ServicePens 2013
This doesn’t seem to fit anywhere else, so I’ll put it here: If you turn pens and don’t visit the IAP, please take a look at this on-going project and consider participating: ServicePens 2013 Thank you.Gary
Silver Filigree Pen Project with vacuum chamber.
This is a project I worked on where I took Sliver Filigree and worked it into a pen. The silver filigree was hand made 100%. I worked the filigree around the tube and then fixed it on to the tube. I then cast it in resin and turned as you wood any other pen. I learned a few things along the way. I did not pick a pen kit with enough meat on the bones so to speak for the tube. the filigree even as thin as I could get it was to tall and came through during the turning proce...
On The Lathe #1: Bummer!! or My first Celtic knot
So a few weeks ago I took a course on building segmented pens at my local Woodcraft. The class was very good and we came away with 4 different types; Celtic Knot, Spiderweb, Spiral Staircase, and a small piece of a Herringbone (which I am not sure I will be doing again) The Celtic knot is really the only one that was a complete blank and I decided to give it a try this morning before I started in on the other pens I am planning to turn this afternoon and through the weekend. Unfortunately it ...
The real cost of making a pen
I’m frequently asked, “What does it actually cost to make a pen?” (Mostly at arts and craft shows I am attending or participating in.) (I keep a copy at all art shows now) Here’s the list of items that I use to make a pen. The good news is that after the first pen you make they become much less expensive. Some of these items can be eliminated or something else can be substituted for what is listed. If you already have a table saw, or band saw, a drill press or other items the initial ...
52 Weeks #46: Just a bit late
Ok, I know I am late again on this one. Due to the really nice weather around here this weekend the major focus was decorating. Had some new lights this year and actually got on the roof. Usually they only make it as far as the front porch posts. But it looks nice, still plan to add a woodworking project for next year though. But I did manage to get some time in the shop (even though my dw is still working on her pens) and finish off a few more pens during the week. All made from Fi...
Pens & pouches galore #1: not the first, but the latest
.. and it dates from this very evening. Hey everybody. I’ve bin bitten to the bone by the pen turning bug, as some of you already know. Here’s the latest one. No, wait… I actually made four more after this one. Anyway. I took no shots of the turning – but I have plans to rebuild version 2 of the homemade pen lathe next month, and to include an iPhone stand to shoot still & video while turning and finishing.When sewing the pouch, it hit me and I grabbed my ...
52 Weeks #39: A three day weekend…
and unfortunately not a lot to show for it as I was away for a good portion of it. Spent most of the weekend at my parents, so I did not get much shop time this week. I did however manage to come up with a new display technique for my pens. I happen to stumble over gbrown4’s version of a pen tilt and decided I needed to try one as well. This is the one I came up with for starters. It is some ¾” red oak cut at 4” long. I need to do a little more experimenting but a pretty happy with thi...
52 Weeks #33: Earth, Wind, ..
Fortunately there has been no fire as of late. But what a week started it off with an earthquake and ended it with a hurricane. No damage to report at home and very minimal damage at work. Might wind up with a few extra chunks of wood to work at least. I have not really gotten a lot done in the shop this week. but did manage to work with a piece of that walnut I was experimenting with in the microwave. As you can see from one of the pictures the glue dried faster then I could work on i...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #416: The Next Scroll Saw Lesson is Posted
Yesterday I spent much of my working day getting things ready for the next lesson on the scroll saw class. So far, it seems that I start out with a broader subject for the lesson and then by the time I am done explaining details and posting pictures, it seems like it is getting too long and I pare it down a bit, saving the rest of what I had intended for the next lesson. I don’t necessarily think that this is a bad thing, and the result are very focused segments. I think that later o...
My Journey As A Scroll Saw Pattern Designer #397: Unexpected Success
It is odd how some days can begin by being just ‘ordinary’ days, but by the time the sun sets, they turn into something special. I love when that happens. It fills us with promise and hope on the not so good days when things don’t seem to be going exactly as we planned, and a sense of adventure in knowing that any day could turn into something special. Yesterday was just like that. It began ordinary enough. I did my blog here and my emails and all the morning house ...
