Walnut Pens

One the UFOWW forum there are a lot of members who turn and make pens. I have a lathe that was grandpa's but I've never used it and it is still in storage. I was really impressed and with the pens and became interested in turning some.

A fellow UFOWW member,Robert aka Bob, lives about 80 miles away. I started talking with him and we talked about meeting up some time. Then I got the idea I wanted some pens made from the walnut that came from my grandpa's farm. I asked Bob about making some pens for me, and he offered that I could come over and he would teach me how make the pens.

I cut the boards to pen blank size and then mailed them to Bob so he could prepare them. Yesterday was the the big day. I got an early start so I could be at Bob's house around 8 am. 

It was beautiful morning.

Bob taught me how to turn using some extra pieces he had and then I got started making my walnut pens. I was amazed how easy and gratifying making the pens were the first pen took a little while to make but I got the point where I was able to make a pen in about 45 minutes. 

Now for the part that makes the blog better, less words more pictures. Some of these pictures Bob took of him preparing the blanks and he took the action shots of me making the pens.

The bundle of blanks right out of the box

Bob lablled each blank

next they were cut to roughly the correct length, leave a little extra on each

the blanks

Next a hole was drilled through the center of the blank

each blank has a brass tube glued inside, this is part of the pen kit

the ends of the wood blank have to be trimmed flush and square to the brass tube

Now the fun starts

Shaping

wiping on the polish

buffing the polish

laying out the tenon

cutting the tenon

all the parts of the pen

pressing the parts together

the 7 finished pens