Some pens....

[bearfretworks]

...while not scrolled, it is still "wood working" related.

A couple different kits to fill a small order. Lathe work is instant gratification....if nothing explodes.

HPIM0623 (601 x 700).jpg

HPIM0625 (700 x 524).jpg

Enjoy and critiques welcomed.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Great looking Pens.
They are a blast to make .I have made hundreds of them now and they are still selling good. One of the quickest and easiest and most gratifying form of woodworking I have found to date. There are never two pieces the same which makes every one unique..
I keep trying new kits.
Here are just a few samples of the many pens I have made.

http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=4821935&uid=1718813

What is the name of the kit you used in the bottom picture. That is the first I have seen of that style .
W.Y.

[bearfretworks]

Great looking Pens.
They are a blast to make .I have made hundreds of them now and they are still selling good. One of the quickest and easiest and most gratifying form of woodworking I have found to date. There are never two pieces the same which makes every one unique..
I keep trying new kits.
What is the name of the kit you used in the bottom picture. That is the first I have seen of that style .

W.Y.

Thanks W.Y.!

These things are addicting!!!

Top kit is the Ligero in 10K gold, bottom is Panache in black chrome. Both kits from Craft Supply USA.

Woods are (Top pic left to right) redheart and 2 bias cut canarywood. Bottom pic L-R redheart, chechen, and koa with a tad bit of curl. Finish is multiple coats of lacquer, then waxed/buffed.

Haven't worked up the nerve to try an Emperor kit.....yet

[stevebuk]

fantastic pens from both of you (already been around W.Y site before) this is something i really need to try later this year.

[Rivari]

Nice work Barry, ever since our visit and discussions about doing pens I have been keeping an eye out for an affordable lathe to tinker with. Seeing the photos just adds to the drive to try this out.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Thanks Barry for the names of those kits. I will look into that. There is never a dull moment with a lathe. I am trying a bunch more exotic woods recently that I have never used before..

Steve. If you get a lathe you will be able to turn all kinds of accessories for your miniature furniture.
I have some world class turners on my WWF site and a few of them there specialize in miniature turnings. Some of them are turnings things like miniature wine goblets that sit on the top of a push tack. One even showed a wine goblet with a captive ring on the stem of it sitting on top of a push pin. Even Rick Hutcheson has got into turning and is doing some miniatures.

Rivari;
When you get a lathe you will wonder why you never got one sooner. There are so many usefull things that can be made easilly on a lathe and you will also find a lot of free wood coming your way from people that don't want to throw out scraps from their carpentry work when they know that people with lathes can put them to good use.
90% of my turning wood is donated wood either in cut offs from good friends or from people that are cutting down trees locally and ask me if I want some (or all) of the wood from them.
Seems like a lot of scrollers have been getting a lathe in recent years now that they are reasonably priced to add variety to their scrolling or any other kind of woodworking they do.
Variety is the spice of life and I find that at craft sales my lathe turnings are selling two to one over my scrollsawed items.
W.Y.

[stevebuk]

hi W.Y
i have a lathe and have already turned miniature table legs, bowls, plates, vases and a few other bits, if you look at my webshots, there is another section with them in it.
Do you have any web address's for your mates turnings, i would love to see them.
thanks
steveb

[William Young (SE BC)]

Hi Steve.
I spent some more time in your site.
Very nice work.
I also sent you a PM.
W.Y.

[stevebuk]

thank you william for your comments, coming from you, that is a big compliment.
steveb

[workin for wood]

Hey Bear...how are you finishing your pens. You said multiple coats of laquer. You spraying them or is it a friction coating that is performed while turning and dries pretty near instantly?

I"m going to give some pens a shot when my new lathe shows up. I already have oodles of imaginary pen making juices flowing, but who knows if I can actually make it happen. I do intend on making pens with scrolling in them.

[bearfretworks]

Hey Bear...how are you finishing your pens. You said multiple coats of laquer. You spraying them or is it a friction coating that is performed while turning and dries pretty near instantly?

Kind of a friction method. I use brushing lacquer and "slop" on a good coat with the lathe off. I let it set for 5 minutes or so, then friction off the excess. I repeat this 2 more times. Then do a couple more coats while the lathe is running. Finally, I apply wax, buff, reapply wax, buff, take off lathe, let sit over night, put pen together....let sit a week....done.

sounds time consuming but I do them in batches and, with all the projects I have half done, always have something to do while waiting for lacquer to dry.

I've tried the CA/BLO finish and, while really nice, don't prefer it as it looks like plastic coated wood. I prefer the satin finish and look and feel of real wood.

hope you can understand the rambling.....

[William Young (SE BC)]

So Jeff . . . maybe it will be a race between you and me to see who first makes one like this only have a diamond "and" a heart and spade and club all on the one pen. I have been thinking of doing it. Just never got around to it.
The diamond in this one is a solid piece of wood right through from one side to the other and done with my scroll saw.

It's great to hear that you have ordered a lathe. It will open a whole new dimension of enjoyable woodworking for you.
W.Y.

[MikeDingas]

Here's a scrolling idea to compliment your beautiful pens. I've seen a pen holder that is a single capital letter on a small base. The letter has a slanted hole drilled through the top to receive the pen.

[William Young (SE BC)]

Good idea Mike;
Just one more way that scrolling and turning can be used to compliment each other.
No wonder so many scrollers are adding a lathe to their collection of usefull tools.
W.Y.

[workin for wood]

the diamond is nice ...hearts spades and whatnot...but not quite what I was thinking...of course I rather show than tell. Lathe should be here late this week, so maybe next week I can try my hand at some pens. Already made a scrolled blank this morning.