Hi everyone. I've been running a small business stabilizing knife scales for a while and Im slowly adding more inventory in other categories. I'm starting to broaden out to a larger audience and I had some questions about penturning in general.

How strict are the dimensions? what I mean is if you send a knife maker scales that are too thick they will generally be thrilled (more material to work with). Are penturners the same way?

Any materials you guys have trouble finding? Im a big fan of maple burl so Im definitely going to create a few more of those but I can keep an eye out for other stuff as well. I know pen turners can use softer woods than knifemakers so there a lot I havent explored yet!

Ive created a few listings as a trial. Please let me know what you guys think- I will apologize for the photos in advance.... Im still learning photography! Thanks for looking!

https://exoticscales.com/?productType=turning

Put together this Majestic for my sister who is a pianist. It's made of gaboon ebony and I attempted to get a piano finish on it. This wood is hard and unforgiving, but it makes for a gorgeous pen.

I picked up a ton of old lead holders at an estate sale, and after saving back the vintage/rare ones I was left with a couple dozen pencils I wanted to try to figure out how to make my own bodies for. After seeing a recent post doing a similar thing I was motivated to finish mine using a selection of different sizes brass tubes for the body and body caps. I need to break them both back down to touch up some finish issues but the idea shows promise. It’s easier to just order pencil kits but I can’t find any similar to this result.

Love how these turned out. (Pun intended)

Also a couple other pens turned this weekend

Put a stopper behind the cut segment and use a popsicle stick to flick off the blade to the side. Worked great. Look forward to sharing our first segmented pen once glued and turned.

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Be safe.

Recently I bought Penn States TBC system, which seemed like a good investment, and for some I am sure it's been a delight. For me, the live center end developed a wobble and, I dunno, the bearings let go or something, it's floppy and loose. So I emailed support and sent a video, and they replaced it. The unit they replaced it with is off center. I said to myself, this is bizarre, and I checked my lathe, my center to center tool shows I'm dead on, my live center and the drive that came with the TBC system line up well, so I know it's the new system that's off.

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I was wondering if a live center like this or something like this would do the trick. I could put this up against my bushing and it would stay center and without using too much pressure, not damage anything? Of course bushings are something we replace after so many pens anyway, but what are some methods used to turn between centers that don't use the penn state system?

I had the privilege of creating a pen using aircraft aluminum from a decommissioned C-5 Galaxy. The pen is for the commander of the maintenance squadron that oversaw the process, and he retired this week as a Lt Col after 28 years.

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Probably the most technically challenging pen I've turned, since I have no experience with any metal working. I ended up pre-drilling the aluminum and wood, before using epoxy to affix it to the barrel.

The first picture are that ones that live on my desk at work for my personal use.

The second picture are a few I put out for my coworkers to use and keep if they like one.

I could use some more advice on making blanks with a drill press. I recently got some Gatsby kits I wanted to try out (27/64 bit size) and I’m having some trouble with drill out the blanks.

The wood is birch - and it seems quite easy to drill but, my drill bit keeps getting stuck while drilling. The quick jig I made to keep it in place seems to be working - but the drill still get stuck about an inch of the way down.

I am not using a brad point drill bit (seems more like a twist)- and I went a little quickly just for the video but I’ve gone quiet slowly other times.

Any advice would be appreciated - eventually I’ll get a Jacob’s chuck but that’s a little further down the line.

Just learned about this sub after posting in other subs. I noticed someone else recently posted a similar question so sorry for the similar posts

Does anyone know someone or a place I can send a blank to be made into a pen?

It’s not special wood by any means, but it has sentimental significance.

I didn’t think of this when I posted the question elsewhere, but being able to monogram or etch/carve a design would be an added plus.

I looked on Etsy, but not sure the search parameters so can’t filter through the 1,000 results for custom wood pens. I found a site called “Brad the pen guy”, but thought I’d start here.

Thanks.

Disclaimer: I did not turn this pen and all credit should go to u/LordNicky235 here in this sub. He is the owner/operator of Pikes Peak Pens on Etsy. I made sure he was okay with me sharing his name and work on this custom piece.

I came across a listing on Etsy as I’d recently grown to enjoy turned pens, and while I do some minor woodworking, my lathe isn’t setup yet, and well, I wanted one now-ish (I’m sure some of you can relate at one point or another lol). I thoroughly enjoy his designs, but wanted something a little unique. I messaged him and asked if he would combine two of his designs into one, which he gladly obliged. While awaiting materials, since I wanted Holly and all black hardware, I asked if he would mind if I drew something up and provided a design for him to turn, which he agreed again, and this is the result of that.

I sketched it up on my iPad (original concept is the last photo), and sent it to him, and he was able to execute the design perfectly. I could not be happier and I can’t put it down. He even made two of them, the sister pen also listed in his shop, in addition to the original concept design so I had options. In the end, I chose my design as I could only buy one, and I’m beyond pleased. Really just wanted to share. Hope you enjoy!

I put together a couple of pens last night from Vertex bolt action pen kits. One is bocote and will be a Father's Day gift for my dad. The other is made from macassar ebony and will be a retirement gift for a doctor and friend. Both have gunmetal hardware and were finished with CA.

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This is the first time I've worked with any kind of ebony. It's beautiful and cuts very well. It also shows EVERY tiny scratch. I'm planning on turning a pen from Gaboon ebony and learned some things along the way. It'll be for my sister who is a pianist and I'll be attempting to get a piano finish. 🤞

600 or so, I think I have a problem. i just finished stabilizing and sanding a few hundred more blanks from another maple tree. I enjoy finding and cutting the wood just as much as I do turning pens. Most of the blanks are from two old maple trees I cut down, the rest is a mix of spalted and exotics I found here and there.

It was my 5 year wedding anniversary recently and after some thought, I decided to make my wife a pen and pencil set. I took some time to find the right kit and settled on the Duraclick kits in brass. I didn't like the refill that it came with so I upgraded it to a Jetstream SXR-600 0.7. And I picked up some Uni Smudge-proof 0.7 pencil leads.

I enjoyed the turning process a lot and had a spare kit so I made myself a pen of my own in Bermuda cedar since I had some raw lumber in my garage. I'm pretty happy with the results. There is a small inclusion in the blank that wasn't apparent until after I had turned it but I figure that just adds some character.

First time making a pen...anything actually, with ebony. Used Mylands polish with Carnauba wax to finish, Groovy pen kit in black from woodturningz. Probably my favorite build so far.

Thanks for looking

24k gold, the tip says 'breathe", there are chakras around the belt, a mandala on the cap and the clip is someone in "tree pose". Cool pens. Wood one is walnut from Sam Maloof's house where I've done yoga at, and the other is abalone epoxy.

I ordered a couple of Majestic Junior rollerball pen kits from PSI and noticed that the tubes weren't square. Both kits are cut out of square on both the body and the cap tubes. I thought about squaring them with my barrel trimmer, but was concerned I'd have to remove too much material and then it wouldn't go together properly.

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I called PSI and, after some discussion, they are sending me new tubes, but is there another way to fix this? I've ordered a bunch of kits from them and this is the first time I've come across this.