# Double Closed End - Redwood Lace Burl



## Sprung (Jan 20, 2016)

Been wanting to take some steps to gain further skills and try new things in the realm of turning pens. I plan to eventually give kitless/bespoke a go, but need to save up first to buy some tooling for that, such as taps and dies. For now I decided to give closed end pens, based off of a kit, a try. Yesterday I got a couple pin chucks in the mail, sized for the Jr. Gent II based kits. There are a TON of JR. Gent II based kits and it's my favorite platform/tube size to make a pen out of, so it was a no brainer to start with these two sizes of pin chucks.



 

So, here's my first closed end pen. Used an Atrax kit for the parts I needed. I am thinking about coming up with something to attach to the cap portion as a roll stopper, but haven't found anything I like yet.
CA finish, but different than usual for me. I've been working on a satin CA finish and am close to having my process for it down. It has such a warm look and feel to it and I probably won't be doing my deep, glossy CA finish much anymore as I like this finish a lot.
Wood is Stabilized Redwood Burl that I got from @David Seaba at some point in time. I think it was in one of the trades we did when I first started making pens. It was such a nice piece that I couldn't bring myself to use it, but felt compelled to save it for a special pen. Glad I saved it until now!



 



 

C&C Welcome.

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 7


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## Nature Man (Jan 20, 2016)

Dynamite wood and design! Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Matthew Jaynes (Jan 20, 2016)

that looks really nice Matt, i do believe that is the first time i have seen closed end pens before. good job Bro

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Tony (Jan 20, 2016)

Matt, I don't understand half of what you said, but I know I really like that pen! Beautiful! Tony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 20, 2016)

Nicely done, Matt. Redwood burl from David Seaba ... pin chucks from Rick Herrell ... but the pen is 100% pure you

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (Jan 20, 2016)

Thank you, everyone! I was getting a little bored with turning straight up kits, so I felt it was time to try something new!



duncsuss said:


> pin chucks from Rick Herrell



Yeah, these are awesome. I've always intended to make my own whenever I get my Taig Micro Lathe up and going, but the quality and precision on these is outstanding (just as one would expect from Rick) that I think I've scrapped the idea of making my own and will likely source any future ones I need from Rick.


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## Schroedc (Jan 20, 2016)

Sprung said:


> Thank you, everyone! I was getting a little bored with turning straight up kits, so I felt it was time to try something new!
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah, these are awesome. I've always intended to make my own whenever I get my Taig Micro Lathe up and going, but the quality and precision on these is outstanding (just as one would expect from Rick) that I think I've scrapped the idea of making my own and will likely source any future ones I need from Rick.



Do you have a link to his pin chucks? I've been thinking about making some but if the quality is as good as you say might just order them myself...

Reactions: Agree 1


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## duncsuss (Jan 20, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> Do you have a link to his pin chucks? I've been thinking about making some but if the quality is as good as you say might just order them myself...



You can reach him through a message on IAP ... here's a link to his "catalog", scroll down a ways and you'll find the pin chucks ... LINK


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## Sprung (Jan 20, 2016)

Schroedc said:


> Do you have a link to his pin chucks? I've been thinking about making some but if the quality is as good as you say might just order them myself...



You can find them here. About a year ago I purchased his offset sanding jig for squaring up blanks - I've since sold off my barrel trimmer stuff as I wasn't using it anymore.

These were a very precise fit with no slop in the Jr. Gent II tubes, which is what Rick measured to make these. The Atrax tubes I tried (different manufacturer of the kit) were just a hair too tight to fit on the mandrel, but a quick run around inside the tube with a grinding bit on the dremel would make them fit on just right - tried it last night to confirm. I'm very pleased with these - certainly a lot more precise than I'd be able to make them.

Rick always runs a sale on his items in February to coincide with the IAP Birthday Bash, so if you wait a few weeks you'll be able to get them cheaper.


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## manbuckwal (Jan 20, 2016)

Awesome work Matt !!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ironman123 (Jan 20, 2016)

That is a beauty of a pen.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## David Seaba (Jan 20, 2016)

Awesome job Matt!!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Jan 20, 2016)

Sweet! I'd need to figure out a way to keep the clip for my purposes, but it's hard to argue with the clean lines.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (Jan 20, 2016)

DKMD said:


> Sweet! I'd need to figure out a way to keep the clip for my purposes, but it's hard to argue with the clean lines.



That's something I plan to work on - figuring how to do a clip while still maintaining the closed end on the cap. I'm a big fan of how lightweight this finished pen is and, while some of my future ones may be more of a desk pen (such as this one), I'd like to make some with clips because having a pen like this in my pocket would be real sweet.


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## rdabpenman (Jan 21, 2016)

Looks great from here.

Les

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## GeorgeS (Jan 21, 2016)

Very cool! I need to read up on the chucking method as I'm not sure how those work.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (Jan 21, 2016)

GeorgeS said:


> Very cool! I need to read up on the chucking method as I'm not sure how those work.



The pin chucks can be seen in the first pic. They're held on the lathe in a collet or drill chuck. The way the pin chuck works is the notch that is cut into the pin chuck is as deep as the diameter of the small pin. you set the pin in the cutout and slide the item onto the pin chuck. The piece gets turned on the chuck and the pin locks it in place. After sliding the piece onto the chuck, I turned the piece clockwise in relation to the chuck to lock the piece down for turning it. Once I've turned it, I turned the piece a little counterclockwise to unlock it and slide it off. Be careful removing it so you don't lose the pin! One thing I like about these that Rick Herrell made is he put a dimple in line with where the cutout would be so you can know where the pin is before you slide anything off the chuck, giving you less of a chance of losing it.


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## Sprung (Jan 21, 2016)

@GeorgeS - Here's a link to a PDF that explains it with visuals, if that helps any.


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## GeorgeS (Jan 21, 2016)

I'll have to see if I can find a video. I'm having a hard time seeing how it holds onto the tube in the blank.


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## GeorgeS (Jan 21, 2016)

Ok, I see the PDF, is that notch flat or slightly higher on one side so that as you roll the blank it forces that pin to get tighter inside the tube?


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## Sprung (Jan 21, 2016)

GeorgeS said:


> Ok, I see the PDF, is that notch flat or slightly higher on one side so that as you roll the blank it forces that pin to get tighter inside the tube?



It's flat, but since the chuck itself is curved (a round rod), it gets smaller as you go towards each end of the flat section, which forces the pin to get tighter inside the tube. The pin chuck works in both directions - if your lathe reverses and you use reverse, it locks and unlocks in the opposite direction from normal.


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## GeorgeS (Jan 22, 2016)

Got it, thank for being patient while I noodles through that!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Jan 22, 2016)

GeorgeS said:


> Got it, thank for being patient while I noodles through that!



Hey, we're all here to learn! Plenty here have been patient with me and helped me understand something - and I see no reason for me not to do the same with others!


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## barry richardson (Jan 22, 2016)

Nice Matt, but I think it needs a finial  Hope you make many more of that style, so I can barter for one in the future...

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Sprung (Jan 22, 2016)

barry richardson said:


> Nice Matt, but I think it needs a finial  Hope you make many more of that style, so I can barter for one in the future...



Oh, I'll definitely be making more of these! And I'd be happy to barter with you for one anytime. 

Should I practice making finials (haven't done one yet) so I can put a big, long one on yours when the time comes?


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