well, Chic my Bic

very nice. where did you get a 6 inch 1/8 drill bit ?

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

What a really neat idea. What size drill bit would you use for this and how far into the blank do you drill ?

-- Christina, British Columbia, Canada http://www.woodturnersupply.wordpress.com

Beautiful !

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

If you made this from scratch Scott, not only is my hat off to you, I’m waving it around like a buckaroo. Even if it’s a kit, it’s a pretty fine concept. Beautiful!

and Happy Birthday, Lathe-master!!

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

That’s pretty cool, Scott. Great idea and neat execution.

I’m dying to read the HOWTO! Hint, Hint!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Scott: A great idea. nice job on this one, and where are the details.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I just took a class at Woodcraft to learn to make these with a Bic Stic refill (they may be the same size). Yours looks a lot better than mine! Very nice!

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

Thanks – no Doug, this ain’t a kit.

This is the second I made, third I’ve attempted. I think I figured out the how to. If I can make another, I’ll post a blog on it… though I’m sure there’s an easier way.

There was an article that inspired this, but some of the instructions didn’t work for me. – as least it pointed me in the right direction for the supplies – My brother-in-law works on airplanes, and has access to some 12” long drill bits. (I know you can buy them online somewheres too)... I used a #21 aircraft drill bit (I think, you can also find bits measured out to three decimal places, so grab your calipers and you’re in business) to bore out the middle. The fit is a little loose, the first pen was fine, I’m wondering if a hair smaller dia would be better. Anyhow a short one to get the hole started with, and a long one to drill out deep enough to fit in the insert – nearly 6” deep.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

Good thinking Scott, & a really nice pen.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

that’s pretty cool scott!

-- ~ www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com ~ www.woodworkingdungeon.blogspot.com ~

I love the idea, and a beautiful job on the execution

here’s a link I just found… someone beat me to the How-to.
this is pretty much what I did:
http://www.woodturningonline.com/assets/turning_articles/Baseball%20bat%20pen/baseball_bat_pen.html

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

OK, now you’ve done it. I know I am going to make a bunch of these. Great job again Scott.

Pimpin’ a pen…..NICE!

-- Cedrus of British Columbia

This one is better : ) Now what are you using for a cap on this model , or does it come with a pen stand ?

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

No cap, at least not yet. I’ll figure something out, or just make a complimentary stand.

I’ve noticed you can now get kits to make these closed ended pens from Craft Supplies USA, with or without the funnel to make a stand for it as a desk pen. only about $5.00 if I remember correctly, (and whatever sort of mandrel you’d need to mount it on the lathe). these bics are only about $.20 each, still a good deal despite the headaches.

I do like the idea of glueing a tube within a pen like this to strengthen such a thin, hollow turning. This one did start vibrating a bit towards the end. I have turned spurtles longer than this, but without a void in the center and just a hair thicker.

I wonder if there are tubes or something at the big box store in plumbing or elsewhere that would suffice.

I’ve also since read that the papermate pens are a hair smaller in diameter, and with slightly shorter tubes than the bic. (so I picked up a bag of 10 for $.89, to see if those make things a hair easier, if only less clever for a project title… Pimp my papermate? perhaps… ;)

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

What a great idea – so simple and cheap

-- Tony - All things are possible, just some things are more difficult than others! - SKYPE: Heron2005 (http://www.poydatjatuolit.fi)