Pen for Wife's Birthday

Wow.

This turned out beautiful !

I tend to agree—neither a pen, generally, nor that kit is particularly ‘girly,’ but that …. what is it called ? Lattice ? Scroll work ?? in the middle gives it a very classy and feminine touch !

Very cool. My brother banged out a pen for me (he turns. Me: not so much), in about 45 minutes. To this day, it’s among my prized possessions. I’m sure she’ll love it !

-- -- Neil

Thanks, she did love it indeed. I think I’d call it scroll work. It looks even better in person, it has a much more of a purple tone than I see in the pic. Looks almost maroon in this one.

-- - Eric Indianapolis, IN

Good job Eric. The most ‘girly’ pen I’ve made was using a pink pearl (think it may have been called ‘bubble gum’) acrylic pen blank. It was very feminine, even in the Euro-style kit, but I like your filigree even better. I’ve made quite a few acrylic pens and always finished them with nothing more than Micro-mesh. Take that puppy up to 12,000 and it is smooth as a baby’s butt. I’ve done the same with the stabilized burls, but they do benefit from a coating of something.

-- "So much wood. . .so little time!" www.woodworks-by-donna.com

Thank you Donna. Filigree, thanks for that term that sounds more accurate. They just call it the “infinity” band – a revolutionary 3-D band style exclusive to the Apollo Infinity™”. I was thinking of doing an acrylic since I knew I could get pinks and purples in those easily but wanted to stay with woods for the time being. I was also tempted to use the Princess kit which has crystals along the center band and clip, but thought this kit would look better.

I use the micro mesh as well up to 12,000. Love it! Super smooth and brings out a nice basic shine. Unfortunately I don’t have a pic of that one but yeah, Here is one from right before I went through all the grits.

I’m really digging the BLO/CA combination for the base of the finish but I’m thinking of trying my next one with just CA and see if it doesn’t darken the pens as much as with BLO. I’ll still use the waxes though after. Its amazing what they do to the finish.

,

-- - Eric Indianapolis, IN

Beautiful work!

-- LEITH, SOUTH CAROLINA

Beautiful pen!!! I just picked me up a mandrel saver from Penn State Industries. It really works well, no more nut on end. Just place your blanks and bushings on then slide your mandrel up on the bushing and tighten the tail stock down.

-- Greg, Concordia, Mo "All the horns of the wicked I will cut off" Psalm 75:10

Hey Greg, other than not having to tighten a nut what does it do? I don’t mind the nut and I don’t tighten down the tailstock enough to bend the mandrel.

-- - Eric Indianapolis, IN

Neil, thats a beautiful pen.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Thanks Charles. I’m Eric though lol ;)

-- - Eric Indianapolis, IN

Eric: We were having a private conversation about your work.

Do you mind ? ;-)

I agree, Charles. It IS a beautiful pen !

-- -- Neil

Lol too funny.

-- - Eric Indianapolis, IN

So.. Perhaps I’m a little uneducated, but the wood is dyed all the way through? The pen looks fantastic. Thats the next thing I’d like to learn how to do/tools i want to buy ^_^

-- Dan, Rochester, NY

Yeah, I’d love to learn how to dye them myself if that is even possible to do at home, that dyed blank was $9. I believe its the same process they use to stabilize. They inject it under high pressure to force it through. I dont know if its possible to do at home, maybe soak a blank for a while or dye it after turned which I dont know if it would look as good.

Anyone know how its done?

-- - Eric Indianapolis, IN