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Thread: Pen Turners

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Platte City Missouri
    Posts
    138

    Post Pen Turners

    I wish to meet some pen turners. If you use a laser engraver on your pens, I wish to know that too. Turning pens started out as a hobby, then turned into physical therapy. Now a very small business. I recently imported a 40W CO2 laser. Now i am learning how to put it all together. If any of you are willing to mentor or provide suggestion and conversation, will you respond to this post?

    Thank you, I wish to offer something too; don't know what that is yet.

    Roy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Mount Sterling, KY
    Posts
    2,504
    Hi Roy, do a little pen turning myself, I may be at around 200 by now. Not a major number but OK as hobby. Would love to be able to have my own laser engraver but not in the cards at the moment so I can't help you much there. However, I am a member of "The International Association of Pen-turners"(penturners dot org) and I know that there are many members over there that have laser engravers, you might get a little more input/response from them. BTW many of the folks here on the creek are also members over on the IAP so don't be surprised if others here on SMC make the same or similar suggestion.
    ____________________________________________
    JD at J&J WoodSmithing
    Owingsville, Kentucky

    "The best things in life are not things."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Hayes, Virginia
    Posts
    14,762
    Roy,

    I turn pens and own a Trotec Laser Engraver that I use to engrave some of the pens I make. You will find a group of pen turners/laser engravers here in the Laser Engraving Forum and some of the most beautiful work anywhere.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Little Rock, Arkansas
    Posts
    28
    I'm also an IAP member (BSea over there). I probably have close to 400 pens made. Most have been given away. I don't have a laser though. I have gotten into doing kitless pens though.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Glenelg, MD
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    12,256
    Blog Entries
    1
    IAP member here, too, Roy... it would help if you put your location so some of the more local folks could meet up with you.
    Hi-Tec Designs, LLC -- Owner (and self-proclaimed LED guru )

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  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    St. Francis, Kansas
    Posts
    148
    Howdy Mr. Bob! I'm new to the forum. My name is Brad. I'm a Scroll Sawyer & turner myself. I'm considering turning some pens as gifts. I read in your post you use "kitless pens". I don't suppose I could ask where ya get them, could I?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Glenelg, MD
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brad Barnhart View Post
    Howdy Mr. Bob! I'm new to the forum. My name is Brad. I'm a Scroll Sawyer & turner myself. I'm considering turning some pens as gifts. I read in your post you use "kitless pens". I don't suppose I could ask where ya get them, could I?
    Kitless... no kit. You make the (major) components, such as the finials, tips, clips, etc.
    Hi-Tec Designs, LLC -- Owner (and self-proclaimed LED guru )

    Trotec 80W Speedy 300 laser w/everything
    CAMaster Stinger CNC (25" x 36" x 5")
    USCutter 24" LaserPoint Vinyl Cutter
    Jet JWBS-18QT-3 18", 3HP bandsaw
    Robust Beauty 25"x52" wood lathe w/everything
    Jet BD-920W 9"x20" metal lathe
    Delta 18-900L 18" drill press

    Flame Polisher (ooooh, FIRE!)
    Freeware: InkScape, Paint.NET, DoubleCAD XT
    Paidware: Wacom Intuos4 (Large), CorelDRAW X5

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Little Rock, Arkansas
    Posts
    28
    As Dan said, "kitless" uses no kit. You make your own components, or maybe use a piece or two from a kit. But generally speaking, you do't use brass tubes. And you design your pen with the dimensions you decide. Then you use taps & dies to cut threads to assemble your pieces. Here are some of mine. The 1st one I used a nib & clip from a long clicker kit. The 2nd was a swap pen. The theme was "transformation swap". Your partner sends you materials to make a pen. He sent me some colored maple veneer along with some blue PVC. That's why the multi-colored accents.

    These take a lot more time than a kit pen, but I like the challenge. Plus, to me, making a pen in an hour is boring after you've done a couple hundred or so.

    Pith Pen 1 Small.jpgTrans Pen 5 small.JPGpen 6.jpg
    Last edited by Bob Dupras; 06-18-2015 at 11:48 AM.

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