Grain of a pen blank....help.

[Jeff Mohr]

My father-in-law has a small pen lathe and I've pondered dusting it off and trying my hand at a little turning. Of course I'm trying to read all the safety info and turning info I can but one question I have just doesn't seem to have a printed answer out there....or a least my search words can't find it.

I'd like to cut my own blanks out of some stock wood I have around and wanted to know if there is a preference for the grain pattern of the wood. I see that most people use blanks that run the grain (ie the end grain is at the ends of the pen blank) but I wondered if cross cut would work as well (end grain on two of the sides of the pen blank)?

Also, if anyone can point me to good info sites or books on pen turning you can PM or email me or just post here I guess.

Thanks for you help.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Jeff,

Most of the pen blanks I've used were with the grain running the length of the blank/pen. If you do it with cross grain, you will have a more difficult time dealing with tearout of the end grain on opposite sides of the pen. With the grain running the length of the pen, you don't have that problem. That's one of the problems you have to deal with when turning bowls where the grain is perpendicular to the bed of the lathe. Tear out as the end grain comes around.

I suspect you could do it but it would require extremely sharp tools and some extra work.

Don't know for sure as I've never done it.

Good luck with your venture into turning.

A good basic book that also covers pen turning

"Wood turning - A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley. It's well written and illustrated aimed at the beginning turner. He covers tools, sharpening, how to properly use tools. In the projects section one of the projects is a pen.

Good luck!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jeff I have 3 books on pen turning. Pens From the Wood Lathe by Dick Sing, Pen Turners Workbook by Barry Gross and Turning Pens and Pencils by Rex Burningham and Kip Christianson. All three are good books. Penn State Industries has a free DVD on pen turning. Hope this helps.

I always have the grain like Ken running the length of the blank. I find them easier to turn and drill. You can blow a pen blank out real quick the other way. Tear out I find is a bear to deal with. Just my opinion.

[Curt Fuller]

Cutting the blanks with the grain running the length of the pen will be easiest and least likely to blow out while drilling or turning. But I've turned a few with the grain on a bias that look pretty good. (Desert Ironwood below) And I've seen some with the grain at 90 degrees to the length of the pen that include the pith and they look really cool. Some plain woods look pretty nice when you get them running at an angle to the grain.

[John-Paul Murphy]

Most pen blanks are cut long ways because that gets the most blanks out of a piece of wood maximizing profit. Many woods look fine that way and it usually provides the easiest turning. The finished pen will usually have less grain patterns and they run the length of the pen. The cut that provide the most exposure to variations in the wood is a diagonal cut. It waste the most wood but usually shows the most figure in a finished pen. IMHO If you have plenty of wood cut some long ways for practice then a few diagonal to see if its worth the difference. I personally like diagonal cut most of the time but it always depends on the wood. Look at it before turning and try to imagine the look of the finished blank.

[Greg Ketell]

Lengthwise is most common because it results in the most blanks (and therefore $) for the seller. But angle-cut or cross-cut yields much prettier pens. Yes, they take more care to make (cross-cut palm is just SUCH a PITA) but it very much worth it.

Here you can compare straight-cut mahogany
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=80266&d=1201536002

vs angle-cut mahogany.
http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=80265&d=1201535977

You decide which looks nicer.
GK

[David Wilhelm]

Jeff on end grain pen blanks. I do it often on pens if i want a special look . However as noted in other responces you take a chance at losing your blank if you dont take added care while turning. As Ken stated your tools need to be very sharp. I use oval skews and a tool that I made. The end product is often very nice. They sell as fast as my spaulted and crotch lace pens but can be a pain in the butt. Darker woods seem to be more impressive. I have not tried any fruit woods. walnut, redoak, mahogany, (didn't like it). I like the walnut the best. I look for patterns and hope they turn into something on the pen if not I'll turn them clean and start over. Dont be afraid to try anything. Tubes are pretty cheap if you mess them up.

[Ben Gastfriend]

I agree that while turning with grain running the legnth of the pen, you will get less tearout, turning cross-grain, with the grain running diagonally or just straight across the blank will give a much neater effect. Just be careful when barrel trimming the diagonal grain blanks, they have a tendency to break off easier.

[Greg Ketell]

Tubes are never wasted. If it doesn't work out, just turn all the wood off and glue the tubes into a new blank.

GK

[Jeff Mohr]

WOW! Thanks everyone for the information. You guys are getting me very excited to try my hand at the pen lathe! Thanks!

Also, not sure if this violates TOS but are there any good sites to buy the pen making materials? If this DOES violate TOS by posting companies that sell stuff I guess you can PM them to me if you have any.

[Mick Zelaska]

Try http://woodturnerscatalog.com/. They have the all the typical inexpensive kits, but have some outstanding high end kits as well. They also have one of the best selections for exotic wood and acrylic blanks that I have seen.

[Skip Spaulding]

A little thin CA (super glue) will hold blanks together, help with tear out and can be used as finish. Just try on scrap before using on expensive blanks. Plenty of fresh air and be careful, as you may know it glues fingers etc. to almost anything! Good luck and welcome to the vortex!

[Bobby Perry]

PSI has a pen turning video that is pretty good I think its free.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/_free-dvd.html

[Curt Fuller]

WOW! Thanks everyone for the information. You guys are getting me very excited to try my hand at the pen lathe! Thanks!

Also, not sure if this violates TOS but are there any good sites to buy the pen making materials? If this DOES violate TOS by posting companies that sell stuff I guess you can PM them to me if you have any.

The higher end kits make the nicest pens but even a slim line is so much better than a plastic bic.

I've never gone wrong with http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/ Baron kits or with http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Pen_Making?Args= Gentleman kits.