I finally did it!

[Bonnie Campbell]

First thing I want to say is THANK YOU!!!! to everyone that helped get me going :)

I ordered a Classic American ball point twist pen to do as my first pen. When I called the tech help this morning to find out for SURE where to part off the 1/8", he enjoyed telling me I could of picked an easier pen for my first. I didn't know :o

Not sure what wood it is, one of the exotic oily woods, perhaps bacote or rosewood. I just put a light shellac buff finish on figuring hand oils will keep it in shape. LOML is now the proud owner :rolleyes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/annieoakley/Crafts/FirstPen.jpg

I know just about everyone has made a pen. I'm thrilled with finally getting to make one :D

Just as kudos to Woodcraft.... Delivery day was supposed to be today, I got everything yesterday. Now that's fast service to me.

[Don Orr]

Good job Bonnie! That's a beaut. You are definitely off to a good start. So what's next ?

[Keith Burns]

Way to go Bonnie !! Looks good , nice job !!:)

[Nancy Laird]

Bonnie!



WAY TO GO!!!


I knew you could do it. Pretty pretty pen. Looks like a rosewood to me. Bocote is usually more figured with more color contrast in the graining. Ya done good, girl. I knew you could. And that pen isn't that difficult--the guy was trying to snow you!! Now you just need to start lasering signatures on them.


Nancy

[Mike Ramsey]

That's a great looking Pen Bonnie!! I would not have guessed it was your
first one!!

[Patrick Taylor]

Awesome job Bonnie! I started trying pens a month or so ago, and they are WAY too addictive! I'm buying kits in 10-packs now. :o

[JOHN VITOSKY]

Good Job on the pen. I think the wood goes well with that kit. Great pen.

[Burt Alcantara]

Bonnie,
I'm curious about your selection of ball point. My wife and I don't like roller balls because they don't last, skip and feel rough. Never have this problem with any over-the-counter mass-produced ball points.

However, seems like the whole world prefers roller balls with ball points becoming more difficult to find.

Burt

[Mike A. Smith]

It looks great Bonnie!



I know just about everyone has made a pen. I'm thrilled with finally getting to make one :D

Not "everyone". My starter kit is supposed to arrive tonight!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great job Bonnie on a beautiful pen. Looks good and the hardware fits the wood.

[Paul Heely]

Outstanding job Bonnie. Be careful though, the pen turning thing can become addictive :).

[Bonnie Campbell]

Thanks for the kind comments. I have to say I was nervously thinking "I DIDN'T buy a disassembly kit!" Only had a blow out turning the hole off center in one piece. Thank goodness there was enough scrap to replace it!

You'll do great Mike! Just take your sweet time about it. I had to keep telling myself not to rush it, it'll get there :)

Burt I just picked this kit from Woodcraft. I can't honestly say I gave much thought to the pen type. This one does write well and very smoothly though.

I have been banned from touching the pen since I took a picture lol

[Bobby Perry]

Way to go Bonnie. Nice looking pen too. Now you are hooked.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nice pen Bonnie!

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

What a wonderful pen Bonnie!:D :D :D :D

Never let this one go, you should always keep your first one.:cool:

I think you did a super job on the turning and finishing, the first time out can really be a breathless time....this is a proud result!

You should SEE my first one!!:eek: I saved it like I was told, looking back at it helps me to understand how far I have come, doing that will also help you too!;)

[Tom Sherman]

Very nice job on this pen Bonnie, looks like you're on your way

[Skip Spaulding]

Very nice Bonnie and every one loves them. Great personal gifts.

[Mark Rios]

WOW Bonnie, that's a great pen. No way it looks like it could be your first.

You are definately the pen turnin' (wo)man. :D :D :D

[Barry Stratton]

That is one fine pen for a 100th, let alone a first! Excellent job, keep the pictures coming!

[Bonnie Campbell]

Thank you all :)

Now I'm trying to decide what pen is next..... I like the fountain pens. Are they ink cartridges or draw pens?

[Gary Herrmann]

Very nice job for your first or twentieth pen, Bonnie.

Most of the kits I've seen for fountain pens have been cartridges. However, you can get refillable cartridges and draw the ink into them - my wife has a few.

[Shane Whitlock]

Great job Bonnie. It looks Great!

[Ernie Nyvall]

Very nice Bonnie. I like the idea of no finish, and have done that on a couple I've kept for myself.

[Grant Wilkinson]

First rate job, Bonnie. :)

FWIW, I don't know how all the others in the group do the blanks for this kind of pen, but I don't try to cut the blank away to reveal the brass tube tenon. I cut the blank to the exact length that it will be and simply glue the tube so that it is flush with the end of the blank. Then the tube tenon is already done for me.

The bushings that I have include one with an inside diameter that is the same as the outside diameter of the tube. So, you slide it over the tube tenon, then use the regular bushing outside that. That way, you don't have the tube tenon exposed while you are turning, but you have a bushing flush up against your blank for size.

[Bonnie Campbell]

Thanks Grant :)

Inserting my tubes wasn't bad. And once I got over my brain fart of raising the drill nut stops to their highest point I had no problem using the pen mill to even the ends. I'd had the stop nuts set lower for another project :rolleyes:

My bushing just butts up to the tube. And it gave me a good reference for trimming the 1/8" off that needed trimming. Though I could see how yours might be better.

[Grant Wilkinson]

Bonnie

I don't know if it is better, or just another way. I have a disk sander, so it is quite simple for me to square the blank and get it to the exact size needed. Without that sander, the parting tool is likely a better approach.

As with many other parts of the pen-making process, you will soon see that there is likely no right or wrong way to do anything. I started only a few months ago, and would have been lost without the advice from this group.

Have fun.

[Bonnie Campbell]

I'd thought about using my disk sander. But remembering how it bogs down sanding ANYTHING, I figured I better go with the pen mill. A sander is more to my liking, if mine worked right :o

Oh yes! I've greatly appreciated everyones helpful advice on here. I don't think I've ever been in another forum where people so freely share their experience. If it hadn't of been for all the advice I probably would of passed on making a pen.