# First bottle stoppers, pens and assorted projects



## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

For your entertainment.

Having fallen into the woodturning vortex, there's not much flat-work being produced in my little shop these days.



Here is a page with my first two bottle stoppers, turned today

... and some other recent projects

... and a little photo tour of my basement shop.

Now to get back to work on my first bowls.

Enjoy.


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Hey Alan.. since not much flat work is being done lately (btw, your turning out some nice stuff bud!!) I can keep those handplanes of yours busy *S*.. is that a #2 I see tucked away in the bottom corner? Those 7/8's look darn clean as well. as do all of em for that matter. You collect or have just collected?

bill


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Really nice looking stoppers. I like Ruth Niles stoppers. Haven't had a problem since I started using them. Had the chrome one's start peeling after a year or so. Also the pens are beauties. You have a nice looking shop. I also turn on a DVR XP. I also have a Rikon and Jet 1220 midi's. Keep'em coming.


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## drasbell (Feb 6, 2009)

Great looking stuff,, and a very nice shop to boot..


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Excellent turning work Alan, but then again everything you do is first class 

Nice shop and great choice of tools and machines, thanks for the tour.


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

Thanks for the kind words.

One nice part of this is that my wife is getting into turning, particularly for wooden jewelry, pens, etc.

It's pretty cool when she asks me to order tools/hardware for her lathe, and considers them holiday/birthday gifts <vbg>.


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Hey Alan, doesn't get any better than that.:lol::dance3:


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

I figure it's just a matter of time before Harry admonishes me for not showing photos of the bottle stopper build, so I just added a bunch of them to the web page. 

Enjoy!


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## munruben (Feb 6, 2010)

Nice work Alan, I see you make pens too. I also turn pens and find it a great hobby. Thanks for sharing.


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

John,

Thanks for the kind words. As condition for buying a Nova DVR XP lathe late last year my bride informed me that we were going to make all the family holiday presents. Pens seemed like a good choice. We made 26 of them (she made about 6 of them), most were given to family, and were very well received.

I made my first fountain pens about two weeks ago, the pink one shown was a surprise gift for a friend, presented by her husband for Valentine's day. I got to practice making fountain pens, and he scored big husband points. The lady absolutely loved it (she had seen a pink acrylic slimline I made for a niece, and causally mentioned that she would love a pink fountain pen, so I conspired with her husband on a gift for her)


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

Really nice looking fountain pen. That pink or the pink flamingo blank from woodcraft are my best sellers. I sold 35 of that color at Christmas.


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Remember Alan when giving those stoppers away it took you at least an hour to do and you get at lest $40 an hour.


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

Viking,

Agreed. The recipients of the gift do appreciate the time I put into them, and that they are hand made.


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## vikingcraftsman (Mar 31, 2006)

Thats my point, I have found over the years people have lost ther understandng of the cost or value of wood. It takes years to grow a good tree. We have trees on long island that were here when Washington passed through. As you can tell I value wood and the proudcts we make from it above most other thngs


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## AlanZ (Aug 21, 2008)

Maybe I have only been giving gifts to smart, sensitive people <vbg>

They get it.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

AlanZ, that is a beautiful pen. It is nice that your wife considers tools as gifts. I was going to buy my wife a new shotgun for Christmas one year. She said it would only be used once! Bought a dress.


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## osioradain (Feb 16, 2010)

lovely work


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