Some early efforts

[busby42]

Hi all,

Still new to this, but having now got the equipment and done some practice, I have turned half a dozen pens and a letter opener. Nothing of the standard of the wonderful items I've been seeing from you guys but here are a few of my successes so far! Any advice/observations gratefully received!

Nearly all of these are made or ended up being presents (a fellow turner told me at the outset that I'll never actually have any pens for myself )

The pink crystal pen is carrying some tearout on the top end of the barrel had to do this one in a hurry and the laurel burr I used seems very soft and susceptible to tear outs and cracks from barrel trimming.

Now, I didn't realise I would need to improve my photography too...

Sam

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[silver]

What a great first effort Sam.

Pen 1 looks great with good fit and finish and can see the very little amount of tear out but that's down to the wood and learning how to treat it.

Pen 2 looks superb, great fit and finish. Well matched kit as well.

Pen 3 Cocobolo I think? The cap looks a little overturned (bit to much off at the clip fitted end) and there are some radial lines around the nib body. My experience with this wood is make sure you go down to a very fine abrasive and make sure you sand along the blank between spinning.

Looking again close, I wonder if you had the bushes at the right end? Looks like the center band end is a touch under turned..! Just a thought.

Pen 4 and 5 look spot on, fit and finish

keep it up, great start. Only wished mine was as good as that when I started turning pens..

 

[bluntchisel]

See, it's easy ain't it!

Normally, tear-outs are caused by blunt chisels (I know this for a fact - see my name!) or/and punky woods like some spalts or softwoods. There may come a time during your turning when it might be prudent to use forget the chisel and resort to sanding. An alternative would be to consider using CA glue to toughen up the wood.
Another cause of chunks flying off the tube is insufficient glue spread. Remember, when you are almost finished lathing, the wood/acrylic is wafer thin and if not glued to the barrel will go into orbit around the workshop!!!
Fun, ennit?

Bob.

 

[busby42]

What a great first effort Sam.

Pen 1 looks great with good fit and finish and can see the very little amount of tear out but that's down to the wood and learning how to treat it.

Pen 2 looks superb, great fit and finish. Well matched kit as well.

Pen 3 Cocobolo I think? The cap looks a little overturned (bit to much off at the clip fitted end) and there are some radial lines around the nib body. My experience with this wood is make sure you go down to a very fine abrasive and make sure you sand along the blank between spinning.

Looking again close, I wonder if you had the bushes at the right end? Looks like the center band end is a touch under turned..! Just a thought.

Pen 4 and 5 look spot on, fit and finish

keep it up, great start. Only wished mine was as good as that when I started turning pens..

Thanks Eamonn,

The cocobolo ink pen was made as a gift for my nephew, I see what you're saying about the turning, there was also some clouding in the CA finish that I see has been discussed before on the forums, I'll see if I can get it off him to examine again. I was hoping that one was going to be my flagship for my early days!

4 and 5 are the same pens shot in different lights, this was also my last and most successful attempt, very pleased with that one for my early days.

I should admit to practicing on wood offcuts...and the failed finishes that had to be stripped right back and done again...and the blanks that had to be removed to start completely again

 

[busby42]

See, it's easy ain't it!

Normally, tear-outs are caused by blunt chisels (I know this for a fact - see my name!) or/and punky woods like some spalts or softwoods. There may come a time during your turning when it might be prudent to use forget the chisel and resort to sanding. An alternative would be to consider using CA glue to toughen up the wood.
Another cause of chunks flying off the tube is insufficient glue spread. Remember, when you are almost finished lathing, the wood/acrylic is wafer thin and if not glued to the barrel will go into orbit around the workshop!!!
Fun, ennit?

Bob.

Bob, had the glue failure on my first blank! I do put more store into sanding now to compensate for my still weak chisel work, the tear out on the ends of the first pen in the picture was caused by my barrel trimmer, the wood seems very soft and didn't like my sledgehammer approach to trimming!

But, yes, fun!

Sam

 

[yorkshireman]

Sam, barrel trimmers are OK but very easy to do some damage if you're heavy handed. Have a search through the posts for squaring the ends with sanding discs, very informative.

 

[angelo49]

Nice first set Sam!!
Keep 'em coming!

 

[fortress]

That is a fine selection Sam, you've done well, I never use a barrel trimmer these days, I use a disc sander.

 

[Freck Fraser]

Like the selection of pens Sam, great start to a very very addictive hobby, well done.

 

[woodhacker]

View attachment 30876 search the posts and you'll come up with something
along the lines of this pic, this is my version of an archived post.

 

[edlea]

A great first batch there Sam....I stopped using barrel trimmers yonks ago ,apart from other things I have yet to see a barrel trimmer of a decent quality.

 

[Penpal]

So many people have all the same experiences first time up Sam you handled them well. Being aware is important ,avoiding them in the future much easier. They are great.

Peter.

 

[Vic Perrin]

Fine job Sam

 

[wm460]

That is a great looking selection Sam.
Where did you get the pink crystal pen from?

 

[Bill Mooney]

A very nice set of pens Sam. A great start so you must be taking the tablets.
Pen no. 2 is a real beauty, the finish looks superb.

 

[Les ELm]

Well done.

Les

 

[AllenN]

Pretty good first efforts I think Sam.

 

[Buckeye]

Some nice pens

Peter