# A Couple Pens



## BassBlaster

Heres a few pens I made over the weekend. Most of these were orders that needed filled. Its exciting to finally sell a few items that I'm making and even more exciting to have custom orders coming in. I'm not gonna get rich doing this by any means but its at least starting to support itself!!

Gold Premier Cigar, Spalted Maple, CA Finish

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen10.jpg

Gold Premier Cigar, Figured Cherry, CA Finish

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen12.jpg

Gold Premier Cigar, Leopardwood, CA Finish, wood provided by member JMC

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen11.jpg

Gold Slimline, Padauk, CA Finish, wood provided by member JMC

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen13.jpg

Gold Slimline, Spalted Oak, CA Finish

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen14.jpg


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## Kevin

Those are nice. You are the FASTEST pen turner I have ever seen. You can take a picture of the blank, and before the shutter closes again you have turned it, finished it, assembled it, and set the pen back on it's blank before even it knew it was now a pen. That's like magic! 

Seriously nice pens. 



.


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## bearmanric

BassBlaster said:


> Heres a few pens I made over the weekend. Most of these were orders that needed filled. Its exciting to finally sell a few items that I'm making and even more exciting to have custom orders coming in. I'm not gonna get rich doing this by any means but its at least starting to support itself!!
> 
> Gold Premier Cigar, Spalted Maple, CA Finish
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen10.jpg
> 
> Gold Premier Cigar, Figured Cherry, CA Finish
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen12.jpg
> 
> Gold Premier Cigar, Leopardwood, CA Finish, wood provided by member JMC
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen11.jpg
> 
> Gold Slimline, Padauk, CA Finish, wood provided by member JMC
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen13.jpg
> 
> Gold Slimline, Spalted Oak, CA Finish
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen14.jpg



Those turned out great. Want to learn pens just to busy. Rick


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## BassBlaster

Missus Rebuild said:


> Those are gorgeous. My favorite is the spalted oak, beautiful wood and I love the shape of it too. :yes:



Thanks. That one is actually my least favorite. I love the wood but dont care for the profile. My wife really likes the shape of it too. Hopefully it'll be a hit with the ladies and I'll sell a few of them. Personally I think the top shouldnt have been turned so thin and would look better with some kinda profile. Thats just me though. It fits the hand well and is comfortable to hold and write with.


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## CodyS

Very nice pens!


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## BassBlaster

Joe Rebuild said:


> Starting to pay for itself? Your doing this all wrong By more wood!



Thats the problem with this site, all I do is buy wood, lol. I dont have anything to offer up to trade except the cool stuff I have gotten from you guys and I'm keeping it!!!Na na na na naah nah.

FWIW, the only thing starting to support itself is the pen making. I'm hoping all my turning stuff eventually supports itself cause the only tool I seem to play with anymore is the lathe!!


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## Kevin

BassBlaster said:


> Joe Rebuild said:
> 
> 
> 
> Starting to pay for itself? Your doing this all wrong By more wood!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats the problem with this site, all I do is buy wood, lol. I dont have anything to offer up to trade except the cool stuff I have gotten from you guys and I'm keeping it!!!Na na na na naah nah.
> 
> FWIW, the only thing starting to support itself is the pen making. I'm hoping all my turning stuff eventually supports itself cause the only tool I seem to play with anymore is the lathe!!
Click to expand...


Dennis let me know when you start to get low on wood. "low" is defined as being able to see part of your workshop floor or if you see any portion of your walls. 



:dance:


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## BassBlaster

Kevin said:


> BassBlaster said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Joe Rebuild said:
> 
> 
> 
> Starting to pay for itself? Your doing this all wrong By more wood!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thats the problem with this site, all I do is buy wood, lol. I dont have anything to offer up to trade except the cool stuff I have gotten from you guys and I'm keeping it!!!Na na na na naah nah.
> 
> FWIW, the only thing starting to support itself is the pen making. I'm hoping all my turning stuff eventually supports itself cause the only tool I seem to play with anymore is the lathe!!
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> 
> Dennis let me know when you start to get low on wood. "low" is defined as being able to see part of your workshop floor or if you see any portion of your walls.
> 
> 
> 
> :dance:
Click to expand...


Well compared to the hoards that you guys have, you would probably say that I have no wood, lol. I have roughly 200BF of various flat stock, 50-75 of that being curly maple. Then all the turning stock I have purchased or traded for here on WB. I have enough of that, that I had to dedicate a seperate room in my basement for drying and storing. I still have two or three shelves in there that are currently awaiting more stock though!!


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## BassBlaster

I had one more order I needed to take care of from last weekend. I made time to run down to the shop this morning before the Great American Race. Go Harvick!!

This is a European style in Tiger Maple with a Walnut celtic knot. This is only the second celtic knot I have done but this one turned out 100% better than the first one.

http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen15.jpg


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## DKMD

Nice work on the pens and congrats on the sales! Lots of choices there, but that last pen would probably be my favorite!:no dice. more please:


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## gridlockd

BassBlaster said:


> I had one more order I needed to take care of from last weekend. I made time to run down to the shop this morning before the Great American Race. Go Harvick!!
> 
> This is a European style in Tiger Maple with a Walnut celtic knot. This is only the second celtic knot I have done but this one turned out 100% better than the first one.
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen15.jpg



Those are some beautiful pens you've made there. I have tried celtic knots in some of mine as well. I struggle with getting the alignment correct so i end up with one side being larger than the other. Love the cigar pens, where are you getting your hardware?


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## BassBlaster

Theres a couple differnt ways to go about doing the celtic knots. The first is to make your cuts with a bandsaw and cut not quite all the way through. Your going to turn the outside off anyhow. This way keeps everything aligned real well. I dont like doing it that way because the band saw blade leaves such a small kerf (I only have a 9" band saw) that the celtic not ends up being a very thin line. This last one I did with my chop saw and just chopped all the way through. I like it alot better but the kerf here is almost over kill for a pen allthough I use a thin kerf blade. The glue up is a little more of a pain but the result is nicer in the end. The biggest key to getting the same size shape all the way around is center drilling. If you drill just a very small bit of center, it will show in your finished piece by not being the same size all the way around. I'm just real careful to mark the center and use a brad point bit so its easier to start drilling in the center.

Ive been buying all my hardware at Berea Hardwoods. There are some kits out there from other suppliers that I want to try, at least on the higher end kits. As for now, Berea is great because if I get an order for something I dont have on hand, I can run up to the local Woodcraft and get what I need. Woodcraft is a Berea reseller allthough some of the kits are marked up nearly 100% if you get them through Woodcraft.


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## gridlockd

BassBlaster said:


> Theres a couple differnt ways to go about doing the celtic knots. The first is to make your cuts with a bandsaw and cut not quite all the way through. Your going to turn the outside off anyhow. This way keeps everything aligned real well. I dont like doing it that way because the band saw blade leaves such a small kerf (I only have a 9" band saw) that the celtic not ends up being a very thin line. This last one I did with my chop saw and just chopped all the way through. I like it alot better but the kerf here is almost over kill for a pen allthough I use a thin kerf blade. The glue up is a little more of a pain but the result is nicer in the end. The biggest key to getting the same size shape all the way around is center drilling. If you drill just a very small bit of center, it will show in your finished piece by not being the same size all the way around. I'm just real careful to mark the center and use a brad point bit so its easier to start drilling in the center.
> 
> Ive been buying all my hardware at Berea Hardwoods. There are some kits out there from other suppliers that I want to try, at least on the higher end kits. As for now, Berea is great because if I get an order for something I dont have on hand, I can run up to the local Woodcraft and get what I need. Woodcraft is a Berea reseller allthough some of the kits are marked up nearly 100% if you get them through Woodcraft.



Thanks for the info! I have been using the "don't cut all the way through" trick already. I think my big problem is coming from drilling. I think I get in too much of a rush and put too much down force on the bit causing it to wander. I'll have to check out Berea, thanks!


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## kweinert

BassBlaster said:


> This last one I did with my chop saw and just chopped all the way through. I like it alot better but the kerf here is almost over kill for a pen allthough I use a thin kerf blade.



Wouldn't it be better, if you're cutting all the way through, to use the bandsaw for that? In that case the thinner kerf would mean that you could use a thinner filler.

Just thinking out loud, but if you thickness your filler to the size you want minus the kerf then it should all look even once it's all assembled - right?

It didn't even occur to me until just now as I started typing this that the size of the kerf mattered when you cut all the way through since you're removing material of the contrast wood. That could have also contributed to the offset I saw in mine once I turned it down. I think. :)


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## BassBlaster

The first one I did, I used my bandsaw. It made the glue up alot simpler but the lines were too thin. I only have a 9" bandsaw so the kerf is very small.

Yes, when you chop all the way through, you must replace the material with the same amount that you removed otherwise your next cuts will be off. This particular pen is only using 3/32 filler but it looks like a lot wider. I'm thinking 1/16" would be about perfect for a pen but I dunno how to only cut that much out.


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## kweinert

BassBlaster said:


> The first one I did, I used my bandsaw. It made the glue up alot simpler but the lines were too thin. I only have a 9" bandsaw so the kerf is very small.
> 
> Yes, when you chop all the way through, you must replace the material with the same amount that you removed otherwise your next cuts will be off. This particular pen is only using 3/32 filler but it looks like a lot wider. I'm thinking 1/16" would be about perfect for a pen but I dunno how to only cut that much out.



Sanding or a plane? Shooting board for a plane might work out OK. It does add a lot more effort to building the pen.


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## BassBlaster

I'm not sure I understand where your going with that. I dunno how one cuts a kerf with a plane. I dont own any planes anyhow, I'm a power tool guy!!! Now that you mentioned hand tools though, I bet I can find a hand saw with a 1/16" kerf. That and a miter box might be the ticket!!


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## JMC

You might consider a veneer saw and a homemade miter box for it.


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## lion6255

GReat Pens..I have just started turning Pens and Have a ways to go to catch up...
For Kits try Wood whimpies. They have great customer service ND FAST SHIPPING.
No I dont have connection to them at all just found them on the web.


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## davidgiul

BassBlaster said:


> Heres a few pens I made over the weekend. Most of these were orders that needed filled. Its exciting to finally sell a few items that I'm making and even more exciting to have custom orders coming in. I'm not gonna get rich doing this by any means but its at least starting to support itself!!
> 
> Gold Premier Cigar, Spalted Maple, CA Finish
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen10.jpg
> 
> Gold Premier Cigar, Figured Cherry, CA Finish
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen12.jpg
> 
> Gold Premier Cigar, Leopardwood, CA Finish, wood provided by member JMC
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen11.jpg
> 
> Gold Slimline, Padauk, CA Finish, wood provided by member JMC
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen13.jpg
> 
> Gold Slimline, Spalted Oak, CA Finish
> 
> http://i964.Rule #2/albums/ae127/BassBlaster29/Pen14.jpg


Nice craftsmanship and the finish is well done. Did you use blo with the Ca? 
http://shop.roosterexoticwoods.com/


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## BassBlaster

Thanks again!!

No BLO, just CA. When I'm finished sanding, I always wipe down with mineral spirits before applying CA. Gets rid of any oils in the oily woods and any sanding dust that may still be present in the pores of the porous woods then straight to the CA. I know many do coats of BLO between their CA but I read an interesting article over at WWT about how the oil affects the bonding ability of the CA so I never use any. I'm really happy with the way my finish turns out. I had been using Titebond brand CA but ran out this weekend and went to Woodcraft to get more. They were out so I had to get Hot Stuff or something like that. I think I like it a bit better. Seems to take a polish a little better.


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## davidgiul

BassBlaster said:


> Thanks again!!
> 
> No BLO, just CA. When I'm finished sanding, I always wipe down with mineral spirits before applying CA. Gets rid of any oils in the oily woods and any sanding dust that may still be present in the pores of the porous woods then straight to the CA. I know many do coats of BLO between their CA but I read an interesting article over at WWT about how the oil affects the bonding ability of the CA so I never use any. I'm really happy with the way my finish turns out. I had been using Titebond brand CA but ran out this weekend and went to Woodcraft to get more. They were out so I had to get Hot Stuff or something like that. I think I like it a bit better. Seems to take a polish a little better.



Thanks for the tips. A possible source for CA is Wooden Wonders a 16 oz container for 28.00 in all kinds of viscosity.


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## BassBlaster

Wow, thats a great price. I'll have to check him out. I actually just purchased some blanks from him but didnt really look around at the glues he offers. I'm paying around 11 bucks now for I think a 2oz bottle. It may be 4, cant remember off hand.


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