Author: travis

Posted on

Shop Notes – Tips from YouTube

I’ve been watching some YouTube this week and these are some of the tips that stood out.

  • Set drill stop on drill press to just get to the end of the blank
  • Let off pressure when drilling towards the end of the blank. You’ll hear it squeak towards the end.
  • when gluing in pen tubes apply glue to tube and insert into end of blank that isn’t the center. (Cap and nib sides). Twist to spread glue pull out tube and do the same from the center band end. this way you can get better glue coverage.
  • Use barrel trimmer by hand to clear glue from the tube. You can also use a file or piece of all-thread. When the glue is cleaned out your bushings should fit easily if they fit into the tube. If your tube is the same size as the mandrel, it should fit smoothly on the mandrel.
  • try a 1/3 approach to shaping your pen. 1/3 of the distance from center band towards nib shape to maximum width. 2/3 from nib towards center band increase diameter to peak.
  • Mount blank with nib end towards headstock.
  • Nothing wrong with using a scraper or scraping cut to finish a blank to size.
  • Buff axially to remove sanding scratches.
Posted on

Finished More Pens

I’ve finished three new Funline pens. This will be a short post just showing my progress. 

Lessons Learned

  1. My mandrel saver isn’t as good at keeping the mandrel concentric as the nut is. So I’m using the nut and live center and getting good results again.
  2. Finish shaping with 150 grit isn’t working for me. It shapes fine but some of the scratches are so deep that I can run through all the grits and micro-mesh grits without removing all the scratches. I recommend finishing with tools and then going straight to 220 grit.
  3. Paint your tubes. These pens are so thin that the brass tube is clearly visible if the resin has any transparency at all.
Posted on

Gun Metal Funline in Light and Dark Green Acrylic

Gun Metal Funline with Aquabright Light and Dark Green
Gun Metal Funline with Aquabright Light and Dark Green

I completed this Funline pen today. This is an Aquabright Light and Dark Green blank. I liked the first blank turned more but I forgot to true the blank and chipped the end when I tightened up the tailstock.  There is a slight eccentricity on the nib end of the pen. I believe this is due to the mandrel being too short. The mandrel saver is resting on the threaded portion of the mandrel when two blanks are on installed. I did do the majority of shaping this time with only a single blank at a time. That the blank is still eccentric means i’ll have to do some research and measurement to make sure the lathe and mandrel are in good working order. Continue reading “Gun Metal Funline in Light and Dark Green Acrylic”

Posted on

Pen Turning – Second Funline

Gold Funline with Red and White Acrylic
Gold Funline with Red and White Acrylic

Turned my second pen this morning. This time it took me about an hour and a half from start the finish; about half the time of my first. I sharpened my tools before I started and again about half way through. Sharpening made a noticeable improvement in cutting speed. There was also less complaint from the lathe with the sharper tools. While turning the first pen I noticed some vibration or maybe chatter from the blank towards the tailstock side. I’m assuming it was from excessive force while cutting that end. I did not experience the same problem this time.

Continue reading “Pen Turning – Second Funline”

Posted on

Turning my first pen

Completed my first pen.
My first pen

I turned  my first pen. I purchased a variety pack of funline pens and acrylic blanks from Penn State Industries to get started. This is a Funline/Slimline Satin Pearl pen with their Aquabright Purple Crush blank. I took me about three hours from start to finish but allowed me to use some of the tools I’ve purchased over the last two years but hadn’t yet used. I did not take pictures of the process, but I’ll post one of the finished pen. Continue reading “Turning my first pen”