I was asked a while ago how I do my wooden pen clips. First off I must admit that this process is covered in a document on Penturners Guild by Richard Kleinhenz. The only credit I take is being able to read and follow instructions.
First off, I run a 1/8" slice of walnut (or any dense, close, straight-grained timber) through the CNC machine. It's important that the grain runs as straight as possible along the clip to provide some strength.
Once the clip is freed from the walnut, I work it into a rounded smooth shape using warding files and sandpaper. (If I'm going to break a clip this is when it happens!) Then I glue it to a stirrer stick with thin CA for finishing.
I finish using about four coats of thin CA, followed by 0000 steel wool and T-cut. While that's going on I prepare to cut the slot in the pen cap. First I decide where the clip will go.
I mark off the extremities of the slot with masking tape, and use a pencil mark on the tape to align the slot. Then I mount the cap in the chuck if my metal lathe (you could use a wood lathe just as easily).
I have a wooden block that holds my Dremel handle in the toolpost. I mount a 1/8" end-mill in the Dremel, and without turning on the lathe I cut the slot in the cap until I see brass shavings telling me I'm at depth. (It's worth noting that I have halved the length of the tube usually used in the cap and set a smaller tube in the back half of the hole so that there is more depth for this process.)
First off, I run a 1/8" slice of walnut (or any dense, close, straight-grained timber) through the CNC machine. It's important that the grain runs as straight as possible along the clip to provide some strength.
Once the clip is freed from the walnut, I work it into a rounded smooth shape using warding files and sandpaper. (If I'm going to break a clip this is when it happens!) Then I glue it to a stirrer stick with thin CA for finishing.
I finish using about four coats of thin CA, followed by 0000 steel wool and T-cut. While that's going on I prepare to cut the slot in the pen cap. First I decide where the clip will go.
I mark off the extremities of the slot with masking tape, and use a pencil mark on the tape to align the slot. Then I mount the cap in the chuck if my metal lathe (you could use a wood lathe just as easily).
I have a wooden block that holds my Dremel handle in the toolpost. I mount a 1/8" end-mill in the Dremel, and without turning on the lathe I cut the slot in the cap until I see brass shavings telling me I'm at depth. (It's worth noting that I have halved the length of the tube usually used in the cap and set a smaller tube in the back half of the hole so that there is more depth for this process.)
Any suggestions and what results in service have you had with the wooden clips in use mate?
