pauluspaolo
Apprentice Member
Hi all,
I joined late last year. It was my intention to post some pictures but life/Christmas/New Year/the snow got in the way of things.
Anyway, here are some of the pens I've made & will probably continue to make once life/the snow clears up. Most are made from brass, aluminium, titanium or, occasionally, copper (or a combination of these). I designed most of them myself but some are based on existing pens - I make no claim to be a pen expert so they may all be taken from existing designs - even those I think I've "designed" myself. I use the term designed loosely as normally I just start turning with a vague idea of what I want & then see what happens. Sometimes it turns out well & sometimes it doesn't. 99% are ballpoint's but I've also made a couple of acrylic bodied fountain pens (from kits) - one has gone to my Dad (bit pointless really as he's 95 & can't write very well any more) & the other has gone to someone on a watch forum I frequent (watches are my other passion & I have far too many of them). I've not shown all that I've made - some are (much) easier to make than others & I've also made some with removable caps which can be quite a challenge to bore out thin enough. I have a decent enough workshop with Fobco pillar drill, Chinese mini-lathe (bought in lockdown) & most recently I've been gifted a Myford ML7. I've had to repair this & I'm still getting to grips with it. I was given a quick change tool post & some tool holders for it for Christmas but then the weather closed so I've not had chance to do much on it (handling lumps of metal in sub-zero temperatures is no fun).
I usually end up giving my pens away as presents but I've sold some as well. Opinions about them vary but, presumably, the people who buy them like them whilst the people who get them don't have much choice in the matter. Many people start off saying they're too heavy but once they start using them they often change their minds.
I'd be pleased to hear your opinions - either good or bad - & I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have.
Many thanks for looking :)
I joined late last year. It was my intention to post some pictures but life/Christmas/New Year/the snow got in the way of things.
Anyway, here are some of the pens I've made & will probably continue to make once life/the snow clears up. Most are made from brass, aluminium, titanium or, occasionally, copper (or a combination of these). I designed most of them myself but some are based on existing pens - I make no claim to be a pen expert so they may all be taken from existing designs - even those I think I've "designed" myself. I use the term designed loosely as normally I just start turning with a vague idea of what I want & then see what happens. Sometimes it turns out well & sometimes it doesn't. 99% are ballpoint's but I've also made a couple of acrylic bodied fountain pens (from kits) - one has gone to my Dad (bit pointless really as he's 95 & can't write very well any more) & the other has gone to someone on a watch forum I frequent (watches are my other passion & I have far too many of them). I've not shown all that I've made - some are (much) easier to make than others & I've also made some with removable caps which can be quite a challenge to bore out thin enough. I have a decent enough workshop with Fobco pillar drill, Chinese mini-lathe (bought in lockdown) & most recently I've been gifted a Myford ML7. I've had to repair this & I'm still getting to grips with it. I was given a quick change tool post & some tool holders for it for Christmas but then the weather closed so I've not had chance to do much on it (handling lumps of metal in sub-zero temperatures is no fun).
I usually end up giving my pens away as presents but I've sold some as well. Opinions about them vary but, presumably, the people who buy them like them whilst the people who get them don't have much choice in the matter. Many people start off saying they're too heavy but once they start using them they often change their minds.
I'd be pleased to hear your opinions - either good or bad - & I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have.
Many thanks for looking :)
