Turned Pens from Tobacco Sticks

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Splinter

New User
Dolan Brown
I don't have a lathe or have enough experience to properly use one but I am thinking about having some pens made from tobacco sticks. My siblings and I were all raised on a farm and tobacco was the main cash crops when we were kids.

I still have a few of the tobacco sticks and was thinking that it would be nice to have one of the Expert Pen Turners on this site to make 5 or so pens from one of the sticks that I could give to my siblings as a memory of our days on the farm. In case you don't know the sticks are made from old pine and they are probably 60-70 years old. The sticks are not square as I see most pen blanks are. They were probably mostly square when they were new but have worn away around the harder grains of the wood over the years somewhat like you see sandblasted wood.

Does anyone have an interest in doing this?
 

ChrisMathes

New User
Chris Mathes
Hey Dolan,
I would love to help you with this project if you struggle to find someone closer to help. This sounds like a great project, given the sentimental value surrounding it. I'm on the other side of the state, however and know there is a lot of talent that is a lot closer to you, which would make the logistics a lot easier and the cost a lot lower :) Good Luck!
Chris
 

skeeter

New User
Charles
Hey Dolan, sounds like a great project and nice gifts for your siblings!

Have you thought about contacting the guys at KMI to see if some of the kids are experienced enough to try tuning the pens. I know they had started doing some back in the summer.

Another option is Wilmington Woodturners. Maybe someone there would do it. They meet the 2nd Sat. of each month at 1:00 PM in the shop at Anchor Hardwoods.
 

gsdoby

New User
Gary
I have made some out of poplar. Are the sticks sawn or split? I think split would be more difficult to turn.
 

Eaglesc

New User
Eagle
The tobacco laths used for broadleaf and shade tobacco in CT as I remember them are much too thin to make a pen out of unless they were glued up.
Send me a P.M.
If you can cut them to fit in a priority box I am sure I can come up with a design that you might like.
We can set it up so maybe you could send me a picture of them or post that same here.
I do custom work all the time.
 

Splinter

New User
Dolan Brown
Thanks for the replys/offers to help. I met with Dozer today and he has taken up the challenge. He brought along some of his pens. Nice. :eusa_clap Sure makes me want to try pen turning when I grow up. So many tools to buy and so little money. :-( Now if my lottery #'s would just come up.
 
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