hi morton , just wanted to say that ive been looking through hours of you tube videos about pen turning as im a woodturner but had never thought about turning pens until i saw my friends pen which was fantastic and which fired my imagination , so after looking on you tube for a few hrs i came across your site and i have to say its the best by a long way , its your style , explanation , & manner thats so good !! keep it up & thanks . craig & family , sheffield , uk .
I have had a lathe (given to me by a friend) in the garage/workshop for a few years, I'm a hobby woodcarver but felt a bit scared after two attempts. I've just started using it and after a few bowls thought I would try pen turning looked at a couple of videos then found yours, it is the best and a great tutorial. Oh yes I think I'll buy the book. John Oswestry UK
A couple of helpful tips, 1. I use clear 5 min epoxy glue for the barrel blank. #2. Knock off the corners of the acrylic blanks before turning. Will help with blank blow out. #3 Square up the ends with fixed sanding disk. I learned these little tricks through trial and error... happy turning..😁
Great video... can you tell me what tools you were using to turn the pens... looked like a scraper but, then, I'm a turning "newbie" and couldn't see through the shavings. Thanks!
Thanks for the video. Very educational. I'm curious, what kind of lacquer are you using that is fast drying? In my experience with lacquer, for it to fully dry, takes about 24 hours, of course I do sand it down after I put down all my coats for other turning projects, haven't tried it on pens. Thanks!
anyone know where i can buy a fitting for my new mandrel.It wont fit to the holding part of my lathe.Is their a special adapter i need to buy to fit the collet of my mandrel.Ive searched u tube,but they always seem to forget to mention differant types of lathes.Maybe its about advertising as i always seem to notice a certain brand sticks in your face.Im new to this so anyhelp would be very gratefull
+EDGARDO VALDES You do not need a special lathe for pen making. You can use the lathe you use to make bowls and other projects. We don't sell the assembly machine featured in the video, but you can find a pen assembly press here: www.highlandwoodworking.com/penassemblypress.aspx
Thank you very much for the tip! Do you know where i can buy fountain kit for pen making? I like the one you used, could you tell me where you bought it??? Thanks again
+EDGARDO VALDES You can buy all of the pen turning accessories including a fountain pen making kit at Highland Woodworking: www.highlandwoodworking.com/slimlinepenkit.aspx
Hi im a college student on a budget and i was wondering if you could recommend a good lathe to me that I could use to make pens with ( if possible under $250)
Here is our listing of lathes that we currently sell at Highland Woodworking: www.highlandwoodworking.com/woodturning-lathes.aspx If none of these are in your price range, I would suggest looking online for used lathes on Ebay or Craigslist.
The bushings last for a good number of turnings and can be used over and over (they need to always match with the pen mechanism type you are using). You can of course accidentally cut into them or sand on them too aggressively and alter their circumference to a point they are no longer acting as reliable templates. But with a bit of judicious care when working, they give a long service life (and can be replaced easily enough without a lot of cost when needed).
Yes, because when you have multiple parts of a pen, all of the pieces need to be square so that when you connect them together they all go together smoothly and there are no gaps.
@@HighlandWoodworking thanks for the tip. I turned a slimline and a fountain pen. They turned out ok, the slimline needed to be a touch thinner, but it's still decent. Practice males perfect.
I think I purchased my pen mandrel from Penn State Industries (they have TONS of pen supplies). But Highland has a similar one also - I don't think there's anything special about the mandrel.
I would not Square it down until the Brass Tube is shiny, you might get trouble when putting the pen together. Be very carefull not to take off too much ... rather try o get close but not hit the Brass Tube.
If the name brand CA glue you have has an useful viscosity and cure time for gluing in the metal tubes to the wood pen blanks, it should be fine to use. ("Crazy" glue "super" glue are CA (Cyanoacrylate adhesives). You want CA glue to be reasonably fresh. Like other woodworking supply etailers, we sell a lot of CA glue so our inventory has not been on the shelf for long periods. That may not be the case with some retailers that may sell a "name brand" glue sitting on a shelf in a store where demand is low for the product.
This was by far the best how-to video on pen making . You covered everything and didn't take forever doing so. Great video!
hi morton , just wanted to say that ive been looking through hours of you tube videos about pen turning as im a woodturner but had never thought about turning pens until i saw my friends pen which was fantastic and which fired my imagination , so after looking on you tube for a few hrs i came across your site and i have to say its the best by a long way , its your style , explanation , & manner thats so good !! keep it up & thanks . craig & family , sheffield , uk .
I have had a lathe (given to me by a friend) in the garage/workshop for a few years, I'm a hobby woodcarver but felt a bit scared after two attempts. I've just started using it and after a few bowls thought I would try pen turning looked at a couple of videos then found yours, it is the best and a great tutorial. Oh yes I think I'll buy the book. John Oswestry UK
You are a natural teacher. Don't change your style. Best video I've seen.
A couple of helpful tips, 1. I use clear 5 min epoxy glue for the barrel blank. #2. Knock off the corners of the acrylic blanks before turning. Will help with blank blow out. #3 Square up the ends with fixed sanding disk. I learned these little tricks through trial and error... happy turning..😁
Great video, looks fun. I've always wanted to try this.
This video is terrific! You give me the confidence to start budgeting for a new hobby!
Extremely helpful for a noob like me, thank you for taking the time to put this up. I greatly appreciate it.
Just found your video. One of the best I have seen. Can't wait to see your other videos. Thank you.
Excellent video! Professional production with great instructional value. Thanks!
how could anyone not like this video?
Excellent, thank you for showing this
Very well done. Thanks.
Thanks that was about the best video on how to make a pen I've seen.
Thanks for sharing, doesn't the water when wet sanding cause the wood to swell slightly?
A well explained video, thanks
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Super tutorial . Thank you !
Great video, I found this very relaxing to watch :)
-nice job!
Wow very informative video, thank you
Great video... can you tell me what tools you were using to turn the pens... looked like a scraper but, then, I'm a turning "newbie" and couldn't see through the shavings. Thanks!
Thanks for the video. Very educational. I'm curious, what kind of lacquer are you using that is fast drying? In my experience with lacquer, for it to fully dry, takes about 24 hours, of course I do sand it down after I put down all my coats for other turning projects, haven't tried it on pens. Thanks!
A very good video.
Hi do you have to use the accelerator with the ca glue or is the glue on its own ok ?
anyone know where i can buy a fitting for my new mandrel.It wont fit to the holding part of my lathe.Is their a special adapter i need to buy to fit the collet of my mandrel.Ive searched u tube,but they always seem to forget to mention differant types of lathes.Maybe its about advertising as i always seem to notice a certain brand sticks in your face.Im new to this so anyhelp would be very gratefull
Hi, do i need a special lathe for pen making?? Where can i get that assembly machine?? Thank you for the great video and tips
+EDGARDO VALDES You do not need a special lathe for pen making. You can use the lathe you use to make bowls and other projects. We don't sell the assembly machine featured in the video, but you can find a pen assembly press here: www.highlandwoodworking.com/penassemblypress.aspx
Thank you very much for the tip! Do you know where i can buy fountain kit for pen making? I like the one you used, could you tell me where you bought it??? Thanks again
+EDGARDO VALDES You can buy all of the pen turning accessories including a fountain pen making kit at Highland Woodworking: www.highlandwoodworking.com/slimlinepenkit.aspx
+Highland Woodworking Thanks for your great help
what is that white with dark brown striped wood called?
Hi im a college student on a budget and i was wondering if you could recommend a good lathe to me that I could use to make pens with ( if possible under $250)
Here is our listing of lathes that we currently sell at Highland Woodworking: www.highlandwoodworking.com/woodturning-lathes.aspx
If none of these are in your price range, I would suggest looking online for used lathes on Ebay or Craigslist.
Dustin Yuan You can always use Harbor Freight's lathe ($231 USD)
Does it hurt if you don't square it up
What's the name of the chuck you use to hold the pen? thanks :D
Hey, do you have to change the bushings to new ones every time you turn a new pen ?
The bushings last for a good number of turnings and can be used over and over (they need to always match with the pen mechanism type you are using). You can of course accidentally cut into them or sand on them too aggressively and alter their circumference to a point they are no longer acting as reliable templates. But with a bit of judicious care when working, they give a long service life (and can be replaced easily enough without a lot of cost when needed).
I'm very pleased on your answer, thank you very much. SUBSCRIBED!
But i still don't understand a lot of things....:)
nice! thanks
Do you have to square both ends of both halves?
Yes, because when you have multiple parts of a pen, all of the pieces need to be square so that when you connect them together they all go together smoothly and there are no gaps.
@@HighlandWoodworking thanks for the tip. I turned a slimline and a fountain pen. They turned out ok, the slimline needed to be a touch thinner, but it's still decent. Practice males perfect.
I think I purchased my pen mandrel from Penn State Industries (they have TONS of pen supplies). But Highland has a similar one also - I don't think there's anything special about the mandrel.
What kind of lathe is that? Want ot get one for my husband for Christmas.....
Morton is using a JET lathe: www.jettools.com/us/en/p/jwl-1015vs-10-x-15-variable-speed-wood-lathe/719110
Hi there what tools did use in this video please.
Lathe: www.highlandwoodworking.com/rikon12minilathe.aspx
Pen Blanks: www.highlandwoodworking.com/penblanks.aspx
Pen Bushings: www.highlandwoodworking.com/designerstylepenbushingsset3.aspx
Slimline Pen Kit: www.highlandwoodworking.com/slimlinepenkit.aspx
Pen-Drilling Vise: www.highlandwoodworking.com/pendrillingvisebasic.aspx
150 Sandpaper: www.highlandwoodworking.com/norton-prosand-sheets.aspx
CA Glue: www.highlandwoodworking.com/cyanoacrylate-ca-glues.aspx
Barrel Trimmer: www.highlandwoodworking.com/7mmpenmill.aspx
Mandrel: www.highlandwoodworking.com/maxi-mandrelwdrillbit1mt.aspx
Roughing Gouge: www.highlandwoodworking.com/crown34spindleroughinggouge.aspx
Wet Sandpaper: www.highlandwoodworking.com/3mimperialand153wetordryand153sandpaperpackof5.aspx
Lacquer Finish: www.highlandwoodworking.com/general-finishes-water-based-lacquer-gallon.aspx
Paste Wax: www.highlandwoodworking.com/staplesdarkbrownwaxwithcarnauba.aspx
Pen Turner's Workbook: www.highlandwoodworking.com/pen-turners-workboook.aspx
I would not Square it down until the Brass Tube is shiny, you might get trouble when putting the pen together. Be very carefull not to take off too much ... rather try o get close but not hit the Brass Tube.
does the kit come with the blank
The pen blanks are sold separately here: www.highlandwoodworking.com/penblanks.aspx
could i get a part number for that madrel?
Hello,
The part number for the mandrel is 141440 and here is the link to it: www.highlandwoodworking.com/maxi-mandrelwdrillbit2mt.aspx
What kind of late is that
does crazy glue work // is that the same thing as CA glue?
If the name brand CA glue you have has an useful viscosity and cure time for gluing in the metal tubes to the wood pen blanks, it should be fine to use. ("Crazy" glue "super" glue are CA (Cyanoacrylate adhesives).
You want CA glue to be reasonably fresh. Like other woodworking supply etailers, we sell a lot of CA glue so our inventory has not been on the shelf for long periods. That may not be the case with some retailers that may sell a "name brand" glue sitting on a shelf in a store where demand is low for the product.
I made it with woodprix handbooks !
Its a Pen Mandrel
I've found great handbook on woodprix website. Good solutions for everyone I think
woodprix has very useful instructions with all details I need