# My first posted pen



## wortmanb (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm still working on my photography skills, but this pen is a spalted two-tone afzelia burl from Bad Dogs. It's also my first FP, and is one I may be keeping for myself. CA Finish, 6 coats, then buffed with a little carnauba wax on a wheel.


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## Ed McDonnell (Feb 11, 2013)

I didn't see the pictures at first, but they are there now.  Good first picture post, keep posting.  

Ed


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## wortmanb (Feb 11, 2013)

I just fixed it. Noob mistake.


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## dozer (Feb 11, 2013)

Nice looking pen.


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## mmayo (Feb 11, 2013)

Nice pen and very nice photos.  The wood is interesting and goes with the kit.  If this is your first post - WHOA!  Please share more!

If I may suggest something - contact Rick Herrell from this forum and look into his sander.  I mounted mine on an MT2 and do a final sanding and squaring after most of the turning is completed.  After using the sander I do my final sanding and finishing of the tubes.   The pen components are REALLY tight when the kits goes together with this technique.


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## Fishinbo (Feb 11, 2013)

A very great looking pen as a first. Love the wood. Great photos too!

________________________
-www.sawblade.com


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## Tx.slopoke (Feb 11, 2013)

good looking pen and great photos


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## mikespenturningz (Feb 11, 2013)

Very nice indeed. Great fit. What do you use for finish? I like the finish what ever it is?


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## brooklyninvt (Feb 11, 2013)

Fantastic First effort.  Love the wood.


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## Charlie_W (Feb 11, 2013)

Super pen there Brett! Good job!


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## wortmanb (Feb 12, 2013)

mikespenturningz said:


> Very nice indeed. Great fit. What do you use for finish? I like the finish what ever it is?



Well, I'm not sure what's actually still on there.

I put on about 6 coats of CA then wet sanded to 12000 and hit it with some hut plastic polish. That didn't give it quite enough gloss for me, so I took it to a buffing wheel and ran it through Tripoli, white diamond and finally carnauba wax. In the process, the wheels reintroduced a lot of rippling in the finish (well, in the wood, presumably) so I have to conclude that the CA was probably not still present by the time I got it over to the wheel. So the current finish I'd wager is just carnauba wax.


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## wortmanb (Feb 12, 2013)

mmayo said:


> Nice pen and very nice photos.  The wood is interesting and goes with the kit.  If this is your first post - WHOA!  Please share more!
> 
> If I may suggest something - contact Rick Herrell from this forum and look into his sander.  I mounted mine on an MT2 and do a final sanding and squaring after most of the turning is completed.  After using the sander I do my final sanding and finishing of the tubes.   The pen components are REALLY tight when the kits goes together with this technique.



I will -- it's not my first pen, maybe my 15th or so, but it's the first one I've felt strongly enough about to post.

I'll do that -- I've discovered that with burls, if I just take another blank and use it to back my Abranet sandpaper in the lower grits (180-500), that seems to help with keeping the sanding even, but I'm always looking for things that help with fit & finish. Thanks for the tip!


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## Wright (Feb 12, 2013)

Nice pen Bret!


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## tigerlily (Feb 12, 2013)

Very pretty pen! Are the burls difficult to turn? I love the swirly patterns they make, but haven't had the opportunity to turn any yet.


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## SDB777 (Feb 13, 2013)

Can't wait to see more from ya if this is the first(posted at least).
I'd keep it too:biggrin:

How many have you done?





Scott (sounds like someone I know) B


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## wortmanb (Feb 13, 2013)

tigerlily said:


> Very pretty pen! Are the burls difficult to turn? I love the swirly patterns they make, but haven't had the opportunity to turn any yet.



They take time & patience, and I did one early ( < 5 pens turned) that didn't turn out so well. Now I know better to take these slowly and carefully. I also use a Woodchuck Pen Pro on them, so I'm cutting with carbide instead of my HSS tools.

At this point, I'd wager I've turned about 25 pens, give or take. I've got 16 in a roll at home and have given a few away to friends. Sold one or two. Thrown lots of blanks into a "lessons learned" box that I keep opening now and again when I'm feeling cocky.  

Learning to take shallow cuts and work slowly, look for sawdust more than shavings near the end, and back my sandpaper with another blank when sanding the coarser grits (180-500) have really helped me get good results out of burls. But I'm still learning on every single blank I turn. Which is awesome.


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## knowltoh (Feb 13, 2013)

Very nice.  What kit did you use?


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## mick (Feb 13, 2013)

Pen looks great and the photo isn't as bad as you think. That's one of the nicest piece of afzelia burl I've seen in a whipw


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## seamus7227 (Feb 13, 2013)

love the pen! You cant go wrong with Afzelia burl! Stuff smells good too


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## wortmanb (Feb 13, 2013)

knowltoh said:


> Very nice.  What kit did you use?



It's an Artisan Statesman from CSUSA. Rhodium/Black Ti.


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## hobbyist2013 (Feb 13, 2013)

Simply incredible! I’m really amazed.


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## robutacion (Feb 13, 2013)

wortmanb said:


> mikespenturningz said:
> 
> 
> > Very nice indeed. Great fit. What do you use for finish? I like the finish what ever it is?
> ...



Hi Bret,

I like your efforts and I particularly like the pic composition and quality, that aspect of pen making and displaying, is a hard one to tame...!

In regards to the finish, I think you may be right, by the time you finished with the buffing, wasn't much CA left on the softer parts of the blank/wood/burl, reason why the gloss is patchy and the surface in not smooth anymore, I think a case of, too much is not always best...!

However, the shape and fit are quite good so, you may want to practice a little with the CA coating, 6 coats if thin CA is not enough, particularly on soft patched woods/burls, thin CA for the first couple of good soaking coats is great but after that, a medium CA will leave a lot more thickness behind, allowing the finish to still be gloss and deep after all the sanding and buffing.

I keep it like that, it will be you best example to compare with as you CA finish gets to where I know you want it, and I know you can achieve so, something to target for...!

My opinions and suggestions are based upon the intent to give you constructive "feedback" something that many people would like to make but, are too scared to offend, that would be the exact opposite intent for them and me, I'm sure.

Keep up the good work...!

Cheers
George


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## maylene pen man (Feb 13, 2013)

very nice


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