# My First Pen



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Well I finally made some use of my little lathe and made my first pen. It was a good learning opportunity. 
1. Cheap lathe tools don't help a beginner.
2. Sand Sand Sand.
3. Sand some more. 

I learned the sanding rule the hard way, as I didn't sand enough. But now I know. I'm ok with it being a first attempt. The next one will be better.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Deb I am proud of you and that pen is a beauty. Well done and hope to see many more. They make great gifts and sell pretty well.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

ALRIGHT!!! You go Deb.... you finally got your feet wet and a nice pen in the process at that. Keep your first one always and never give it away so you can look back at your progress in the future. Great to have another pen turner among us. You did good and we can't wait to see where you take things from here. Pens are my favorite things to do on the lathe.... fast, easy and so relaxing. Like Bernie said, they make great gifts and good turning practice too.

Congrats! :dance3::dance3:


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks! Yes Bernie it was way easier then I thought it would be and I do plan to give some as gifts this year. I have no plans to ever sell anything, that would take the "hobby" out of it.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Deb I understand. I did forget one thing and Bob N. brought it up. Keep that pen. Don't give it away.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Bob I do plan to keep it! It will be interesting to compare one I make oh say a year from now and see if I have actually improved.


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Oh sure every one gets pens for Christmas this year. Next year it will be the pen box. Then you will be making the desk for the pen box which holds the pen. Then you will have to make a chair for the desk that holds the pen box with the pen in it. Oh where will this pen making ever end. Great job on the pen Deb.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

John no wonder the wood working industry is doing so well!  Thanks!


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Looks good, Deb. Particularly for your first one.


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## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

lookin good Deb, I'll be following in your foot steps after the Holidays are over and I get my lathe set up.

Where did you get that kit from? Is it a complete starter kit?

Thanks
Danny


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

As for Deb I am not sure up in Canada but Danny there are any number of place for pen kits. Berea Hardwoods, Woodcraft, Arizona Silhouette, Craft Supply USA, Packard Woodworks, Woodturningz, Penn State Industries, Bear Tooth Woods, etc. I buy most of mine from Woodcraft because I love there Sierra pens especially the Sierra click pens, Berea Hardwoods and from Bear Tooth Woods. If you like doing pens you might want to check out International Association of Penturners. Lots and lots of info there plus a most of them over there have made pens and pencils for years. If there have been problems they have seen them and can help.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Danny I got the kit from William Wood-Write in Canada, I actually bought it at a wood show. I have seen many places in the US that sell similar kits, I think Rockler does. 
You have no idea how long I put off trying this. I don't know what I was afraid of. But it really was quite easy even with lousy tools and a cheap lathe. Just remember the sanding, do a thorough job and you'll have awesome results.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Great job, Deb,

I can see that Bernie, BobN , Glenmore, Harry etc will have to start looking over their shoulder.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks James. I do appreciate all the praise you all have given me. Your encouragement is what helps beginners like myself take the next leap of faith. But guys I have been here a while, feel free to pour on the constructive criticism as well. Sometimes that's the way to learn best. 
James if I ever achieve half as much as those guys I will have lived a full life!


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Deb keep the pens coming. You will be there before you know it. You are so right about sanding. The key is do not skip grits and do not let the paper stop moving. I use a skew for my final cuts so most times I can start sanding at 220 grit to 600 grit. If I just used a gouge I start at maybe 100 grit and follow the line up to about 600 grit. Where a lot of turners fail is they will start say at 100 grit jump to 220 then maybe 400. Just some food for thought.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Bernie thank you! I didn't know about not letting the sand paper idle. Is there a reason for that? I did keep it moving most of the time but sometimes I did just "hold it". When you don't know what you are doing (as a novice) you also don't know what you are doing wrong.


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## The Warthog (Nov 29, 2010)

Deb, can I ask what lathe you are using, and would the small lathe sold by Canadian Tire be adequate for turning pens? I am interested in this as a means of financing some other projects I want to do, and also giving some gifts to family and friends.\\

Cheers!


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Deb the problem you can come up with by leaving it in one place to long is that it can cut grooves especially in the coarse grits. What I do is I sand moving the sandpaper at all times back and forth. I then shut the lathe down and sat with the grain or the length of each blank while turning the lathe by hand. I blow of the blank with a air hose to clean of any grit left by the grit. This is important. I then go to the next grit and do the same procedure. I do this with all grits. That way your sanding is smooth and the blank is nice and even.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Roger I am using that little lathe from Canadian Tire. I got it on sale for $99.00. Wait for the sale!!! I had to shim up the tail stock a whole lot to get it to line up with the head stock. It's fine for pens but I wouldn't plan to do much more then that with it. There are some other small things like bottle stoppers you could probably make with it. Busy Bee has the Delta Midi Lathe on sale right now for $399.00 If you plan to use the lathe as a money maker I would invest in the Delta over the Mastercraft one. I may even get that one for Xmas! 

Bernie thanks! That explains a lot of things, including some grooves I couldn't seem to get rid of. I think I was just making them worse. I didn't blow between grits either. Now I know!


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

How about Christmas orniments or knobs for drawers or even knobs for boxes?


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## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

Hey... very nice. its good to see you using your lathe, yes its me Ive been gone for a bit seen your pen and had to comment...


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Looks great Deb. Looks like my first pen out of purple heart I made at a WoodCraft class.


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## The Warthog (Nov 29, 2010)

Thanks, Deb. It was on for $109 at my local CT last time I looked. I'm not in a hurry for it, so I can wait for another sale. I got my router kit from CT on sale at 2/3 the price. I buy all my CT stuff on sale!


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## blademansw (Sep 14, 2009)

Very nice indeed! 

I keep looking at the pen lathes but I always seem to have something more important to spend the money on:-(


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

CanuckGal said:


> Bernie thanks! That explains a lot of things, including some grooves I couldn't seem to get rid of. I think I was just making them worse. I didn't blow between grits either. Now I know!


Glad to have helped. Ask away. By the way did you see the thread about the free penturning DVD from Penn State Industries? Did I say free.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hey Bernie..

no helping da help!!!


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks Guys! Rick glad you are still out there! 
Roger I have a lot of CT tools, never paid full price for any of them.:dance3: Some of them are great deals. Some... well it was a good gimmick. 
Bernie I sent away for the DVD already and I am signed up for a pen turning class at Lee Valley in January. I hope that teacher is ready to be bombarded with questions...lol. I am sure the more I do this the more questions I'll have.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Ask away Deb. We will try to answer. If you want a fountain of information go here and you can read to your hearts content. 

IAP Home

There is a bounty of info on penturning. You may have already been there but thought I would throw it out for those that haven't.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Well done Deb, just noticed your post and wanted to say well done.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

haven't been here in a LONG time..boy did you get kudos! Good for you. Glad you got started & now we expect wondrous turnings! Love the cat in the hat.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks!


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

Deb, 

Wonderful work! Never mind that it was your first effort. You make me want to take up turning myself.

How did you get the cat to tolerate the hat and then be photographed?


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks Tom! I think it's one of those things every woodworker should try. It's quick gratification. And you get hooked really easy! (Not like there wasn't lots of help from this forum...lol)


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

Hi Deb, I just figured out how you got the cat to cooperate. That avatar is one of the stock avatars, just as mine is!

I still really like your pen. Enjoy!


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Sorry Tom, I totally missed that question in your post. Yep just a stock photo... but funny!


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