Pen Turning: If I could tell you just one thing...

[Dean Thomas]

I'm starting this as a service to the many new penturners that are popping up and who will be appearing before and after Christmas. I'm asking you to submit only one really pithy point about what you would (if you could) tell a new pen turner to help them make more successful pens. No parameters on the area where your comment fits, but that it only be one issue per post. Please share your wisdom and why it's important. Be sure to let us know if your tip is "model specific." Could be about turning, prep, construction, shopping for quality kits, abrasives, finish, or any other aspect of pen making that attracts your attention when you pick up and touch a pen that could have been helped by knowing what you know.

Example: Be sure to check after you mill the end of the blank. The goal is to have shiny brass that is flush with the wood, not standing proud of the blank. Some mills leave as much as 1/64" of brass standing proud.

If the brass stands proud, you won't be able to squeeze the parts all the way into the tube and you'll have gaps below the cap or above the tip, or at the center/waist band.

What's your favorite little trick or pet peeve? Really are no rights or wrongs here, just info that will help newbies in the making of these fun little projects.

[Ben Gastfriend]

Are you drilling your own blanks with a drill press? Does your press have runout or drill off-center? Make sure when drilling blanks to trim off the top end after gluing where the drilled hole isn't exactly perfect, to avoid that part chipping off during turning.

[John Hart]

Any amount of wobble in your startup is going to show up in your end product.....guaranteed. Always have your starting setup running true....or you'll be disappointed at the end.:)

[Rasmus Petersen]

Any amount of wobble in your startup is going to show up in your end product.....guaranteed. Always have your starting setup running true....or you'll be disappointed at the end.:)

I SOOOOO agree just lost a nice crosscut zebarewood pen on that acount.

TIP : line up the pen before assembly. ! make completly shure you have all of it lined up correctly. i use a board with a groove cut into it to line up the complete pen with all parts i the right places. Also helps to prevent the bits roling off the workbench ad getting lost (lust) in the shavings.

R

[Rich Stewart]

Getting lust in the shavings. LMBO.

[John W. Willis]

Too much wood at the ends is just as bad looking as too little. Trust your bushings and get the ends flush.

[Paul Heely]

Physically measure your fittings and blank. Don't rely on the bushings for sizing.

On my better pens I measure the fitting for its size and then turn the blank to that size, plus some depending on what I'm turning to allow for sanding. It does require stopping to measure the blank but allows for a perfect fitting pen when done.

Because of the extra time allowed I don't do this on my less expensive pens but for the $100 and up ones I do. On the less expensive ones I still measure the bushings and related fittings so I know how close to the bushing to turn.

[robert hainstock]

I polish the blanks before and after applying finsh. Unless the wood is open grsined, this will improve the final look of the pen. If open grained wood is used, do not polish the raw wood as the pores will absorb the polishing agent. Sand to 600 grit either way.
Bob

[David Wilhelm]

If you have good grain detail square the sides of your blanks and mark one side with a line. Mark each side of your cross cut for direction. Take care in measuring this cut so that after glueing and trimming, you have only removed what the center band of the pen will take up. When drilling your blanks use your lines and marks and place your blanks in your jig in the same direction. This will drill the same route through both pieces. Your grains should line up perfect every time.

[Dwight VanSickle]

I know this post was not for me but I have turned a hunderd pens or so and learned some of the lessons the hard way. But now after reading some of the posts here I have learned a few more lessons and quick hints to use. Maybe my cheap pens now will be a little better.
Dwight

[Kevin McPeek]

CA is your friend. More thinner coats works better than fewer thicker coats. I usually go for 3 or so coats of thin CA then sand and then go for 3 or 4 coats of medium then sand all the way through. If you need to repeat.

[Keith Beck]

Getting lust in the shavings. LMBO.

Man, I must really be doing something wrong! :D

[Greg Just]

check the size of your bushings periodically and they can get turned down too over time

[Alex Elias]

Make sure you have the right angle on your live center and do not get the tail end of the lathe nor the brass knob overtight. That will give you out of round pens. Although I turn both barrels at once some people like turning one at the time with a shorter madrel to minimize run out.
Alex

[Grant Wilkinson]

If you are using CA as a sealer or a finish, and if you are turning on a mandrel with bushings, wax the bushings to prevent gluing them to the blanks. When you are finished, soaking the bushings in acetone will remove all traces of the CA.

[David Fried]

With each new style of pen you turn you acquire another set of bushings. While keeping them in the original bags and putting those in an organizer is good idea, it is inevitiable that some of the bushings will get left out or mixed up. DAMHIKT. :eek:

If you record the measurements of each bushing when you get it then sorting them out later is much easier.

[John Hart]

With each new style of pen you turn you acquire another set of bushings. While keeping them in the original bags and putting those in an organizer is good idea, it is inevitiable that some of the bushings will get left out or mixed up. DAMHIKT. :eek:

If you record the measurements of each bushing when you get it then sorting them out later is much easier.

Now...here's where I disagree. I have a toolbox drawer dedicated to bushings...and that toolbox is just below and to the right of the lathe. I just toss the bushings into that drawer so they all get nice and mixed up...then I leave the drawer open to catch shavings as they come off the lathe. This is the perfect scenario......

....if you like spending the afternoon sorting.;)

[David Fried]

Now...here's where I disagree. I have a toolbox drawer dedicated to bushings...and that toolbox is just below and to the right of the lathe. I just toss the bushings into that drawer so they all get nice and mixed up...then I leave the drawer open to catch shavings as they come off the lathe. This is the perfect scenario......

....if you like spending the afternoon sorting.;)

John,

If a bushing fits in the brass tube then use it! What you need to do is open all your pen kits and pour them into that toolbox too. After you are done turning the tubes, just fish around in the shavings until you find pieces that fit!

[Kevin Cole]

When completed sanding to 400 grit (or whatever you use) with the lathe on shut it off and sand with the grain concentrating on the area around the bushings. This will blen in any cicular sanding marks making it appear there are none at all.

[Justin Bukoski]

to keep track of the bushings i put a little dab of model airplane paint on the end of the bushing and a dab on a 3x5 card with the name of the pen kit. I use a different color for each set so that when I drop them in the snowdrift of shavings at my feet I can figure out what they belong to.

[David Fried]

to keep track of the bushings i put a little dab of model airplane paint on the end of the bushing and a dab on a 3x5 card with the name of the pen kit. I use a different color for each set so that when I drop them in the snowdrift of shavings at my feet I can figure out what they belong to.


I like it! I think John puts a dab of lacquer on each bushing ....