| Project by Napaman | posted 1646 days ago | 1034 views | 0 times favorited | 9 comments |  |
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Well…this year I decided to take my new fondness of turning pens and bottle stoppers and combine it with my love of teaching by giving a pen or bottle stopper to each of the teachers in the social studies department at my school.
So here is a selection…a few were original pens that I poster (i think the first three on the left) but all the others are brand new…i kept the first three and brought an assortment of blanks, tubes and pen kits so that I could show them all how it worked at our Finals Week Social Studies gathering that I hosted in my room…
Luckilly not everyone could be there…because I did not have enough for those not there—-so i have a bit more work over winter break to finish up…
What I learned is that it really helped to do a big “run” like this…so far I had only made about 7 pens—and all 1-2 at a time…with gaps of time…but I made 13 in a weekend…so I got to practice a little more mass production and it really helped. I think they did get better with each one…
The last picture has a few bottle stoppers I had—-but I was having a problem with my mandrel so I could not make anymore…but today I made two more cork stoppers and a new mandrel came…so production on stoppers will get up and running again…
My only regret—-I had meant to take a picture of all my colleagues holding up their pens…but i forgot…oh well…
matt
-- Matt--Proud LJ since 2007
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9 comments so far
lew
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9035 posts in 1952 days
#1 posted 1646 days ago
Wow, Matt!!
Looks like Santa’s Workshop moved to rainy California! Nice Job!!!!!
Lew
-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the world's finest custom rolling pins!
trifern
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#2 posted 1646 days ago
Nice looking gifts, Matt. Thanks for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
Shopsmithtom
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#3 posted 1646 days ago
What a great array of shapes and woods. Were they all done on the Shopsmith? Any glitches or issues that you found that are worth mentioning? Have a great holiday season. -SST
-- Accuracy is not in your power tool, it's in you
miles125
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#4 posted 1646 days ago
Thats a great collection and some nice gifts!
-- "The way to make a small fortune in woodworking- start with a large one"
rikkor
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#5 posted 1646 days ago
What a wonderful lot of Christmas gifts. They will be treasured.
Russel
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#6 posted 1646 days ago
Nice work Matt. Being new to turning myself, I’m finding it terriblly addicting, yet quite calming. The pens are cool with a good variety of woods.
-- Working at Woodworking http://www.VillageLaneFurniture.com
Bill Akins
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#7 posted 1646 days ago
Love the pens. The turning bug has bitten me and my goal is to get a lathe after the new year.
-- Bill from Lithia Springs, GA I love the smell of sawdust in the morning.
bfd
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502 posts in 2004 days
#8 posted 1645 days ago
Matt, these are great! Man have you been busy. I know that your colleagues must appreciate having a one of a kind gift that was make by you. One of these days I have to try turning.
-- Brian, Folsom, CA http://www.brianfullerdesigns.com
Napaman
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5036 posts in 2274 days
#9 posted 1645 days ago
thanks everyone…
SST…you asked about glitches—-i did have some issues of the pen tubes popping out of the blanks…I am not sure if I am not using enough glue…i use the medium glue on all the blanks and let them dry over a week…I even sprayed the accelerant on the ends…so not sure what the problem is…will just try more glue…
-- Matt--Proud LJ since 2007
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