# Some Recent Pens



## Sprung (Mar 30, 2015)

I've turned a number of pens in the last couple months, but haven't really had time to try and take any good pics of any of them until this weekend.

I'm trying to work on my pen photography. I'm getting better - but I think I need to get myself a white background, instead of the than canvas I used for these pics.

Here's some of my favorites from the last month or so. Now to find homes for these pens...

Red Mallee Burl Sapwood cast in purple resin on a Navigator. I like the depth in the purple resin - you can kinda get a glimpse of it in the second pic where the light on it makes it look like my finish wasn't very well done - you're seeing the light reflect in the pearlescence in the resin.









Red Mallee Burl Sapwood on a Gatsby.





Bog Oak from Bremen, Germany on a Caballero - just a very light finish of a couple coats of the Cap'n's shine juice, then hit back with a light touch of 1000 grit (with the lathe off) to still feel the wood, then a light coat of paste wax. This was my first pen from Bog Oak - I've got one more blank of this left. I'm going to have to get some more Bog Oak as I really like how this pen turned out.





Cocobolo on Jr. Gent I FP.





Stabilized & Dyed Green Spalted Maple Burl on Jr. Gent I FP.









Got a line-up of pens in the works right now that I'll finish up after Easter and hope to post pics of some of them when they're done.

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


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## Tony (Mar 30, 2015)

Very cool! Really like the Coco one!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Schroedc (Mar 30, 2015)

I really like that green Maple Burl!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## davduckman2010 (Mar 30, 2015)

awesome work all look great . green maple is killer

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal (Mar 30, 2015)

I like the purple  They all look good Matt !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (Mar 30, 2015)

Tony said:


> Very cool! Really like the Coco one!



Thanks! It can be yours for another box of mesquite.   (That is some beautiful stuff I got from you - and I can't wait to work with it. My wife loves how it looks too)



Schroedc said:


> I really like that green Maple Burl!



Me too - I'm glad I have a few more blanks of it.



manbuckwal said:


> I like the purple  They all look good Matt !



Blue - I don't see no blue!  (Oooh - fast on the edit, lol!)


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## duncsuss (Mar 30, 2015)

Nice work, Matt. You've really taken to this pen-making thang, aintcha?

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## Sprung (Mar 30, 2015)

duncsuss said:


> Nice work, Matt. You've really taken to this pen-making thang, aintcha?



Thanks! Yes, I have and I'm really enjoying it. I'm happy with how much I've learned and how I've progressed in my skills - and I'm looking forward to pushing them and learning more. But I'm soon going to take a break for a while and probably not turn many pens this spring/summer/fall. Furniture building is still my favorite realm of woodworking and it's finally getting warm enough to get back into the shop! (Lathe is in the basement, where I can work in comfort year round. Rest of my shop is in an unheated uninsulated garage.) And I've got a long list of projects to build this summer.

I do think that next winter I'm going to have to push my skills even further and really try some new things. I'm thinking maybe even trying kitless by then - maybe even in metal as I'll have my Taig Micro-Lathe put back together by then. Just need to save up for some taps and ties - and also for some tooling and accessories for my Taig!

Reactions: Like 1


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## ssgmeader (Mar 30, 2015)

Did you reverse paint on the resin/burl? or use a colored tube?


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## Tony (Mar 30, 2015)

Sprung said:


> Thanks! It can be yours for another box of mesquite.   (That is some beautiful stuff I got from you - and I can't wait to work with it. My wife loves how it looks too)
> 
> 
> Don't worry Matt, there's more where that came from! Really glad y'all are happy with the Mesquite! I'm certain we'll trade some more, you do excellent work. I have a few things I'd like to get from you. Tony

Reactions: Like 1


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## Sprung (Mar 30, 2015)

ssgmeader said:


> Did you reverse paint on the resin/burl? or use a colored tube?



Since the resin was so dark on this one, I did not reverse paint it. I did, however, use nickel tubes for it that I bought from Woodcraft when I picked up the Navigator kit.


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## Sprung (Mar 30, 2015)

Tony said:


> Don't worry Matt, there's more where that came from! Really glad y'all are happy with the Mesquite! I'm certain we'll trade some more, you do excellent work. I have a few things I'd like to get from you. Tony



Thanks, Tony! Yes - that mesquite is very nice and I can't wait to use it. But, better than that, I am very happy that you liked the pens I sent your way! (And just had to give you a hard time with my last comment, lol.)

Reactions: Like 1


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## Nature Man (Mar 30, 2015)

Think you've joined the pro ranks on your pens! Nice that you can bounce back & forth to keep your flatwork skills honed, as well. Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Sprung (Mar 31, 2015)

Nature Man said:


> Nice that you can bounce back & forth to keep your flatwork skills honed, as well.



Well... We'll see about that. With moving last year and trying to get my shop set up - and then it getting too cold to work out there once I did get it set up - it's been over a year since I've done any serious flatwork, so I'm probably going to be a little rusty in some areas. And I've been itching for months to get back at it.


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## TimR (Mar 31, 2015)

Nice! I like em all

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Karl_99 (Mar 31, 2015)

Great looking group of pens! While I like all of them, the mallee with purple acrylic is a real stand out! Nice work Matt

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rdabpenman (Mar 31, 2015)

A well turned and finished great looking group of writing instruments.

Les

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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