In all of my mess ups I ran out of the 3/4 by 3/4 by 5 pen blanks......ooooof.    So I’m using some of the 1 by 30 cut down two a 1 by 5 and cut for the brass inserts.  This is what I’m down to until I can order more prope blanks at the end of the week.  So I’ve got to turn off a lot of material to get down to the correct size.  Let’s just hope this one actually cooperates and works.

Took a bit of time and patience to trim that one nice block down but I think it’s ready to start sanding.

Looks a lot better at the ends. Depending what type of "feel" you like on your pens, you may way to make the writing end a little more of a gentle taper

That's what I was honestly trying to go for but I was unsure of how far I could cut down with out and still saving from for sanding in the end.  I'm not fully finished with it just yet.

Edited July 27, 20205 yr by AndrewB

Everyone has a different opinion on what is a comfortable shape for a pen. Some like the slimline type others like a fatter or contoured shape. My Mom has arthritis and finds the slimline hard to hold. I made her a "cigar" pen. She finds the fatter pen easier to use. 

 

An Internet search will return so many images of various styles you can copy. Also, the "pen guts" that came with your kit are only suitable for that particular species/stype. You may have to change from slimline to another style of pen. When you change styles you'll probably need a different set of bushings.

 

There's a lot of info at- https://www.penturners.org/  There is also information at the woodworking sites like Woodcraft on pen kits and bushings 

Edited July 27, 20205 yr by lew

I have it more of a slim line type pen at the moment I just finished up smoothing it down and refining the ends with the spacers.  So they are a little more refined.  I also sanded down to 400 grit and put the first coat of finish on it.  Just gotta watch some more youtubes on putting these together lol.

Welp I messed it up again, I didn't put anything in the center I should have but I think I'm more irritated by the fact that the pen parts don't want to work properly.  The pen turns how ever the mechanism dont want to work.  I guess this is just more of me figuring out the basic mechanics of pen making either way.  I'll get more lol.  Eventually I'll get it right.  Welp no turning until the bowl blanks get here tomorrow back to making people rage quit games for now and enjoy my AC.  But on this one I figured out I can use the drill press to put the parts together which is a good thing.

Edited July 27, 20205 yr by AndrewB

That missing center piece is necessary for the mechanism to work properly.

Hey Lew if we keep telling Andrew to read instructions he may actually do that some day.

 

@AndrewB send me your address I have a package for you.

LOL I will eventually read them one day but then again, I usually wind up figuring things out the hard way LOL. 

5 hours ago, AndrewB said:

I usually wind up figuring things out the hard way

 

 

With this particular tool that would be the ONLY time you found out the hard way.

 

 

IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP!  

 

 

On 7/27/2020 at 9:32 PM, Gunny said:

With this particular tool that would be the ONLY time you found out the hard way.