First pens - questions and comments

[Jim Baker]

I turned my first pens today and have a few questions and comments. It was a good learning experience.

I used streamline kits from Berea. We like the shape and feel, but don'r really like all the plain gold finish.

They seem a little loose where the top and bottom come together. I suspect I may have been slightly too aggressive when I filed off the glue that got inside the tubes. Are there other possibilities? Is this maybe just the nature of these kits?

My new Jet mini lathe sometimes made some really strange noises. I think it is related to how tight the mandrel nut and the tailstock are set. I assume I will learn to keep it quiet with experience and practice.

I made cherry pens today. When I got to 600 grit sandpaper, the wood sometimes turned a strange shade of grey. I'm guessing I pressed too hard with the sandpaper and burned the cherry. Other possibilities?

I had a really good time meking the pens and am anxious to try more. I think the next time we order, I will try a different kit, possibly Penn State's Comfort pens. Are there any kits that you would recommend a beginner either try or steer away from?

I'm anxious to get a little more practice so I can begin my support of the Freedom Pen Project.

[Dennis Peacock]

Jim,

1. The center band is a "loose center band" and designed as such.
2. If the top piece seams a little "loose" when pressed onto the pens upper transmission piece...you filed way too much. I simply scrape the glue away and leaving as much brass as I can. This will make for more of a snug fit for the top pen tube.
3. Don't always use the supplied center band. TURN a center band while you are turning the pen. Use corian, dymondwood, an accent piece of solid wood. You will be amazed at how nice they turn out.
4. Turning cherry is a little tricky. It will burn easy and you MUST keep the sandpaper moving in small to medium circles (from under side the spinning pen blank) and this will help reduce the burning as well as provide fresh abrasive as you move along.
5. Before you apply a finish to the spinning pen blanks.....
a. wipe the spinning pen blanks with denatured alcohol and a soft rag.
b. let that dry and apply the Crystal Coat on a soft rag and again in small to medium circles as you "polish" the pen blanks. Apply a light coat of finish once more and spin/rub dry.
6. Turn the lathe off and admire your work.

Working with 600 grit and cherry is not real tricky as long as you keep feeding it fresh abrasive and not apply too much pressure while sanding. Light pressure while sanding is all it takes.

Start sanding with 400 grit (spinning).
Stop the lathe and sand WITH the grain with 400 grit.
Start the lathe and wipe with denatured alcohol.
Start sanding with 600 grit (spinning)
stop the lathe and sand WITH the grain with 600 grit.
Start the lathe and take some shavings and burnish the pens wood surface.
Apply your finish as previously described.
Admire your handy work.

I hope this helps some but this is what I do on most pens EXCEPT for the ones I have for sale.....on those I use MicroMesh and sand/polish through 12,000 grit and THEN apply the finish. Makes for a really, really nice looking pen.

[Dennis Peacock]

The "other" thing I forgot to mention....?

The nut or thumbscrew on the pen mandrel? Snug it up just tight enough to where you can't freely turn the blanks. If you apply light tool pressure and the blanks stop spinning on the mandrel? Stop and snug a little more.

Tail stock to the pen mandrel? Start the point of the tailstock into the end of the pen mandrel and start the lathe. Insert the tailstock piece until the tailstock and pen mandrel find their "center" and stop there. Too much pressure will "warp" the pen mandrel and then you will need to purchase a new one. Use sharp tools and light too pressure and you will experience success every time.

[Mark Patoka]

Jim,
I also experience some of the same problems you do when turning my pens. I think the strange gray coloring you're getting is from the sandpaper touching the bushing and then pulling some of the metal into the woood. I get the same thing and have to be careful when sanding next to the bushing as it can get into the open grain. Wiping it down with alcohol should get it clean.

[Jim Baker]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll try to get some denatured alcohol before I make any more pens.

Dennis - do you start with 400 grit? I have been starting a couple of steps coarser, but maybe that's overkill.

Mark, I was wondering about the black maybe coming from the bushings too. I'll try to watch that better next time, although my bushings are more silver than black now.

[Earl Reid]

Hi, Jim, My jet also made strange noises, I called them and the said to loosen the 2 set screws on the spindle hand wheel and move it out a little bit , then retighten . that solved the noises. I like the little thing, I got a copier ( I have to turn a lot of small spindles) for it and the extension. I've turned over 100 pens so far. Good turning.
Earl

[Jim Baker]

I did 5 more pens tonight. They turned out much better. I changed several things, including:

eliminated a couple of the coarser grits of paper
drastically reduced my sanding pressure
cleaned them up with denatured alcohol
tried harder to keep the sandpaper off the bearings
moved the sandpaper in circles


I'm not sure which of these things helped the most, but the results were uncomparably better.

One more question for you turners -

What kind of sandpaper do you prefer?

I had always heard that automotive sandpaper is preferred for pen turning, so I picked up some sheets at an auto parts store. It worked fine as far as I can tell, but it seems to wear the grit off very quickly. Also, it's kind of a pain to tear the sheets into strips. I think I will order 1" wide rolls in the future.

[Ken Salisbury]

What kind of sandpaper do you prefer?

I had always heard that automotive sandpaper is preferred for pen turning, so I picked up some sheets at an auto parts store. It worked fine as far as I can tell, but it seems to wear the grit off very quickly. Also, it's kind of a pain to tear the sheets into strips. I think I will order 1" wide rolls in the future.
Jim,

I use 3M Gold sandpaper exclusively. It comes in rolls of various grits. Although expensive (approx $30/roll) it will outlast any sanpaper I have found. You can purchase at Auto Paint Supply stores.

[Jim Baker]

I use 3M Gold sandpaper exclusively. It comes in rolls of various grits. Although expensive (approx $30/roll) it will outlast any sanpaper I have found. You can purchase at Auto Paint Supply stores.

I thought it followed you home from woodworking picnics ;)

[Ken Salisbury]

I thought it followed you home from woodworking picnics ;)You are so correct. That is how I got on to 3M Gold - by stealing some from Terry Hatfield :D ;) :rolleyes:

[Jim Baker]

I asked a friend who works as the parts person at a Chevy dealership if he knew who stocks 3m Gold rolls locally.

After checking around a little, he told me that an auto parts distributor in town has 2.75 inch by 45 yard rolls in stock in 320, 400, and 500 grits. List retail price is $54.14 per roll. I could probably get them nearer wholesale price becuse my company's shop buys most of our parts and supplies from this place.

Is this the roll size you use or is there something smaller? I think a 45 yard roll would last me for two lifetimes. Are there widths narrower than 2.75 inch? Is 600 grit available? Is 600 grit necessary? That's what I have been going to so far

[Ken Salisbury]

I asked a friend who works as the parts person at a Chevy dealership if he knew who stocks 3m Gold rolls locally.

After checking around a little, he told me that an auto parts distributor in town has 2.75 inch by 45 yard rolls in stock in 320, 400, and 500 grits. List retail price is $54.14 per roll. I could probably get them nearer wholesale price becuse my company's shop buys most of our parts and supplies from this place.

Is this the roll size you use or is there something smaller? I think a 45 yard roll would last me for two lifetimes. Are there widths narrower than 2.75 inch? Is 600 grit available? Is 600 grit necessary? That's what I have been going to so farWow!!! $54.14 a roll ! ! ! I really don't know off hand how many feet are in the rolls I buy. They are approximately 5 ½" in dia. Look for a "Auto Paint Supply" house rather than a "Auto Parts Store". I pay approx $30.00/roll. And yes - a roll will last a long - long time.

The finest grit I have found in this paper is 320 grit.

[Jim Baker]

I just got dodne with a Yahoo search for 3M gold rolls. Everyone listed the 45 yard rolls 2.75" wide psa paper. Prices ranged from $34 to $55. I will check at some auto paint places when I get a chance.

Is yours PSA? I haven't found any references yet to 3m rolls that are not psa.

[Ken Salisbury]

Is yours PSA? I haven't found any references yet to 3m rolls that are not psa.
YES ! --- PSA