# Couple of first's and don't laugh.



## jd99 (Jun 17, 2009)

Last year I decided to try my hand at this pen turning thing and bought a lathe for Christmas, but my back decided to put the kabosh on that venture and other projects for the year, and the lathe sat in the box all year.

This year I finally got a little better and bought a stand for the lathe for Christmas, put it together, mounted the lathe, and sharpened my tools, and gave it a a try.

Below is my first ever attempt at turning a pen, (first attempt at wood turning since high school) and my first ever attempt at using CA as a finish. I didn't want to scrap a good blank, so I used a scrap of Beech that I had laying around for the blank, and a slim line kit just in case I screwed it all up and had to throw it all away.

I know I have a way to go but it turned out ok for a couple of first. Now if my back will stay strong and not give out expect to see more of my attempt to master this hobby.

Oh and I took thes pic's with my phone, I need to master the photo side of it with my regular camera also. :wacko:

Thanks
Danny


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Well I don't see anything to laugh about. That is one mighty fine pen. Really nicely done. My first one didn't look that good. Pens can make a good sideline for sales. I make around 200 pens a year and sell most everyone.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Hi Danny.
That's an excellent job on a first pen. I don't see anything to laugh about either.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Danny, not a thing wrong with your pen. The beech looks good. I suggest you duplicate your efforts with different woods so you have a nice selection to show people. Many people like to work with various plastics but to me natural wood with a clear finish is as good as it gets.


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## JStew (Nov 9, 2011)

That's a nice pen, and I would someday hope to get a wood lathe and start doing something like that. Nice Work!


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## mark greenbaum (Sep 26, 2010)

Mike said:


> Danny, not a thing wrong with your pen. The beech looks good. I suggest you duplicate your efforts with different woods so you have a nice selection to show people. Many people like to work with various plastics but to me natural wood with a clear finish is as good as it gets.


A guy at the club Turn & Learn last Saturday made a pen of green acrylic, and when finished it looked like Malachite. Pretty, but not for me. There's too many scraps of fine wood to be turned first. I've made them from flame maple cutoffs from banjo necks, oak scraps from an old shelf, walnut from a headboard, and some rock hard maple from a guitar neck. Any scrap thicker than 5/8" is suitable if it's long enough. Everyone in the family's got a custom pen - except me:sad:. Oh well.


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## papawd (Jan 5, 2011)

Nice pen, I really want to get a lathe


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