My wife and I love turning pens. Some turners pooh-pooh pen making. I think pen turning is wonderful. A good, exceptional bowl blank can cost $40 or way more. An exceptional pen blank can start at a dollar. Add in the possibility of sentimental wood and you have many ways to go with your handiwork. Pens can be made from: countertop of new kitchen, Daddy's bowling ball, maple flooring of replaced H.S. gymnasium, replaced decking of "Old Ironsides" for Navy veterans, Grampa's old rocker that finally fell apart, the ideas are endless! My avatar is a group of mimosa pens given to the blood relatives at the funeral of a woman who planted the tree.The tree was twelve yrs old. It died about a year before her death.
The use of the mimosa tree is absolutely PERFECT. Alan & I are talking about it now. Thank you for this note.
I need to get a grip and learn to turn those things!