r/PenTurning

Hi everyone. I've been running a small business stabilizing knife scales for a while and Im slowly adding more inventory in other categories. I'm starting to broaden out to a larger audience and I had some questions about penturning in general.

How strict are the dimensions? what I mean is if you send a knife maker scales that are too thick they will generally be thrilled (more material to work with). Are penturners the same way?

Any materials you guys have trouble finding? Im a big fan of maple burl so Im definitely going to create a few more of those but I can keep an eye out for other stuff as well. I know pen turners can use softer woods than knifemakers so there a lot I havent explored yet!

Ive created a few listings as a trial. Please let me know what you guys think- I will apologize for the photos in advance.... Im still learning photography! Thanks for looking!

https://exoticscales.com/?productType=turning

Put together this Majestic for my sister who is a pianist. It's made of gaboon ebony and I attempted to get a piano finish on it. This wood is hard and unforgiving, but it makes for a gorgeous pen.

I picked up a ton of old lead holders at an estate sale, and after saving back the vintage/rare ones I was left with a couple dozen pencils I wanted to try to figure out how to make my own bodies for. After seeing a recent post doing a similar thing I was motivated to finish mine using a selection of different sizes brass tubes for the body and body caps. I need to break them both back down to touch up some finish issues but the idea shows promise. It’s easier to just order pencil kits but I can’t find any similar to this result.

I went to a tinting guy to my truck tinted and found it while I was there that he was getting married really soon, so I asked if he had purchased the groomsmen’s gifts yet. He said no, why? So I showed him a few of my pens that I keep in my truck for random sales. He was sold. So, he gave me specific instructions on what he wanted done and what hardware kits to use. I delivered them today because he gets married tomorrow. He was in complete awe and his new wife to be, said she wanted to order kitchen utensils after they got back from their honeymoon. Along with ordering wine bottle stoppers, bottle openers, letter openers, etc… to go along with the thank you cards. I only took one pi steel and it was only on a kitchen towel, so sorry I didn’t use my professional shadow box for them.

12 made from Hickory, 2 from Red Cedar, and one from Black Walnut.

Finished today. Made with purple and gold resin with real Diamond dust. Sporting ebonite finials and section with brass bands and gold plated clip. Topped of with a Bock #5 medium gold plated nib.

Let me know what you think. All comments are most welcome.

Also a couple other pens turned this weekend

Love how these turned out. (Pun intended)

Put a stopper behind the cut segment and use a popsicle stick to flick off the blade to the side. Worked great. Look forward to sharing our first segmented pen once glued and turned.

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Be safe.

The first picture are that ones that live on my desk at work for my personal use.

The second picture are a few I put out for my coworkers to use and keep if they like one.

I could use some more advice on making blanks with a drill press. I recently got some Gatsby kits I wanted to try out (27/64 bit size) and I’m having some trouble with drill out the blanks.

The wood is birch - and it seems quite easy to drill but, my drill bit keeps getting stuck while drilling. The quick jig I made to keep it in place seems to be working - but the drill still get stuck about an inch of the way down.

I am not using a brad point drill bit (seems more like a twist)- and I went a little quickly just for the video but I’ve gone quiet slowly other times.

Any advice would be appreciated - eventually I’ll get a Jacob’s chuck but that’s a little further down the line.

Hi All, here are few I rough shaped and finished caps and bodies. I need to make the sections and do final finish work but wanted to share my progress.

After about 25 under my belt, things are getting easier and more predictable but still far from the art many on here put out. One day ..😄

1. Oyster shell theme with ribbons of black and interference pigment

2. Pearl with a few playful inserts of gold, burgundy and silver.

3. Blue , pearl and purple pen with some translucent pigment pours to add depth.

4. A deep pour demonstrator with some whimsical colors to be like wild flowers. At least that is what I had in my head. Clear pens are a paint.

5. Lava lamp deep resin poor clear pen. Repeating the pain of making clear pens. This one has a lot more work.

I had the privilege of creating a pen using aircraft aluminum from a decommissioned C-5 Galaxy. The pen is for the commander of the maintenance squadron that oversaw the process, and he retired this week as a Lt Col after 28 years.

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Probably the most technically challenging pen I've turned, since I have no experience with any metal working. I ended up pre-drilling the aluminum and wood, before using epoxy to affix it to the barrel.