# HUGE success and Dumb luck!!



## rsx1974 (Sep 16, 2008)

OK, here's how it went.  I had planned out something that I thought was going to really challenge me.  I am currently serving a year long tour in korea and was lucky to be able to take my Turncrafter Lathe and my small chop saw with me, having no other major tools I've been enjoying making simple pens.  Well  I got the urge to do more.  I made a pen with scallops just the other day and it really sparked inspiration in me. I have only made 3 closed end pens and have never really Modified any kits before but I set my plan on a closed end Jr gent and wanted to turn my own end thingy.  I wanted to push the scallops a little further.  So that might explain the Jr. Gent what about the Ciar you see.

I had a friend who has been watching me turn pens for the last couple weeks and while I was cutting and gluing up my blank he was admiring all the crazy shaped pieces I was cutting off.  Well he started fitting them together like some crazy puzzle and said to me "dude I think I could glue these together."  I thought he was just going to waste a bunch of glue but who cares right??  He did it!!  It took some work to hack it into the shape of a blank, but we did and it is unbelievable!!!  You should see it in person.  

Worst part is I'm pretty sure I would have thrown all those little pieces away!!

Well thanks for reading my story and I hope you like the pens.

Ohh, the Closed end is made from Ebony and Bloodwood with a white plastic garage sale sandwiched in there, and them we just added some scraps of Curly Maple to the cigar.


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## marcruby (Sep 16, 2008)

You did that with a penrafter lathe and a chop saw.  OK, I'm impressed.  Reeelly impressed.

Marc


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## Steve Busey (Sep 16, 2008)

rsx1974 said:


> with a white plastic garage sale sandwiched in there



Sweet looking pens!

But what did you mean by the "white plastic garage sale"?


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## rsx1974 (Sep 16, 2008)

You know 79 cent white plastic sign that says garage sale on it.  It's the only thin white plastic I can find over here.


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## SamThePenMan (Sep 16, 2008)

Wow amazing! :glasses-cool: The scallop on the cap must have taken some work. Amazing to see what the turncrafter can do. I'm actually working on a closed end kit less slimline right now on my turncrafter. Not easy to do closed end with out the closed end mandrel. Taking a break for lunch then I'll finish it up drill the nib end and hope the refill fits in with out binding too much!

Unrelated I see that your from Patrick AFB. I actually grew up and lived in Titusville up until about 2 years ago, now I'm in the Kissimmee area. I have a friend I went to high school with who is in Korea last I heard, with the Naval band I believe. Nice to know there are other people "from" Florida even if you're over seas at the moment, which by the way Thanks!


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## Steve Busey (Sep 16, 2008)

rsx1974 said:


> You know 79 cent white plastic sign



Resourceful - I like it!

(I spent a year at Osan AB back in '77 - I'm sure it's changed a bit since then, but the winters there still get pretty danged cold!)


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## Jim15 (Sep 16, 2008)

Great pens, I have a whole basement full of tools and I havent made pens like that yet. Excellent work. Also thank you for your service to our country.


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## rsx1974 (Sep 16, 2008)

Sam, Thanks for your kind words, I'm originally from Green Bay, WI.  But I have been Acive Duty for 15 years now so I've moved around a bit.  My family is at Patrick which is where I go after leaving here.

SRB,  I'm at Suwon, north or Osan south of Seoul,  as for things changing, well everything seams to do that, but this country has come a long way sinse the 70's.  There is a "good" spread of seasons over here, thats for sure.

If I'm making pens I'm not drinking Soju (Devil Juice), so I guess thats a good thing.


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## workinforwood (Sep 16, 2008)

Beautiful pens!


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## JayDevin (Sep 16, 2008)

Very Very Nice! and Good Job on thinking out side of the box!!!!


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## Snorton20 (Sep 16, 2008)

I am loving these pens.  Gives me a reason to get off here and get back in the shop to try my luck.


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## alphageek (Sep 16, 2008)

Way to go little brother!   That scalloped turned out great and the other one just means my bucket of scraps is going to get bigger now... I'm always amazed at some of the things that you do with scraps.

And as for the "garage sale sign"... Good idea, but are you sure that what the sign reads in Korean


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## thewishman (Sep 16, 2008)

Beautiful! Creative and striking work. Trying to imagine how you did it. Thanks for sharing!


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## hewunch (Sep 16, 2008)

AWESOME WORK! That is some really nice stuff!


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## papaturner (Sep 16, 2008)

Outstanding........Beautiful pens.


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## wdcav1952 (Sep 16, 2008)

Dang, the Armed Forces really have some talented people!!  Nice work.


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## VisExp (Sep 16, 2008)

Nice looking pens!  I really like the triple scallops by clip on the closed end baron.


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## ahoiberg (Sep 16, 2008)

ahhhh soju... great looking pens. nice work. and the geometry on that cigar glue up is phenomenal.


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## toolcrazy (Sep 16, 2008)

Gorgeous pens. Nice work.


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## rlofton (Sep 16, 2008)

Super nice pens!!!  You think if I sent a bunch of scraps over your friend would glue them up?

Keep up the good work.  Thanks for your service!


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## leehljp (Sep 17, 2008)

That is fantastic. GREAT Pens!


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## rherrell (Sep 17, 2008)

Great job!!


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## Ozzy (Sep 17, 2008)

Cool story and very nice pens.


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## fernhills (Sep 17, 2008)

You make  me sick.. Nice work.. Carl


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## Ligget (Sep 18, 2008)

I am jealous, fantastic work!


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## bitshird (Sep 18, 2008)

I'm amazed, Great pens for such minimalist equipment, maybe I have too much.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Sep 18, 2008)

I am not much of a GJNP guy, but I have to say great job, nice pens!  Amazing work considering the tools used to produce them.


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## desertyellow (Sep 19, 2008)

Striking!


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