Pens...did somebody mention pens?

[Limey]

Well I screwed that one up!!
Pics on the way ...try again.
Cheers Limey

[Sawduster]

Limey,
Some pretty good lookin pens. I see a couple that look like the "European" style. I tried those and didn't like them as much as the regular ones. Haven't gotten around to using many of my own scraps. A buddy does a lot of pens and he had collected up a bunch of different types of wood and had about 500 blanks in various stages of completion up to actually having the tubes installed. He brought me a "Care" package last week. A grocery bag stuffed with all sorts of goodies. Some bacote, purple heart, heart wood (don't know what it is but it sure made some pretty pens) post oak, blackjack oak, and even some spalted sycamore. And some other stuff I don't remember. Even some aromatic red cedar (don't know how that will hold up). I'm having so much fun turning pens that I can't do anything else. Need to make some inlaid boxes for the pens, and some other stuff, to say nothing of the blanket chest I've been working on (well, at least I've been seeing it over in the corner of the shop and thinking I need to get back to it). Of course I've also got some neighbors like yours who get out of the tub to pee who want me to work on the yard, and LOML has had me building a pond and waterfall in the back yard. Be nice when winter gets here and all I have to worry about is freezing in the shop.

[Sonny Edmonds]

Limey,
Thems sure some purdy pens!
No wonder they are in high demand!
I reaaly like the one that looks like an inlay or whatever you'd call it. Laminated? The bottem one, very interesting.
Cool stuff Brother! :)

:D

Sonny Edmonds
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
http://home.earthlink.net/~sonnypie/
God Bless America !

[dicklaxt]

Okay Limey ,you quit putting all this temptation on this conference. I am definitely not getting into the pen making business for at least 3 years from todays date..............they sure look good tho>

How do you get ?????...............no don't tell me anything

bye

dick

maybe Gladys would like a little pen turning lathe............naw, forget it, she just needs to keep cooking and cleaning right Marilyn?? Right !!!! right...............hahahahahaha,, I'll bet if she had a lathe she would use it

[Sonny Edmonds]

Dick,
Say..... that brings to mind a mutli function tool.

Rig a small chuck on the backside of a sewing machine and....
Oh nevermind.
Who'd want turnings in their britches after Mama sews them up. Or shavings in the armpit of a shirt.
Naw.... just toss this idea in the round file. :)

:D

Sonny Edmonds
"Precision Firewood Specialist"
http://home.earthlink.net/~sonnypie/
God Bless America !

[Limey]

To sawduster et al,
I thought the subject would have come up before...it's a great way of using up small scraps and experimenting without destroying huge chunks of prime timber.
I've been messing around trying to get something more interesting using the scraps I get over from cutting pen blanks...you know me I even save my shavings in the hope that they will come in useful !!!
Just to get the ball rolling.

[Limey]

Try this!!!

[DustyBob]

Nice work, Limey. I also use up my scraps by making pens. I'll turn a few while I'm waiting for the glue to dry on other projects or when I know I won't have enough shop time for anything else. Plus, they are easy to make and even easier to sell! I made 3 yesterday and sold all three at work today for $25 each. Got orders for 4 more!

Dick, you need to try this. You don't need a small lathe, (I use my 12" Grizzley) and the kits, mandrels and bushings are really inexpensive.

Here's what I sold today: