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 Post subject: Help on truning pens?
PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:09 pm 
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Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 4044
Location: Rolling Meadows, IL. USA
We have a gaggle of pens to turn and have no experience.
!!HELP!!
Turning
Supplies
Finishing
ETC

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PostPosted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 11:39 pm 
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 9:37 pm
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Location: Tucson, AZ
oh boy, you're going to have fun....

I'll try to get an in-depth "how to" together for you tomorrow--
Lawrence


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PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:13 am 
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Location: Oxford, GA USA
and you can go to The Daily UareL -

http://www.woodworking.org/InfoExchange ... hp?t=26802

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 7:40 am 
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Joined: Thu Mar 14, 2002 1:01 am
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Location: Cape Cod Massachusetts
Rex and Kip have been making pens for years.
Their DVD is well though of.
Craft Supplies has it in a package.
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store ... _vid?Args=

I'm not a pen turner so take what I say with a grain of NaCl.

Also,
You should be able to find some guidance here.
International Association of Pen Turners
http://www.penturners.org/

Good Luck,
---Nailer--

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PostPosted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:04 am 
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Location: Aurora CO
Here's some good supply links:

Pen State Industries http://www.pennstateind.com/?gclid=CM6s ... agodMFo-Tw

Craft Supplies USA http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/

And there's always Woodcraft and Rocklers.

Best buy I've seen on chisels is at HF.

For a finish I like to use a combination of oils and friction polish.

Best of luck and welcome to the VORTEX! :wink:

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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:49 am 
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Joined: Fri May 12, 2006 9:37 pm
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Location: Tucson, AZ
I'm certainly no expert--- but here's a quick down and dirty with some things I've learned

---------------------------------------
downanddirty how to
1. Cut or purchase wood blank approx. 5 inchs in length and 3/4 square
2. place brass tubes on blank, mark lengths and cut pieces to length
3. Drill hole in blank squarely (I use a drill press vice with jaws to hold things square)
4. Glue brass tubes in blank ends (I use thick CA glue) Allow to dry
5. Square blank ends with barrel trimmer or if blank and drilled hole are square you can use a disk sander with miter gauge
6. mount blanks onto pen mandrel with appropriate bushings
7. Turn blanks- ensure that the locations where the wood meets the bushings are level with the bushings
8. Finish as desired (I'd start with simpler finishes such as friction polishes or wax or no finish at all an then move on to more durable finishes such as CA finishes or lacquers.
9. Remove blanks from mandrel and assemble as spelled out in kit directions
10. Admire your work
11. Post a picture and story on the WWA!

Here are some additional tips--
1. Start with straight wood (non plastic) stock-- it is easier to learn to turn properly with good, straight grained woods like cherry, mesquite, or maple. As your technique improves you will branch out to more challenging woods naturally. Also start off with standard 7mm twist type pens.... they get fairly unexciting after a while, but they are a good cheap way to build your skills and the pens are really nice users. Folks on this site were very (very) generous when I began turning and I'd like to return the favor- if you PM me your address I'd love to send you some blanks to get you started.

2. When you buy your kits (I get mine from Ryan and Fritz at woodturningz.com If you call them they will spend as much time as you need explaining things on the phone. Just leave your number on their machine and they will call you back so you don't have to wait on hold) Anyway, when you buy your kits, scratch up all the brass tubes at once. This will prevent you from "skipping" this step and may save you a blank or two. (scratched brass tubes hold better in the blank as the glue "grips" the brass more easily. I scratch them by putting them gently in my drill and turning it on (slowly) while holding a piece of 120 grit paper on the tube. I then flip it and move on to the next tube. It takes me about 10 seconds to scratch up a tube this way.

3. Take your time when drilling out your hole for the brass tube. Clear the bit often and use a drill press to keep the blank straight.

4. Take your time when prepping your blanks and it will save you hastle when clearing the ends of your blanks after your brass tubes are in. rarely have to do more than touch the end-trimmer to the blank for 5 seconds or so because I take care to cut my blanks to proper size squarely and drill squarely and carefully before I glue in the tube

5. Have fun and don't be dissapointed if your 2nd and 3rd pen blow up. (it seems like everyone succeeds on the first pen because they follow directions carefully and are quite slow in each step of the process... then we get cocky and blammo!! (DAMHIKT))

Hope this helps some, again- if you PM me your address I'll throw some blanks into an envelope and send them your way
Lawrence


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