Shopsmith Forums

reible wrote: I do hope I enjoy my experience and decide to make a lot of them, other wise this first pen is going to be rather expensive. I guess that would go under "tooling" charges, an almost one time thing.
Ed

I am sure after you turn your first pen you will be hooked. I just started turning pens, and really enjoy it. I turn about 12 for Christmas, and they were a big hit. There a lot of videos showing how they do it. When you get started then you will find what works for you.

Made a number pens & never used a barrel trimmer. I used the disk sander & miter gauge/rip fence as a jig. Works fine, is quick.

trainguytom wrote:Made a number pens & never used a barrel trimmer. I used the disk sander & miter gauge/rip fence as a jig. Works fine, is quick.

I have only had two issues with barrel trimmers. First one I applied too much pressure and flexed the shaft. The second time I discovered right after destroying a bland the trimmer had been dropped. Upon inspection found a nick that clearly had grabbed the wood. I have not tried the other methods suggested so cannot comment. Jim

OK, I now have on order a 7mm drill bit, a set of 3 pen kits, the bushings set for them, pen refills and some wood for turning.

The bad news is I'm out of money for this month.

Early Feb. I'll get the glue and barrel trimer (I think I'll look for a cheaper model, $50 seems excessive). Or maybe by then I will have checked out a method or two for sanding them to size.

My brother has a birthday later in March so I picked out a "roadster" (he is a car guy) and olive wood, now I will have 3 tries to get a good one, two or three good ones would be even better.

At this point I need some warmer weather too, right now it is 44 degrees in the shop and I'm sorry that is just to cold for me to work in....

Again thanks everyone for your help.

Ed

beeg wrote:Be careful with the olive wood Ed, it can cause sensitivity or irritation.

Check

Hazmat suit to be ordered in early March, cost of pen will now exceed $3799.26, perhaps I should have stopped by the local Walmart for Bic pen????

Ed

reible wrote:Check

Hazmat suit to be ordered in early March, cost of pen will now exceed $3799.26, perhaps I should have stopped by the local Walmart for Bic pen????

Ed

or check out this you tube video. 12 Cent Pen Pen Making does not have to be insanely expensive.

Apparently, my hobby is not wood working it is acquiring and maintaining wood working tools and spending time in the shop. Occasionally some finished products breach the door.

Hazmat suit? I use a face shield, wear a jacket and with any wood that is nasty like olive I wear latex gloves. But then again I do not shop at Wally World. Jim

the 12 cent pens are fun to make and is a good way to use scrap wood. The proper size bit cost me about $5.00 for a long bit.

great give away and many people like the extra long size.

I like epoxy glue as I didn't like the Gorilla glue expending my pen barrels out when my back was turned.

our local woodturner club has a deal with WoodCraft, as I think all woodcraft shops do. They give us the pen kits, we supply the wood and labor and we have to return the same kits to WC and they in turn give them to the troops.

I think as a club we did 1,000 in 2011

great way to get practice and it helps with the addiction of pen turning

I was able to buy Twist 7mm Pen SlimLine Hardware Kitsfrom Rockler for 1.99 each late last fall. Have used kits from Rockler, Penn State Ind., and Woodcraft with excellent results. They all look like they were probably manufactured by the same source....just a little different packaging.