# Question Of The Week... ( 2017 Week 9 )



## ripjack13

Good morning! This weeks question is aimed at the pen makers....
*What is the best looking pen you ever made?*


**

**Rules**
There is no minimum post requirement,
primates, woodticks and leprechauns are welcome to post an answer.
And of course anyone with the letters abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz in their name too...


----------



## justallan

After much digging I found this pic on my phone. Evidently I need to be taking more pics of things.
I don't really have a favorite, really like the DIW clicker bullet pen.

Reactions: Like 6 | EyeCandy! 3


----------



## Sprung

Marc, this is almost like asking "Which is your favorite child?"!!

Here are just *some* of my favorites.

Jr. Aaron w/ Chittum Burl



 

Vertex Click w/ YCB. (And I happened to lose this pen this past week...)



 

Pinecones cast in white pearl, backpainted teal. Baron kit. This one now resides with @Schroedc 



 

Australian Red Gum, segmented with acrylic in the Australian flag colors, with a Croatian stamp featuring the Australian Zebra Finch. Caballero kit. This was for an Australian themed pen.



 

English Walnut on a Cigar. Wood from @manbuckwal and pen now resides with @barry richardson 



 

Pinecones on a George.



 

Honduran Rosewood Burl (from @manbuckwal ) on a Jr. Aaron.



 

Cracked Olive Burl, filled in. LeRoi v. 2 kit. Wood was from @manbuckwal and this pen resides with him



 

Thuya Burl on a Jr. Retro.



 

Some of my dye work - I was especially happy with these because of how happy my wife was with them.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 5


----------



## Ray D

I always liked the one I made using masur birch. My wife still carries it daily

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 2


----------



## Mike1950

What the hell kinda question is this- we all know that the  can barely turn around let alone turn a pen!! GRRRRR Alright this is it, time to start the matter group!!!!!!!

Reactions: Like 4 | Funny 7


----------



## Sprung

Mike1950 said:


> What the hell kinda question is this- we all know that the  can barely turn around let alone turn a pen!! GRRRRR Alright this is it, time to start the matter group!!!!!!!



Mike, you can show all of us up during the week that @ripjack13 posts the "What is the best looking box you've ever made?" question! Or the "What's the most burl you've ever transported at one time?" question!

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 3


----------



## Mike1950

Sprung said:


> Mike, you can show all of us up during the week that @ripjack13 posts the "What is the best looking box you've ever made?" question! Or the "What's the most burl you've ever transported at one time?" question!


Nice pens Matt- hell I hate to say something- sure could not show pens I turned. I will dig out some that have been turned for me.. :)

Reactions: Like 2 | Thank You! 1


----------



## woodtickgreg

Believe it or not I have only turned one pen and that was at a wood working show. I can see how addictive it could be, and rewarding at the same time. I think it's also very cool that you can turn a pen relatively quickly and get almost instant gratification. So I started to buy all the things i needed to turn pens and stashing them away. Then the divorce happened and all that got put on hold as I didn't have a shop for awhile, the shop is almost done now so I can get back to learning how to do pens. I have been collecting blanks from all the fine folks here and I have some nice blanks that I am anxious to turn. I even have a brand new midi lathe that will be dedicated to turning pens that's still in the box. So I haven't even started my pen turning journey yet, but soon..............

Reactions: Like 4


----------



## Schroedc

I've got to pick from some of the 10,000+ pens I've made????????

This one in Buckeye burl has always been one of my two favorites, It's also one of my favorite pens to use for jury photos for art show applications.



 

And this is one of my EDC pens that I refuse to part with even though I've had a few folks try to buy it. Blue dyed Black Ash Burl on a Stainless Rollerball kit-

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 8 | Funny 1 | Way Cool 1


----------



## ripjack13

Sprung said:


> Mike, you can show all of us up during the week that @ripjack13 posts the "What is the best looking box you've ever made?" question!



That is actually next weeks question....I have a few for all the different cliques here....

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Mike1950



Reactions: Like 6 | EyeCandy! 2 | Funny 1 | Way Cool 1


----------



## Mike1950

Some real beauties there

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 4


----------



## ripjack13

Mike1950 said:


> View attachment 122864



You made those?!


----------



## justallan

Mike1950 said:


> Nice pens Matt- hell I hate to say something- sure could not show pens I turned. I will dig out some that have been turned for me.. :)



BS Mister! I'm brave enough to post what I've made. I think showing my attempt at making anything shows folks that at the very least they aren't the bottom of the barrel.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Mike1950

ripjack13 said:


> You made those?!


absolutely........................................................................................not. My lathe is untrained- only makes dust. Those are from members here

Reactions: Funny 2


----------



## Mike1950

justallan said:


> BS Mister! I'm brave enough to post what I've made. I think showing my attempt at making anything shows folks that at the very least they aren't the bottom of the barrel.


I have not turned a pen- probably had lathe 4 yrs- has beale buffing wheels on it.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Mike1950

And I switch off using all but the art deco pair- Kathie confiscated those 2- Hell I was lucky to get a picture of them. Right now the fish and spalted maple are my users.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## justallan

@Mike1950 my bad, I thought you were just scared. Sorry about that.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Don Ratcliff

Sold this for $250 at a gallery on Kauai.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 7 | Way Cool 5


----------



## Mike1950

justallan said:


> @Mike1950 my bad, I thought you were just scared. Sorry about that.



Np problem- turning just not my Gig

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## David Hill

Nice pens y'all!
I haven't fallen into that part of the pool ...yet.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## rocky1



Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1 | Funny 12 | Useful 1


----------



## Schroedc

rocky1 said:


> View attachment 122880



Wow! you got the Bic logo just perfect on that one!!!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3


----------



## Lou Currier

The camphor that I recently posted.


----------



## ripjack13

rocky1 said:


> View attachment 122880



@duncsuss would be proud of that one....

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


----------



## duncsuss

As others have said, it's very difficult to pick a single one as "best looking" -- but I think the modified Churchill I made using Cliff's cocobolo burl has to be right up there. It's not the fanciest hardware, but the wood is off the scale.

Reactions: EyeCandy! 10 | Way Cool 2


----------



## CWS

I made a chicken pen last year, but when the chickens flew the coop I sold it.

Reactions: Funny 7


----------



## steve bellinger

Well everyone knows i'm not a pen maker, but have made a few.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 7


----------



## Blueglass

What an awesome display of how incredible grain can show on small packages. They all have looked incredible. Like Mike I could only show pics of what others here have made for me but I do have some gorgeous pens and pencils.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## rocky1

Y'all will have to pardon me, I just couldn't resist! Can't believe the old man didn't think that one through!! 
Oh, and... There are more pens like that one on Google Images Les! There's even a fancy one that writes in 4 colors there!!! 


On a more serious note...
Eucalyptus Burl on a Gatsby I posted a couple weeks ago. I've been fond of a bunch of them, there's a new favorite all the time.

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 6


----------



## Wilson's Woodworking

It would have to be one of these. I am not even sure what kind of wood the two on the left are made out of but I got them in a trade with @Bean_counter . the spalted one is the hardest wood I have ever worked with. Had a heck of a time trimming the ends. I will need a carbide tipped end mill to work with the other two blanks I have.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 5


----------



## barry richardson

A hit parade of great pens here! I got into pen turning for about a minute, still have all the kit, might pick it up again someday, all my best pens are ones made by WB members, the ones I made are stinkers.....

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## Don Ratcliff

barry richardson said:


> A hit parade of great pens here! I got into pen turning for about a minute, still have all the kit, might pick it up again someday, all my best pens are ones made by WB members, the ones I made are stinkers.....


If all those stoopid kits are taking up valuable real estate in your super shop you can feel free to send those right on over to me. I'll make pens and send ya back one.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Creative 1


----------



## barry richardson

Don Ratcliff said:


> If all those stoopid kits are taking up valuable real estate in your super shop you can feel free to send those right on over to me. I'll make pens and send ya back one.


Well I guess I should have said I have all the accessories, I have a few random kits left, but mostly lower budget ones. I'll take a look. I could go for one of your $250 dollar pens

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## Don Ratcliff

barry richardson said:


> Well I guess I should have said I have all the accessories, I have a few random kits left, but mostly lower budget ones. I'll take a look. I could go for one of your $250 dollar pens


You got it, I'll make one as soon as I figure out how to get my drill press in the basement. 

I will make it out of pheasant wood for you...

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Wilson's Woodworking

barry richardson said:


> Well I guess I should have said I have all the accessories, I have a few random kits left, but mostly lower budget ones. I'll take a look. I could go for one of your $250 dollar pens


Well if you have to many of those accessories hanging around I would try to make a trade with you.


----------



## Blueglass

I have loved this thread. All eye candy.

Reactions: Agree 1


----------



## kweinert

I'll have to find a picture of them, but my favorite was a set of 5 pens in black titanium that were made with ironwood for a band (no longer playing together) called Ironwood Rain. If you look at my site it's the set of 5 in the page image. One is gold for the band manager (wife of one of the guys) as she wanted to be a bit brighter with hers.

Reactions: Like 2


----------



## Clay3063

My skills pale in comparison but I'mma gonna post the pen I turned today our of ROB that I got from @norman vandyke ! This wood is just out of sight beautiful and the pen / pencil set I turned do not do it justice. I won't even mention the camera lighting. Blah. But, in person I love the figure and the color. Once again Norm, thank you!

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 1


----------



## norman vandyke

Clay3063 said:


> My skills pale in comparison but I'mma gonna post the pen I turned today our of ROB that I got from @norman vandyke ! This wood is just out of sight beautiful and the pen / pencil set I turned do not do it justice. I won't even mention the camera lighting. Blah. But, in person I love the figure and the color. Once again Norm, thank you!
> 
> View attachment 122979 View attachment 122979 View attachment 122980


Looks like some of my orange dyed batch. Very nice work on the finish!

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Way Cool 1


----------



## Clay3063

norman vandyke said:


> Looks like some of my orange dyed batch. Very nice work on the finish!



Yes sir. That's what it is. Thank you. 

It really turned out nice. The pics never do them justice as is the case here.

Reactions: Like 1


----------



## woodtickgreg

Don Ratcliff said:


> You got it, I'll make one as soon as I figure out how to get my drill press in the basement.



They make this thing called an appliance dolly, works great! And works even better if it's a floor standing drill press and you take the power head off and move it in too pieces. There aint much I can't get in a basement.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


----------



## manbuckwal

Here are a few. The Hick Burl was given to me by Kevin and I made a pen for him out of one of the two blanks he sent me .

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | EyeCandy! 2 | Way Cool 1


----------

