What tools do I need for making pens?

Billm0066

Bill
User
Ive had a lathe for about 9 months now and have the basics down pretty good. I would like to start making pens so trying to get a list together. I also own a drill press. Here is what I have so far.

Pen blank centering vise https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VHWKYS/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?smid=A2NWLOWWF5G7JX&psc=1

Pen barrel mill trimmer https://www.amazon.com/Trimmer-Clea...675SVCNW24Y&psc=1&refRID=0BHCBSDF1675SVCNW24Y

Non stick pen bushings https://www.amazon.com/Hold-Fast-No...6R5JP7558Z2&psc=1&refRID=5ZERKAQ5J6R5JP7558Z2

Pen press https://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-4...keywords=pen+press&qid=1577626487&s=hi&sr=1-3

I obviously need pen kits and blanks. I just want to make sure I have all the tools needed to make pens. I dont mind spending money for good quality stuff or tools to make it easier and I will also plan to buy things locally if possible. Are there any other tools I should be buying or need to research?
 

Tgillis

Tonika
Corporate Member
Pen mandrel, appropriate bushings and sand paper to go along and you will have what you need.
 

rcarmac

Board of Directors, Secretary
Robert
Staff member
Corporate Member
I have made a lot of pens and don’t have your first 3 items, lol. I just have a regular pen vice and use my bench sander for trimming or sanding the ends. Unless you get wild with the glue finish, I’m not sure what the non stick bushings are good for.
 

Roy G

Roy
Senior User
Get a wooden pencil. Use this when you are sticking the glue coated brass tube into the wood or acrylic. Hold the tube with the pencil and insert without getting glue all over your fingers.

Roy G
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
The basic rudiments for making pens are really very small, but you will find as your skills increase you will be adding many things to your work shop weaponry. Of coarse you need a lathe, then at the minimum, a good skew chisel, then a method for sharpening it. A drill press is almost a necessity also. You can use it to drill your blanks, and then you can also mill the ends of the pen body, as well as use the drill press to press the pen components together. A set of drills of the correct sizes for each size pen kit is necessary also. There are drill sets available that are pen makers sizes, which are basically about 8 drills, in both SAE and metric sizes. You can sand the end of the blanks with the help of the miter gage and a pen sanding jig on a disc sander, or you can buy a set of pen mills which are best used in your drill press, Sanding products are required to finish your pen blanks; I started from early on sanding to 800 grit, then using micromesh pads. After getting a really good finish by sanding, you'll need a finishing product such as a turners friction polish, of which there are a variety to be had. As your skills at pen making progress, you'll probably want to add to your arsenal of pen making tools and supplies. I finish all my wood pens now with CA glue, a method that takes a bit of learning and skill to perfect, and use a product called ABRANET, which comes in varying grit sizes for sanding. There is a great pen drilling chuck for the lathe that I use, purchased from Barry Gross at Arizona Silhouette. I now drill every blank on the lathe, and slide the tail chuck with the drill in it, rather than crank it through. This method works perfectly for me and saves time. To save time, money, ruined pieces etc, invest your time in watching how other turners make pens on You Tube. There are as many methods as there are pen makers; you will eventually find the methods that work best for you. Remember that some of the videos promote methods that require supplies you don't have, but you can conveniently buy from the demonstrator. Pen making can be simple and very rewarding, but also will require the learning and developing of your skills, as well as special tools and products to become a topnotch pen maker. Good fortune on your pen making endeavors.
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
To directly address your choice of items for pen making, I never user the silicone bushings anymore as I have little trouble separating the pen blanks from the bushings; they are only helpful if you're using a CA finish, which I wouldn't advise as you're starting out. The drilling vise will serve you well. You've selected a nice pen press, but please look at this press as you can also disassemble the pen, which you will find you will have to do to save the piece. It's more money, but a great investment. https://www.amazon.com/PSI-Woodwork...y+disassembly+pen+press&qid=1577641101&sr=8-2

A good mandrel is also a requirement, and there you will need to know if your lathe takes a #1 Morse Taper or #2 Morse Taper. #2 is more common, but is specific as to which mandrel to order. This is the one I use, but then I have maybe 7-8 mandrels I use. #2 Morse Taper Maxi-Mandrel
Always be sure to order the appropriate bushings if you don't have them. I like to look at starting packages that offer pen kits, combined with the appropriate sized drill and bushings.

Here is an excellent kit buy to start with, 30 pen https://www.pennstateind.com/store/PKSLFUN99.htmlkits, as well as bushings, and drill, with the added bonus of wood blanks. You'll have some mistakes along the way, and here's your least expensive way to learn.
 

redknife

Chris
Corporate Member
Bill, I have a box of unused pen making supplies. As I recall, I loaded up with most of what you need. I got rid of my lathe a bit ago. You can have the supplies for whatever shipping turns out to be. Let me know and we can discuss via PM.
 

Billm0066

Bill
User
Bill, I have a box of unused pen making supplies. As I recall, I loaded up with most of what you need. I got rid of my lathe a bit ago. You can have the supplies for whatever shipping turns out to be. Let me know and we can discuss via PM.

Sent you a message. Thank you!
 

Billm0066

Bill
User
With redknife's box and some other things I purchased I was able to make some pens. It's not nearly as hard as I thought once you get the steps down. However as always I chose to take the difficult route and not properly research some things and wing it.

First mistake I made were wood choices. For my first pens I chose Wenge, black palm, red palm, purple heart. Basically some of the most splintery wood that loves to explode on the lathe.

Next mistake was not enough glue on the first set of blanks. Add that to splintery wood and well lots of broken blanks.

Last issue was not learning how to assemble a pen properly. I was able to get a wenge blank turned beautifully, finish came out great. Then I assembled it wrong, couldnt get a piece removed and it went in the trash.

I was finally able to to the blanks turned well, pen assembled correctly, and have some finished ones. Ive made only slim lines so far and will try some others soon. I do real estate so my plan is to make pens for my clients to sign papers at closing that they keep, plus a cutting board as their closing gift. The photo is for a closing on Friday. This was also my first inlay cutting board. They are moving from the mountains to raleigh so I thought an NC inlay was fitting for them. Sometimes I do end grain, maple accents, epoxy inlay serving boards with their name. Basically whatever jumps out to me that I think they would enjoy. I also do pallet wood NC cutouts to hang but hate breaking down pallets so mostly cutting boards as of late.
 

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Mauser44

New User
John
Most things were covered... I will add this. Buy the cheap slimline kits from amazon and turn a few for cheap practice with any wood pieces you have.
If you pick it up fast, you can make "nicer" pens with those kits (you tube has many examples) for gifts. Oh yeah. Save all the cut offs from pen blanks... you can use them as bands on slimline kits to make cigar style pens.

I use buffing wheels to get a nice shine.
I use clamps to put the pen together.... and honestly never thought of using my drill press.

Once you do a few, and get good pick up the nicer kits from rockler etc and use the better wood.
I love burl wood pens, and I think a nice CA finish highlights the grain. The only downside is that you need stabilized blanks.

Beware! Pen turning leads to resin casting, pressure pots and vacuum chambers.lol.
 

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