# Jigsaw Puzzle



## DCBluesman (Jul 17, 2007)

Ken Nelsen and I have been working together on this concept for months.  He chose to be the "guinea pig" and submitted his pen to the PMG and was selected for membership.  Congratulations, Ken!  Here's a link to Ken's version. http://www.kallenshaanwoods.com/servlet/Detail?no=57

Here's my version.  BEFORE:







In the end.






View 2






Thank you for looking as especially to those who comment.


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## Penmonkey (Jul 17, 2007)

Very nice pen! I bet that was fun gluing up all those little pieces. Did you use plain wood glue or CA?


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## GaryMGg (Jul 17, 2007)

Phenomenal. Ya don't post much, but boy when you do!!! [8D][8D][8D]
Love the concept and the execution. Oh yeah.
Gary


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## Darley (Jul 17, 2007)

Lou that's nice pen I saw it on Ken's web site, now those 2 white dowels, as been used to glue the puzzel part then when glue is dry you swap with the pen tube?


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## laserturner (Jul 17, 2007)

You've done us proud Lou.
Bring it to DC in 2 weeks. We'll compare notes. Looks great on the Sedona.


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## BRobbins629 (Jul 17, 2007)

Great idea and execution.  Love it.


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## Blind_Squirrel (Jul 17, 2007)

I was fortunate enough to get to see and hold this pen at the Virginia IAP picnic last weekend.  The pictures do not do it justice.  The entire crowd was oohing and aahing when Lou brought it out (and rightly so too!).

Lou, you just keep raising that bar for the rest of us.  For that I thank you sir!


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## GoodTurns (Jul 17, 2007)

now that's cool!  love it.


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## Dario (Jul 17, 2007)

Wonderful pen.  

Congrats to Ken too!


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## btboone (Jul 17, 2007)

Lots of fun to assemble too.  The pieces lock when you try to assemble them in the wrong order.  I had that issue a few years back when I did my first puzzle pen with cut pieces.  It looks like the bigger tubes helps that issue.


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## DKF (Jul 17, 2007)

Very, very nice!


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## gerryr (Jul 17, 2007)

Beautiful work, Lou.


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## PR_Princess (Jul 17, 2007)

Very unique - and beautiful, Lou. Congrats.


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## TBone (Jul 17, 2007)

> _Originally posted by Blind_Squirrel_
> <br />Lou, you just keep raising that bar for the rest of us.  For that I thank you sir!



That bar is so high, I can't even see it with binoculars any more.

Beautiful pen Lou and great execution.

Congrats to Ken


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## MDWine (Jul 17, 2007)

In person, it is a most impressive pen...
Congrats, Sensei...


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## ed4copies (Jul 17, 2007)

Of course your execution looks flawless and the resulting product impeccable!!

I wonder if you will find a market in people who like to do jigsaw puzzles?  Of course, collectors will be interested - keep me informed on your "feedback", please!!

Good luck with it!![][][]


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## Draken (Jul 17, 2007)

I too saw this pen in person and agree the photo does not do it justice.  Great work Lou!


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## RonSchmitt (Jul 17, 2007)

Awesome job.


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## Ligget (Jul 17, 2007)

Fantastic idea, great work Lou!


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## huntersilver (Jul 17, 2007)

Very nice looking pen!!


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## rtgleck (Jul 17, 2007)

Wow... great looking pen as the others have said.  That is just amazing.  Nice work


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## ChrisinOR (Jul 17, 2007)

That is freakin incredible!!! Seriously.... WOW!!!![]


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## Jim in Oakville (Jul 17, 2007)

That is a very clever design....well done and congrats on getting into the PMG!
[8D]


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## DCBluesman (Jul 17, 2007)

Thanks to all who have posted kind and generous words!  This design was a bear for both Ken and me.  Ken had to take my 2-D concept and convert it to 3-D plus work out the dimensions and account for bevelling each piece as the OD for each piece is greater than the ID.  The assemby process is a bit convoluted, requiring some pieces to be positioned from the outside in and others from the inside out.  Assembly required basic setup using scotch tape, followed by tightening and aligning using elastic bands, then followed up with tiny spot attachments with CA.  I reamed the inside of this blank, then saturated the inside with CA such that I could leave out the tubes and simply glue in the components.

This pen is VERY makeable if (and that's a big IF) you follow the instructions.  36 individual, non-duplicated shapes, 20 different woods, $55...A BARGAIN!


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## papaturner (Jul 17, 2007)

Absolutely amazing.........I don`t have the proper adjective....Perry


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jul 17, 2007)

Fantastic!


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## dscott (Jul 17, 2007)

i love it GREAT pen you said makeable if follow instructions is there any kind of tutoral


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## leehljp (Jul 17, 2007)

Wow! Talking about complexity of the pieces. Looks like you have your work "cut out" for you! Now is the time to "pick up the pieces" and "get it together." [] I am never ceased to be amazed at what you, and others, do in creativity!


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## Rmartin (Jul 17, 2007)

Wow, that sure raises the bar for the next one seeking Guild membership. Glad I didn't send in a pen on the same week as Ken's. Congratulations!


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## neon007 (Jul 18, 2007)

Simply AMAZING!!!


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## wdcav1952 (Jul 18, 2007)

Freakin' awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Paul in OKC (Jul 18, 2007)

What can I say. Lou. Truly incredible work and imagination in that one. WOW!!!


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## johncrane (Jul 18, 2007)

Yes a big WOW!!great looking pen Lou!![]


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## rd_ab_penman (Jul 18, 2007)

WOW![:0][] Fantastic![:0] Is there or will there be a Tutorial on this one?
Les in Alberta


<br />
"What's YOUR Carbon Footprint?"


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## DCBluesman (Jul 19, 2007)

Again, thanks for the kind words.  There is no "tutorial" per se, as Ken Nelsen is now selling the kits which include a complete set of instructions.  Follow the link in my original post to the kit on Ken's site.


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## DCBluesman (Jul 19, 2007)

A few 'old-timers' on the site reminded me of how far we've come in puzzle pens.  Let's see how many of them you remember.

Ryan Pastorek 9/14/06 



Me  7/19/05 



Me 6/20/05 



Bruce Boone 2/10/05 



What a long strange trip it's been!


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## btboone (Jul 19, 2007)

I did my original ones the way you are doing them now.  They were very time consuming to put together and never did fit very well because of the small tubes and tight curvature.  (I still have never made a kit pen other than the Euro!) My first couple also reflected the laser beam off the brass tube and cut back through the part, so I saw they would need nonreflective mandrels to laser them.  Bigger and thinner tubes of a fountain pen would definitely help allow the parts to fit tighter.  I stopped developing them when I saw how much time they were going to take to make.  I'm glad somebody took the time to do it.  It's a nice look.

My original concept was to use a dark and a light wood, so just 2 parts would have to be cut.  I scaled the pieces so they could intermix continuously.  As you know, it takes a lot of work to get the puzzle pieces to connect properly at the start/ stop line.  Once the laser code is done, they are pretty straightforward.  I revamped the code to cut out half the pieces and leave the other half standing as one continuous piece.  This was an effort to save labor, but it ended up taking at least as long to make.  I sold that particular one to a guy at a pen show.  It was so much labor that I told him it was a one of a kind!


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## alxe24 (Jul 20, 2007)

As everyone said already. Congratulations for this magnificent pen. It looks fenomenal. I know I'll be getting one kit soon, that is a unique pen indeed?
Do you knkow if there is going to be available for a bigger kit gent, emperor?
Thanks for showing


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## DCBluesman (Jul 26, 2007)

Per Ken, there will definitely be a Gentleman's kit in the near future.  Other kits will depend on demand.


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## barryu (Jul 28, 2007)

Amazing.  I'll bet you could just stare at it for hours.


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## ed4copies (Jul 30, 2007)

> _Originally posted by barryu_
> <br />Amazing.  I'll bet you could just stare at it for hours.



I suspect that is EXACTLY what he did - as he tried to assemble it!!!

(Along with the occasional "expletive deleted"!)

Nice work, Lou!!!


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## DCBluesman (Jul 31, 2007)

Hours doesn't begin to tell the story.  I stared at this one for days, although I think my second effort will be significantly quicker due to the short learning curve.


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