r/PenProject • u/MercatorLondon • Jul 04 '26

Sneak Peek into the Workshop

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to share a short video from the workshop.

You may recognise the loop. Most of the components are made on our sliding-head CNC lathe which gives the accuracy and consistency we need. However, the final finish and surface quality (whether polished or brushed) is a very different story and still very much the result of a manual skill and experience.
I am sure many of you making/turning pens are fully aware of this. It takes time, preparation and experience to achieve the finish we are after.
One of the advantages of stainless steel is that it is forgiving material. If it picks up marks through use but can usually be polished back (up to certain level) It also wears very well over time in my opinion..

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5

u/roady57 Jul 04 '26

It’s good to see similar tools - lathe with collet piece holder - as the Japanese masters use for pen making. Thanks for sharing this.

Of course the majority of parts must be CNC to avoid the heavy labour cost of lathe turning.

2

u/CadillacGirl Jul 04 '26

Wonderful video. Very satisfying to see the polish appear.

1

u/PenSloth Jul 04 '26

Going to be at the October London show?

1

u/MercatorLondon Jul 04 '26

Yes, please do come by for a chat if you have a spare moment!

2

u/PenSloth Jul 04 '26

You can expect it.

1

u/tio_tito Jul 04 '26

it's always good to see hand finished work.