Today in the shop (scraps to pens)

reible · Post by **reible** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:06 pm

Turns out the hickory turns fine. Got 3 done this evening. First one I was very careful with so it took as long as the other two combined.

I'll be ending up with 5 made from hictory, 2 maple and 3 walnut. This is 10 of the 12 I need but I have not decided which wood I'll use for the oither two. I have some holly and some koko that I'd like to try.

So thanks everyone for the info.

Ed

garys · Post by **garys** » Thu Sep 18, 2014 11:39 am

I've turned hickory with good results. Last winter I made up some handles for my files from hickory. I used my Shopsmith basic 5 piece turning tool set. It should work for pens too if you use the correct size tools.

reible · Post by **reible** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 12:31 am

So progress was made and now I've been sitting here waiting of new pen parts. Turns out that one of the parts that lets you twist the refill in and out was bad. It wouldn't turn, I finally managed to brake it so only had parts for 9 pens.

That is OK the new parts should be arriving Fedex tomorrow. Just to make life interesting I how have need of 9 more pens, I've order 10 kits so I hope they all work this time. (I have an additional 5 kits on back order just in case.)

From left to right, maple, next 3 are natural finish hickory, had to tell in the picture but the next 2 have a small bit of stain on them, still hickory. The last 3 pens are walnut.

To be honest I don't think I will do anymore hickory, much like ash it has more open grain then I like for pens. Works fine for other appications like tool handles but just not to my liking for pens. Not a big deal but any other hickory scraps will be used for something else.

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Ed

camerio · Post by **camerio** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 7:50 am

Very nice pen. I hope to get started doing some this winter.
Good work Ed and as usual good post on that.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Fri Sep 26, 2014 8:52 am

I see what you're saying about the hickory & open grain. Wonder what it would look like if you dabbed on some brown shoe-polish?
I have really come to like using darker Briwax as a grain-filler on my oak tool chests.

reible · Post by **reible** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 7:57 pm

The project was done on time and I ended up making 19 pens in this batch.

I found a wood dowel at the Meijer's store (like a super walmart) that looked interesting, made 5 pens from it and still have one blank left for another time. No real idea what the wood is but it is from Indonesia, I might have to check back from time to time to see if I can find more.

I had some Koko blanks from a sale at one of the places I get blanks so I did a couple of them. I didn't love the wood but it is OK.

I had one special pen that I wanted to make for an old friend so I picked up a piece of pistachio, that was a nice find with a combo of light and dark wood.

Here is a shot of the family just before I started handing bagging them.

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left to right

hickory (5)
unknown (5)
koko (2)
walnut (3)
maple (1)
silver maple (1)
pistachio (1)

and if you counted and only found 18 that is because 1 was handed out before I got to the picture taking phase of the project (walnut).

My brother says he could use a couple more for some veterans up in my hometown, I have need for about 8 more for some former work buddies, and again I need to do another dozen.

Also requests for 4 more bottle stoppers, and before Christmas for all of these recent requests. Not sure if that will happen but they can hope.

Ed

beeg · Post by **beeg** » Fri Oct 17, 2014 11:29 pm

NICE looking pens. Must of keep ya busy for a few hours.

nuhobby · Post by **nuhobby** » Mon Oct 20, 2014 5:54 am

Of course that Pistachio is a super choice!

I used some on the center-panel of my last machinist-chest rebuild

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