Pen turning 101

[hdtran]

Someone posted a picture here a while back of a horizontal boring fixture for drilling pen blanks, so I stole that idea. I'm attaching my version of the fixture, which is how I drill right now. (Left foreground fixture; back right one is my pen press!)

I haven't tried drilling w/ drill in tailstock and chuck holding blank, but I see what you're doing now. I'm going to try that as soon as I get some spigot jaws for my chuck. I think drilling w/ drill in tailstock will be a much faster setup, once I get the jaws...

Again, thanks for putting up the tutorial! It's great!

[ATTACH]12209[/ATTACH]

[mbcabinetmaker]

Someone posted a picture here a while back of a horizontal boring fixture for drilling pen blanks, so I stole that idea. I'm attaching my version of the fixture, which is how I drill right now. (Left foreground fixture]12209[/ATTACH]

Yes it is faster and very accurate. I used to have a vice set up on a small drill press but would constantly have the blank move or twist and keeping it centered was also a chore. Then Tom posted his set up that I use now.

[mbcabinetmaker]

[attach]12222[/attach]

The secret to pen turning is the bushing sets. Different pen kits require different bushing sets. I like to check the setup against the instructions. Getting a bushing on backwards makes for a bad day.






[attach]12223[/attach]

Next I set up my work pieces on the mandrel an install it on the Shopsmith.






[attach]12224[/attach]

Setting up the tool rest is the next step.








[attach]12225[/attach]

I like to turn the work pieces until I can lay my chisel on top and not feel a bump. This means that they are now round. At this point I will stop the lathe and inspect the pieces for splits or imperfections. Some of these can be filled with epoxy or CA glue. None needed here.






[attach]12226[/attach]

Turn your design staying a little heavy of the bushings to allow for sanding.

[joedw00]

Mark
Great tutorial! Thanks for posting!!!!

[cmccarter1]

Where do you get the different bushing sets> do they come with the pen sets?
all i have is the ones that came with the mandrel.

[mbcabinetmaker]

Where do you get the different bushing sets> do they come with the pen sets?
all i have is the ones that came with the mandrel.

Carter the ones that came with the mandrel are actually spacers to fill the unused portion of the shaft. The bushing sets you order with the pen kits. The kits should tell you the item # or bushing set to order. If you need help figuring it out I suggest that you call your order in and talk with someone.

[mbcabinetmaker]

Sorry for the long delay I have been busy.


[ATTACH]12243[/ATTACH]

Our plans call for a notch for the center band.




[ATTACH]12244[/ATTACH]

I mark for the cut while the lathe is stopped but will remark while it is spinning.




[ATTACH]12245[/ATTACH]

A parting tool works best for this cut.




[ATTACH]12246[/ATTACH]

All tool work is done at this point. Our next step is sanding. This takes patients and you learn by trial and error. I start with some 150 grit and move up to 400 then switch to 0000 steel wool followed by gray scotch bright. Others have their own preferences on this and go way higher in grits. Just remember that anything that you can see while the pen is spinning on the lathe will show up in the final project. Also I recommend a final sanding of each grit (before moving to the next) with the grain while the lathe is stopped.

[mbcabinetmaker]

[ATTACH]12248[/ATTACH]

After the final sanding it is time for finishing. A lot of people use CA glue. The few times that I used it I thought I was going to have to go in for sinus surgery. Also I prefer the softer look and feel of a buffed out lacquer finish.






[ATTACH]12249[/ATTACH]

Gloss lacquer from Lowes works just fine. A can will do a lot of pens.






[ATTACH]12250[/ATTACH]

Notice that I have some cardboard in place to protect Sans Souci from the overspray. I know that I promised Virginia in the begining of this thread but she is busy on a job sight. Sans Souci is named after an old cotton mill community in Greenville SC where I found her.






[ATTACH]12251[/ATTACH]

I usually apply 6 or 8 coats sanding in between with gray scotch bright and blowing away the dust followed by wiping with a clean cloth. After this has dried for at least 12 hours I will buff it on the lathe with a clean piece of T shirt material and apply a coat of Johnsons wax. It leaves it with a very nice feel. There are unlimited possibility's for finishing and I have seen some very nice ultra high gloss finishes produced with Micro Mesh.

[mbcabinetmaker]

[ATTACH]12259[/ATTACH]

The nest step is assembly. I like to lay all the parts out and get it straight in my head before starting.






[ATTACH]12260[/ATTACH]

I have mounted my pen press to a mark 5 extension table. It works great, nice and stable.





[ATTACH]12262[/ATTACH]

I do use a little CA glue for this procedure. I will caution you to be careful here. I use a Q-tip to apply a small amount on the inside of the tubes before pressing the parts together.






[ATTACH]12263[/ATTACH]







[ATTACH]12264[/ATTACH]

Just follow the instruction and make sure you are perfectly aligned before applying pressure to the lever.

[mbcabinetmaker]

[ATTACH]12265[/ATTACH]

One last caution. Always allow the pen to set for a few hours before installing the ink cartridge. This allows the glue to dry that may other wise make it a permanent part of the pen.





[ATTACH]12266[/ATTACH]

This is a couple of others that I turned while you all were not looking. I really like the gunmetal color with the lighter woods. One is spalted maple and the other is old growth cypress.




If you are new to pen turning I am going to include a couple of links to help you get started. Both are great sources and ship quickly. Start out with the cheaper funline kits and don't beat yourself up if you make a few mistakes and ruin a couple of pens. We have all done so at one time or the other. It is harder to swallow on the higher priced kits though.


http://www.packardwoodworks.com/

http://www.pennstateind.com/

Have fun and don't be afraid to experiment.