subject: Pen Turning Most Easiest & Addictive Hobby [print this page] For a woodworker, pen turning is one of the most easiest and addictive hobbies of all woodworking. If you are already turning items like vases, bowls, baseball bats, lamps, salt and pepper shakers, candlestick holders, and so on, then entering a new venture of making pen will be really fun. Since you are already into woodturning domain, you will have most of the equipments that would be needed to turn pens.
Equipments Required
Usually, tools and equipments required to turn pens are very minimal. As said before, if you are already into woodturning domain, you will have most of those tools and equipments. The essential tools and equipment that will be needed are lathe, bench vise or press, turning tools, pen mandrel, barrel trimmer, drill press, drill bits and some of the pen turning supplies like pen blanks, pen kits, pen mechanisms, etc.
It is true woodturning lathes come in variety of sizes, however since pens are small in size, it is possible to turn them on your existing lathe. Nevertheless, if you are a beginner and directly opt for pen turning hobby, then you can buy a mini lathe, which generally are inexpensive. Barrel trimmer and pen mandrel are the specific tools that are required to make pens. A barrel trimmer is a small metal rod that can be mounted on press drill or hand drill. It facilitate to trim the pen blank to the exact size in proportion to the pen tube. A pen mandrel on the other hand is a long metal rod that holds the pen blank while it is spinning on the lathe. Both of these pen turning supplies are inexpensive and can be easily available from local supplier.
Turning a Pen
To begin, first select a wooden or acrylic pen blank of your choice. Mark the blank by measuring it with the brass tubes (comes with pen kit) for cutting and make sure that you leave some extra space about 1/16 for each section. Cut the blank on the band saw and then using a press mill with the drill bit of 7mm, drill at the center of it. Make sure that you drill it slowly and once it is done, the blank is ready for the brass tube. Scrape the brass tube, apply some adhesive on it and insert it into the blank. Once done, fasten the blank onto the vice and square its both ends with the barrel trimmer mounted on the drill. Later mount the blank onto the mandrel and start turning it slowly on the lathe. Using a gouge, give the shape and your pens outer body is ready. Insert the pen mechanism and give it the finishing touch by applying friction polish.
