Shopsmith Forums

I have made pens before as gifts for others using Slimline and Sierra kits.
For myself I prefer stick pens, (no moving parts to break )so this morning I finally turned one for me. The refill is from one of the BIC® Round Stic Grip® black fine tip pens I use for work and the wood is some type of hardwood (maple?) that I salvaged from a pallet. I am very pleased with the way it turned out.
I followed the directions in Cap'n Eddies 12 cent pen video.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp1YtLDPeqk[/youtube]
This video shows a different way of turning this style of pen.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1sFjukASBw[/youtube]

Very Nice

Are the black rings burned in with wire?

Looks nice!

Ed

reible wrote:Are the black rings burned in with wire?

Looks nice!

Ed

Yes, I made grooves with the skew and then burned them in with a wire.

I have a set of wires but they came with no instructions so my first try was not as pretty as I would have liked. I then found out that you need to locate with a tool to get nice even spacing... well I do anyway. Without something to located to mine were all over the place. I guess if that were the look one was going for then it would have been fine. I was looking for nice even spacing.

Ed

rpd wrote:

reible wrote:Are the black rings burned in with wire?

Looks nice!

Ed

Yes, I made grooves with the skew and then burned them in with a wire.

reible wrote:I have a set of wires but they came with no instructions so my first try was not as pretty as I would have liked. I then found out that you need to locate with a tool to get nice even spacing... well I do anyway. Without something to located to mine were all over the place. I guess if that were the look one was going for then it would have been fine. I was looking for nice even spacing.

Ed

I agree, the lines need to be set with a tool, the wire primarily just darkens the existing groove.

I saw a YouTube video last year (I forget who by just now) where the person used the edge of a scrap of melamine to burn in the grooves instead of using wire.

I was going to try that but couldn't find a piece, I am sure it will come out of hiding the next time I am in the shop.

I have seen some wires used for burning turned pieces.
Using just plan wire can be dangerous. Having something on the ends of the wire would be safer. A ball with the wire going through the ball and hang only onto the ball. Or you could use a small block of wood.

The wire will cut depth if you are not careful.

Be safe.

DO NOT WRAP THE WIRE AROUND YOUR FINGER UNLESS YOU WANT TO LOSE A FINGER!!!!!! USE A DOWEL OR A BALL AS STATED.
Further, don't wrap anything around your hand or fingers when using a lathe. NO RAGS AT ALL.
Bill V

The set of three that I have came with the ball attached. This is a set for smaller things like pens. You also want to loose the tool rest. And don't touch the wire just after using it, it will be HOT. Also heed the warnings against putting the wire or anything else for that matter wrapped around any part of your body that can get caught in the spinning lathe.
Ed

I usually use some mechanics safety wire. One time in a hurry, I wrapped the ends around a couple of 2" deck screws. I get 2-3 sets of grooves per wire, then pitch it. It can get red hot and break.