First pen

[sapwood]

Dave, looks fine to me. Will it sign a check?
Guess you'll be needing some more tools. I know Tom is delighted :lol:

Unturned,
Sapwood

 

[Bram]

great going on your first pen, it looks great....it's a passion that won't quit....:BangHead: , .. keep going.......

 

[Handturnedbowls]

Thats a fine first Dave, looks like it would fit snug in my hand if I had it!

Speaking of finish, a method I use that works amazing, you may want to check out. Its not expensive either!

Get a firm buffing wheel, and some white tripoli compound (in a bar). After you have sanded thru all your grits, mount the wheel on a drill or roto tool depending on the size wheel you get.

Spin the wheel, and apply some tripoli to the edge of the wheel. Then apply the wheel with moderate pressure to the pen wood while it is spinning. The trick here is to make sure your buffing wheel is turning the opposite direction of your spinning pen blank.

You will see the finish transform before your eyes. Do that as much as you want until happy. It will polish a surface on your wood that is so fine it is slippery in your fingers. Follow up after this with spray laquer (deft), again while it is spinning. Just a blast of one or two seconds.

Let it spin dry, only takes a few seconds. Stop and check it to see if its dry, and if so, spin it up and spray it again. From that point on, you can use whatever you like, but I apply all the finishes to my bowls and urns while they are mounted because spray applications go on ultra smooth and the spinning dries it evenly.

I usually put 3 coats of deft sealer, then steel wool it with fine, then 3 coats of spray poly steel wooling in between coats if necessary.

You will not believe the glass like appearance of your turned work using this method.

cad

 

[Greybeard]

Dave,
For your first pen, I think you did a great job. Sure is much better than mine! Keep on trying! You will have it in no time!

 

[JRD]

Dave,

My wallet is going to hate you. You're fueling a new turning desrire.

Jim

 

[Splinter]

Looks great to me. :eusa_clap Beautiful boxes, now pens. :eusa_danc Is the wood maple?

 

[Greybeard]

Dave, I know how you feel. I just retired 1 Dec 05. For the last 30+ years, I have either been in the Army or working for them. I never set up a workshop because the Army has these massive woodshops for soldiers and DA Civilians to use. (5-6 of everything). When I retired and moved to NC, I built a workshop and am in the process of stocking it with tools. My wife says she is going to buy a bed and I can live out there too. ;-) I am already in for over $6K. But, as I told her, this shop is going to supplement my retirement income!
It can become expensive...just take it a little at a time and try to make things you can sell to buy more stuff to make!