# back in my own shop



## duncsuss (Oct 23, 2016)

The last few weeks I've not been able to do any work in my own shop -- I was at the club booth at the Topsfield Fair a couple of weekends, then threw out my back and had to take it easy for a while.

Yesterday I decided to do a quick project -- a Pentel mechanical pencil refurb, this in curly maple with CA finish. They are perfect for practicing use of the skew chisel

Reactions: Like 7 | Way Cool 4


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## Tony (Oct 24, 2016)

Very nice Duncan! I've carried a Pentel for years, never have seen one redone like that. Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Jim Beam (Oct 24, 2016)

I've been turning two years now and have never used my skew chisel. I just don't understand it.


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## duncsuss (Oct 24, 2016)

Jim Beam said:


> I've been turning two years now and have never used my skew chisel. I just don't understand it.



Take a look the post @deltatango made HERE as a starting point.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Oct 24, 2016)

Very nice, Duncan! Pentels are my favorite mechanical pencil and this is something I've wanted to try. Do you have the special step drill bit for making these?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## duncsuss (Oct 24, 2016)

Sprung said:


> Very nice, Duncan! Pentels are my favorite mechanical pencil and this is something I've wanted to try. Do you have the special step drill bit for making these?


Yes. I drill out to just short of the internal step using a regular (but longer) drill bit, then use a step drill for the last ~3/4". There's a guy on IAP who grinds the drill bits and makes a custom mandrel, I can't remember his name but I probably still have the private message in my inbox there. Shoot me a PM on IAP as a reminder and I'll dig it out for you.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Tclem (Oct 24, 2016)

Jim Beam said:


> I've been turning two years now and have never used my skew chisel. I just don't understand it.


Learn it. I use it a lot


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## duncsuss (Oct 24, 2016)

Jim Beam said:


> I've been turning two years now and have never used my skew chisel. I just don't understand it.


Another good resource for starting with the skew ... Alan Batty's video:

Reactions: Like 1


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## Schroedc (Oct 24, 2016)

I learned my skew by chucking up some spindle blanks and just concentrating on turning them round and putting a taper or beads on them. Over and Over and Over...

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## rocky1 (Oct 24, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> I learned my skew by chucking up some spindle blanks and just concentrating on turning them round and putting a taper or beads on them. Over and Over and Over...



I started with fir, extremely soft, it will teach you in a hurry if you have the wrong angle! Grew tired of that in a hurry as a beginner and moved to my firewood pile. Turned a pretty good pile of red oak round before I was done. And, by the time I was done playing with that, I pretty much had skew work down.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Patrude (Oct 25, 2016)

Find workmanship, beautiful finish


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## duncsuss (Oct 25, 2016)

Patrude said:


> Find workmanship, beautiful finish


Thanks Rich


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## ripjack13 (Oct 25, 2016)

Duncan, can you do a build topic on this next time you make one?

And that looks great, but I'm still partial to mine....
Heh heh heh.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## duncsuss (Oct 25, 2016)

I can't promise that, but I can offer you videos of the time I demonstrated it to the club --

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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