one that I think I'll look for.

When you talk about a "tenon", can you tell me what you mean? I'm a newbie, so I can use all the tips that I can get.

The top of flat top fountain pens that I posted needs 1/8" of the tube projecting from the blank. Is that the tenon?

In the seminar that I took, we used a small parting tool to cut down to the tube. When I do mine at home, I just cut the blank 1/8" shorter than the tube, so that the tube sticks out right away. It saves me cutting through the tube with a tool. :-) The bushing set that I got has a bushing that slides over the tube tenon.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Benjamin Dahl]

Grant, you have the tenon figured out. the center band has to slide onto the tube. for this kit the instructions say it has to be 1 25/32" and will not function properly otherwise. takes a little longer than other pens because of that step.
I do agree with everyone about how nice olive is to work with. that smell is tough to beat.
Ben