Bob Ellis
Graduate Member
Hi Folks,
I just stumbled on this thread by accident and I thought I might learn something by signing up, especially since I don't know any other pen turners and am almost completely self-taught. I have a small Sherline lathe that I bought a while ago to help me make components for a model railway that is in abeyance at the moment. I started making pens a few months ago and have made about 40 so far, mainly slimline ballpoints and pencils, but a few American and European style rollerballs and propelling pencils, plus a Tetra stylus pen for use with my tablet. Being self-taught, I have probably acquired lots of bad habits and am unaware of many useful tips that more experienced pen turners will regard as essential knowledge.
While I have a decent Bosch drill press and a pen vice I bought from Turners Retreat, my band saw expired not long ago and I have not yet saved up enough money to replace it. I get round this problem by cutting blanks to length with the cut-off tool on my lathe. My main method for turning is to bring the blanks down to a little above the size they need to be using a wood-turning chisel and a tool rest. Then I use a tungsten-carbide cutting tool held in a toolpost on the cross-slide to cut a couple of passes to ensure that the barrels are smooth, parallel and of the same diameter. I use 150 grit abrasive paper to turn the pens to a pleasing profile and finish off with micromesh pads before applying friction polish and a top coat of Hut wax, although I would like to find a glossier and more durable finish than I have achieved so far.
Experienced pen turners will probably be throwing up their hands in horror by now, but my defence is that I know no better and that I have produced so good pens using these methods.
Friends have said kind things about my pens and have bought most of the ones I have made. At the moment, I am building up stock with a view to selling pens through the local museum in Hawes. The profits from this venture (assuming that there are any!) will be used to help finance the repair and restoration of a large collection of books of local interest held by the Macfie-Calvert Trust on behalf of the people of upper Wensleydale and housed in the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.
I will post pictures of some of my pens when I have figured out how to do so.
Looking forward to learning a lot from people with far more knowledge and experience than me.
Bob
I just stumbled on this thread by accident and I thought I might learn something by signing up, especially since I don't know any other pen turners and am almost completely self-taught. I have a small Sherline lathe that I bought a while ago to help me make components for a model railway that is in abeyance at the moment. I started making pens a few months ago and have made about 40 so far, mainly slimline ballpoints and pencils, but a few American and European style rollerballs and propelling pencils, plus a Tetra stylus pen for use with my tablet. Being self-taught, I have probably acquired lots of bad habits and am unaware of many useful tips that more experienced pen turners will regard as essential knowledge.
While I have a decent Bosch drill press and a pen vice I bought from Turners Retreat, my band saw expired not long ago and I have not yet saved up enough money to replace it. I get round this problem by cutting blanks to length with the cut-off tool on my lathe. My main method for turning is to bring the blanks down to a little above the size they need to be using a wood-turning chisel and a tool rest. Then I use a tungsten-carbide cutting tool held in a toolpost on the cross-slide to cut a couple of passes to ensure that the barrels are smooth, parallel and of the same diameter. I use 150 grit abrasive paper to turn the pens to a pleasing profile and finish off with micromesh pads before applying friction polish and a top coat of Hut wax, although I would like to find a glossier and more durable finish than I have achieved so far.
Experienced pen turners will probably be throwing up their hands in horror by now, but my defence is that I know no better and that I have produced so good pens using these methods.
Friends have said kind things about my pens and have bought most of the ones I have made. At the moment, I am building up stock with a view to selling pens through the local museum in Hawes. The profits from this venture (assuming that there are any!) will be used to help finance the repair and restoration of a large collection of books of local interest held by the Macfie-Calvert Trust on behalf of the people of upper Wensleydale and housed in the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.
I will post pictures of some of my pens when I have figured out how to do so.
Looking forward to learning a lot from people with far more knowledge and experience than me.
Bob