# Moving beyond Slimline Pens



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

I've made about 35 Slimlines over the past couple weeks and made tons of mistakes...but I have learned tons too! :happy: I think I have the process down now and decided yesterday evening to move on to something a little more "interesting". Bernie said he had a lot of success with the Sierra (aka Wall Street II) pen, so I thought I'd give that a try. Pic 1 is the blank, a box elder burl from Craft USA. A very unassuming light wood, a species of maple, I believe. Pics 2 and 3 are the finished pen. After working so many slimlines this pen seems HUGE in my hand, but I like it. The daughter was home from college for the weekend and saw it, so of course, now she wants one too :yes4:
My finishing schedule was thus:
1. Sand with paper grits down to 600
2. Micro mesh down to 12000...by now the grain is popping and I am getting excited.
3. A couple coats of thin CA with light sanding once dry. The purpose here is just to fill in the grain. I could have used a sanding sealer here as well, but decided to try thin CA.
4. Then I put on about 6 coats of medium CA. I don't think I would normally need this thick, but the box elder had some voids that I wanted to be sure to fill in. The CA did a great job. Again light sanding with 600 between coats once dry. I am learning patience with this process....you really have to wait for the CA to cure before sanding and moving on. This was a big "Aha" moment for me when I learned this. :yes4:
5. Micro Mesh down to 12000. 
6. Now the CA is very glossy and I could stop here, but I had to try my new toy (pic 4)...A Beall Buff from Woodcraft. It's all Bernie's fault...he mentioned it last week in one of his posts and I decided to check it out. How come every time I start looking into something like this, it's on sale? :happy: It's starting to freak me out, but I am saving money :haha: Woodcraft still has these on sale if anyone is interested. I think it is a must have item, especially for turners. So I basically went through all three buffs, Tripoli, white diamond, and then canuba wax. It made a good looking pen just awesome. Bernie, you were right! I am not sure if the tripoli step is necessary after 12000 MM, but it didn't seem to affect the end result. I went back and buffed some of the pens I had already finished and it made a world of difference.

I consider this Sierra my first "real" pen and am having way too much fun with this!


----------



## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

indeed very nice work...


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi Frank,

Great job on the pen and blank selection, Bernie is teaching you well 

The Beal buffing system is a great tool to have in the shop and can make a difference between a so-so project and a WOW project as I think you have already seen.

I think after 35 pens we can promote you to Rookie now :sold:


----------



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Thanks guys. I am honored to have been promoted so early, but still feel like a newbie, probably will for quite a while.  
Yeah, I kinda noticed that many folk doing acrylic (like Bernie) and many using CA finish use a buffing system for final finish, so I figured it was one of those gotta have kind of things. I am very impressed with what it can do. I am actually feeling brave enough to attempt my first acrylic this weekend...gotta sharpen that skew first!


----------



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Frank that is a beauty. Really well done and the buffing really made it stand out. One thing I do different is to use Renaissance wax instead of the carnuba. It will not show fingerprints or water spots which carnuba will do. I used carnuba on a bowl and after being at a craft fair you wouldn't believe the finger prints plus it was sprinkling that day and got water spots all over it. Had to rebuff and then used Ren wax on it. It is kind of expensive but in my books if it is used by museums and conservators it is good enough for me. 

On the acrylic Frank I sand just like I do the wood blanks up to 800 or 1000 grit and then micro mesh to 12000. The tripoli will take any scratches left out and the white diamond will polish. 

The Wallstreet II and the click pen from Woodcraft sell about 3 to 1 over other pens although I do sell quite a few of the high dollar ones. This is the click pen that works well. Buy Click Pen Kit at Woodcraft.com The only thing I have found on this one is that the inside of the tube must be clean before assembly because of the close tolerances. I got a gun cleaning kit for pistols with the wire brushes and run them up and down in the tube to make sure it is clean. 

Have fun Frank. It is just beginning and I agree with Bob you have been offically promoted.


----------



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Well, thank you Bernie! You continue to teach me and I thank you for that! With the Ren Wax do you use the wax buff or apply on the mandrel with a paper towel? Also, if Ren wax prevents finger prints, can it be used on the metal parts too? That is where I am noticing the finger prints.
Unless something comes up, I may have an opportunity to try the acrylic this evening...I am looking forward to trying something new...and I am sure the LOML has forgotten about it, so it will be a nice surprise...probably make an Ultra Cigar. I picked up a few of those click pens (and pencils) a couple weeks ago. I am thinking of making a few for the in-laws, probably with Olivewood from the Holy land...I think they will appreciate that.


----------



## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

That is one beautiful pen, Frank. I love the burl wood.


----------



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Thanks George! I am a fan of the burls too...I have several others I want to try...so little time!


----------



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Your welcome Frank. I usually don't put Ren wax on the metal parts. Hadn't even really thought about that. I leave the blank on the mandrel when buffing. After tripoli and white diamond I put the Ren wax on with a paper towel. Doesn't take much. Let it sit for a minute then buff with the wax buffing wheel.


----------



## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Nice job, I don't turn pens my self so I have to look at what others do.


----------



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

OK Frank now you are just showing off! And so you should be... NICE WORK!


----------



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Ok Deb, it's your turn now.


----------



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Thanks Deb! OK, then. Let me show off a couple more 
The acrylic didn't work out so well. Actually the turning and polishing went very well and I am getting the hang of using a skew, but I had a senior moment when I put the bushings on and I put them in the wrong order.  I think I was looking at the wrong instruction sheet. :blink: This was to be a cigar pen and it turns out all four bushings are a different size and order is important...rookie mistake. So I made this Bethlehem Olivewood Ultra Cigar...it's for the wife. The second is a click pen, also in olivewood...that one will be for the MIL. The third is a sierra made with figured black walnut. This one, for some reason was a challenge to get the finish right...I am still learning and probably will be forever...
As Bernie said Deb, It's your "turn" (pun intended ) It really has been a lot of fun! :yes2:


----------



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Now your talking Frank. Those are beauties. Yep sometimes stuff happens. Of course I have never mixed up bushings or anything like that.h34r: 

Frank I got me a notebook from Wally World and keep all my instructions in it. Helps me stay organized.


----------



## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

WOW, now those are really special! Very nice Frank!
I have to put the lathe off till the new year. Just bought a new truck so I can haul all this lumber to the shop..lol. I have had way more then my share of new toys this year. But the New year is not far off! 
Keep up the good work Frank, I will be looking to you and Bernie and Bob for assistance in the near future.


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Bernie,

I sure hope Frank don't think he has the market cornered on those type of mistakes :sarcastic:

Frank..... the finish on those pens are FANTASTIC! What a shine!


----------



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Thank you everyone for those encouraging words. I assure you, I am making more mistakes than I would probably admit in public, but that is part of learning. The good news is for just a couple of bucks I can get new tubes and the kit can still find its way into a nice pen. 
And Deb, I hear you. I was actually in the middle of a couple of projects when the lathe arrived...they have ground to a complete standstill, but I do need to get back to them soon. When you are ready, I would be happy to share with you some of the things I have learned so far...I am sure the other experts will have even more. I have been out on penturners.org...wow, what a resource...the more I read the more I realize I have to learn. The key for me is to not get discouraged and to keep it fun. You folks have helped with that aspect and I appreciate it!


----------



## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Ok Frank those are some nice pens. But they just hang there in the air. So now you will have to build a box to hold them. Wait then the box will just hang in the air. So now you will have to build a desk to hold the box that holds the pens. Wait then you will be hanging in the air. So now you have to build a chair to sit at the desk. Boy you have a lot of work to do.


----------



## dustmaker (May 18, 2009)

Hi John. LOL, you are right! If I started even half the projects I have in my head, I doubt I would get much of anything else done...my wife already thinks I am obsessed (she is of course right, she is always right!)


----------



## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Frank you are right. Momma is always right and if you don't believe me just ask her!!

Frank just turn, learn, enjoy and have fun. When you stop doing that it is time to move on. I told my wife when it becomes a job I will sell my lathes and do something else.


----------

