I mainly turn acrylic pens, but I have just taken on the challenge of raising money for charity by making pens from Church pew wood. The Church in question was built in the late 60s/early 70s, and the pews are made from chipboard covered in veneer, but edged with a strip of "teak" or something similar. A number of pews have been taken out over the years, and from them I have acquired lengths of "teak" about 1" thick, about 2-3" wide and of varying lengths. I've cut them into pen blanks, and have turned them into pens - Slimline Twist Silver, EuroTwist Chrome, and Artisan Click Chrome - getting the kits from Axminster Tools, though I think they are ProCraft kits.
It's been an interesting exercise making half a dozen or so pens at a time, since I normally complete one pen before I start the next.[ATTACH=full]49450[/ATTACH]
While most of the pens are straight-barrelled, I make some of them broader where they are held, for the benefit of those with arthritis or other ailments that make gripping a pen difficult.
I have so far raised over £100 for the charity Childline in the UK, which provides confidential support to young people on the phone or over the Internet, by charging £4 per pen over my direct costs.
