First Pens on the Rikon Lathe

[ragswl4]

First pens I have made on the new lathe. They are the Comfort Pen kits from Woodturningz.com (PSI stuff). The pens are finished with two coats of Myland's sanding sealer, four coats of Myland's friction polish and 3 coats of carnuba wax. I find this finishing process very, very easy and nearly foolproof. It also gives an excellent shine to the surface of the wood. While I understand that the CA/BLO finish is much better I just didn't want to get into that learning curve until I could produce an acceptable pen on the lathe.

I included four pics in an attempt to show the grain of the various woods. My photography skills are not that great. The pens are, from left to right:

Cocobola, Curly Maple, Goncalo Alves, Padauk and Bocote. I did use one coat of BLO on the curly maple and goncalo to enhance to grain. Gave them a nice effect.

I have made a total of 10 so far with 20 kits on order to make pens for family and friends for Christmas. I can make one pen in 45-60 minutes so not a huge job.

[Whaler]

Very nice looking pens.

[leehljp]

Somebody had some fun! Good looking pens, nice!

[footprintsinconc]

nice looking pens! how are you finding the time to make them in between framing your house?

[ragswl4]

Somebody had some fun! Good looking pens, nice!

Pen No. 1 was a little stressful. Pens 2-10 were fun and relaxing. My other projects always have a certain amount of sweat and stress attached but this pen making is just plain fun.

[ragswl4]

nice looking pens! how are you finding the time to make them in between framing your house?

I think thats part of the beauty of making the pens. Only takes about an hour so at the end of the framing day (around 5pm) I go into the garage and make a couple and done by 7 and the LOML doesn't mind as it doesn't impact the house building.

Hijacking my own thread, the garage is going great although last Saturday the temperature was 19 degrees and the wood was covered with ice. Wasn't the most pleasant day to work. On Sunday we were in tee shirts by 10 am and then around 4 pm it started to snow. Crazy weather. Walls this next weekend, roof after that, then the shear wall panels and we will be mostly weathertight on the garage.

[footprintsinconc]

you've got to keep the pictures of your house coming!!

[John Hunter]

Very nice.

[bigstick509]

[mater]

They all look very nice.

[lrogers]

I'd say you got that turning stuff down cold! Good looking pens. I was never very good with a lathe (sold mine); how hard is to turn pens?

[ragswl4]

I'd say you got that turning stuff down cold! Good looking pens. I was never very good with a lathe (sold mine); how hard is to turn pens?

I would have to say it is the easiest WW project that I have ever done given the results and the time it takes to do one pen. In one hour I can go from a blank piece of wood to a finished pen. I have always dreaded the sanding and finishing of any project as that is where the best opportunity is to mess up all the work I have already done. The finishing of the pen is so easy and simple that I can't imagine messing it up.

I also find it to be relaxing due to the small amount of time needed to complete the pen. It ain't cheap though, I have about $600 invested in tools + the cost of kits. The wood I use are cutoffs from other projects.

[DonHo]

All the pens look great and I like the finish too. Maybe you don't need to "upgrade" your finish technique, it would be hard to do better than this.

DonHo