...and, the first pen!

[CommGuy107]

Nothing fancy, but it will forever be my first pen.

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

Looks good. What kind of wood is it?

 

[aplpickr]

Are you looking for a critique? Never part with your first pen! There will never be another FIRST pen. Take it out in six months, you will be amazed at your improvements

 

[CommGuy107]

Are you looking for a critique? Never part with your first pen! There will never be another FIRST pen. Take it out in six months, you will be amazed at your improvements

No critique needed, Bill. I will always see every flaw without prompting. I look forward to improving, and appreciate the advice you've already so generously shared.

 

[CommGuy107]

Looks good. What kind of wood is it?

That's some walnut scraps. Leftover from some "shorts" I bought from Steve Wall a couple of years ago.

 

[Gotcha6]

And so it begins. The never ending effort to save EVERY piece of scrap wood that might make a nice pen. Pretty soon, you'll have an entire cabinet full of pen blanks. And don't forget the acrylic blanks or corn cobs you can try. Enjoy.

 

[aplpickr]

Or fill a 3/4" pvc pipe with sweet gum satellite balls. Fill in the air space with clear epoxy or polyester resin. Let it cure, turn the pipe off, you have a pen blank!

 

[CrealBilly]

Or fill a 3/4" pvc pipe with sweet gum satellite balls. Fill in the air space with clear epoxy or polyester resin. Let it cure, turn the pipe off, you have a pen blank!

Epoxyed sweet gum balls. You do know most people try and eradicate them not preserve them - just saying...

Never do anything during the day that will keep you awake at night

 

[Gotcha6]

Epoxyed sweet gum balls. You do know most people try and eradicate them not preserve them - just saying...

Never do anything during the day that will keep you awake at night

Porcupine eggs........ :gar-La;

And don't forget the kits for letter openers, wine stoppers, key fobs, steak knives, and other items available. It is a slippery slope.....

 

[CommGuy107]

And so it begins. The never ending effort to save EVERY piece of scrap wood that might make a nice pen. Pretty soon, you'll have an entire cabinet full of pen blanks. And don't forget the acrylic blanks or corn cobs you can try. Enjoy.

Ha! You're right! It's already begun, Dennis. Corn cobs, you say...? Now I may be the weird guy hanging around the trash can at the BBQ.

 

[CommGuy107]

Or fill a 3/4" pvc pipe with sweet gum satellite balls. Fill in the air space with clear epoxy or polyester resin. Let it cure, turn the pipe off, you have a pen blank!

You guys have some cool ideas. I like this one a lot! I already scavenge the acorn caps and long leaf pine needles to embellish gourds. This will suit me just fine.

 

[Raymond]

You are on the way, dan. I have both my first pen (still writes and looks just like I finished it) and my second pen (it fragmented like a grenade - that taught me not to get so aggresive in my turning).

 

[toolman]

Read Below... Great 1st pen..

 

[Gotcha6]

They are available at Woodcraft and other such places. Usually they are dyed & stabilized and make a unique pen, but they are brittle when turned to thin sections. I made one for my dad, but being raised on a farm, if he knew what I paid for a corncob he would have disinherited me! :gar-La;

 

[Aerocustomsexotics]

I still have my first pen made a long time ago. Surprisingly it was a really good first attempt but I also had a few years of machine shop experience under my belt before venturing into wood turning. I also have all of my failed pens as well to serve as I reminder to slow down & think through each step. I have made a lot of pens with no clips or assembled something wrong!

Welcome to the madness. Hit me up if you want some exotic woods & burls to turn I have thousands of pen blanks domestic & exotics. I am a wood hoarder.

 

[CommGuy107]

Welcome to the madness. Hit me up if you want some exotic woods & burls to turn I have thousands of pen blanks domestic & exotics. I am a wood hoarder.

I'm always looking for something...I'll check out your wood collection!