First pen

After blowing my budget at the woodworking show on Saturday (see blog entry for my new toys), I apparently still was not recovered from the shopping bug, so I went to Woodcraft on Monday night and created a “startup pen turners” kit for myself. By this time the budget was in smithereens, but though I felt guilty, I went ahead anyway.

The wife was out at a meeting, not due back until about 9:30, so I felt fine about setting up the turning station (see my blog for the transition of workbench loaded with crap to turning station). And a pen is quick, right? In fact, I wasn’t even going to be turning at all that night, just setting up the station, and then, like a normal person, heading to bed. I had another little glue up to do anyway, and besides, who needs to start a new project at 9:30 pm?

But then I thought I’d open the pen kit up and see if I could figure out how all the pieces went together. And how they went on the mandrel with the bushings, etc. Oh, and I might as well choose the wood and cut the blanks. And drill them. and glue in the tubes. In the meantime I had to go back in the house to get on the ‘net to find the directions for the pens, so I could see how they went together. And at that point since I had all the pieces on the mandrel anyway, and I’d set up the turning station, I would at least round up the blanks.

Anyway, I took the picture at 1:00 am. I’m not sure what the wood is – part of my “pen turners kit” was a 5 lb bag of unmarked blanks. I chose a blank that looked interesting – lots of contrasting grain, which I love. The pen is the Woodcraft American Classic ballpoint. I finished it with HUT Crystal Coat.

-- Nils Davis, Menlo Park, CA