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Pen Turning

Posted: Sun, 12 August 2018, 08:20

Pen Turning – A Precious Gift

Over the past couple of months pen turning has been the talk of the store. There seems to be resurgence of interest in the humble pen. We have requests for advice and suggestions on how to create one as a precious gift. No matter if it is for a simple present to say thank you, for a graduation gift, signing the registry at a wedding or to finalise a divorce, the pen is making its presence felt.

With the right combination of Wood or Acrylic matched with the right pen kit you can create a beautiful, functional item that will be treasured. So if you have access to a lathe you can get started by not spending a lot of money and you will have a lot of fun doing it. We have set out our 4 steps below which we hope explain the process simply but if you would like to discuss it further just drop into the store.

Step one – Preparing the blank

We suggest that you start with a 7mm standard pen kit and a hardwood off cut. The first step is to roughly cut your wood into two pieces 20mm by 55mm and drill a 7mm hole through the centre of the blank. Sand the brass tubes, apply a thick Cyanoacrylate glue (Superglue), insert the tubes and allow to dry. When dry, use the barrel trimming tool to square the ends. Next slide the tubes onto a pen mandrill allowing two spacers, a tube, two spacers, a tube, two spacers and lock them in place.

Step two – Turning the blank

Take the pen mandrill to the lathe and placed the tapered end into the headstock. (The mandrills are available in 1 Morse taper or 2 Morse taper). Using your revolving centre in the tailstock line the point up with the dimple in the end of the mandrill. Remember not to apply too much pressure as this will bend the mandrill. You then rough down and shape to size with your sharp tools. At this point pay particular attention to the spacers (bushings) as they are the same size as the parts of your pen kit and this will allow for a flush fit.

Step three – Sanding and finishing the blank

Once you’re happy with your shape it’s time to sand. Using P180 should be a good starting point on these small pieces followed by P240 and then P320. It is advisable to use a cloth back abrasive and not let your work get hot while sanding. As we are hoping that the pen gets many years of use it is important to put on a hard durable finish. While some favour oils that nourish the wood and blends beeswax’s will give it a nice feel, these can dull with use. Two light coats of sanding sealer and a satin or high gloss finish will give a longer lasting finish but choosing a finish is part of the fun. Remember when sanding between coats, use a light hand and sand in the direction of the grain. 

Step four – Assembly of the pen 

Normally assembly instructions are available with most pen kits and it’s advisable to lay out all the parts before you start. As they need to be pressed together you should make a couple of jigs to help hold the parts as you press them together so that the nib doesn’t get damaged.  Be mindful of the polished blanks during this process as they can get scratched while working around vices. The final piece is presentation; choosing a nice pen case or box can really show off your creativity.

As you can see it is not too difficult to turn a pen, so why not give it a try. As always, wear your safety equipment and heed the finishing and lathe manufacturer’s instructions for safe operation and use.

 

 

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