# my BEST work yet THANKS IAP!!!



## RAdams (Feb 20, 2010)

I have been heavily influenced and inspired by the members here. I have tried to learn all i can at every opportunity. When i went to my first chapter meeting, I think my excitement was annoying. When i went to that meeting i took one pen to show off. It was a Classic American from woodcraft. You could plainly see the brass and the glue lines through the storebought acrylic blank. 

The workmanship I witnessed made me VERY reluctant to even show my pen. With the Likes of Paul in OKC, OKLAHOMAN, Tim Self, and other MASTER craftsmen (and women) I knew i was (and am still) an infant compared. 

I have spent MANY MANY hours and MANY MANY MANY blanks honing my skills. I have made LOTS of projects without posting pictures knowing that they are, in our world, "Run of the mill". 

With GREAT Pleasure, I Bring you:

"The Sickness"

Junior Gent. Closed end Rhodium fountain made with Wild Horse Jasper Trustone Including custom finial and custom center band.


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## dntrost (Feb 20, 2010)

Wow that is very nice!  love that center band


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## Jim15 (Feb 20, 2010)

That is an awesome pen.


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## KenV (Feb 20, 2010)

Looks like your workmanship is approaching your goal --  but I find they never quite come together......


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## Glenn McCullough (Feb 20, 2010)

Oh,thats sick! (in the hood, that means great!)


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## wdcav1952 (Feb 20, 2010)

Bravo!!!!!!


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## RAdams (Feb 20, 2010)

Glenn McCullough said:


> Oh,thats sick! (in the hood, that means great!)


 



WORD! (In the hood, that means thank you!)


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## bgibb42 (Feb 20, 2010)

That's a great looking pen!


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## altaciii (Feb 20, 2010)

Very nice!  good looking pen all around!


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## jeffnreno (Feb 20, 2010)

Your right - that is one to be proud of - great pen!


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## markgum (Feb 20, 2010)

awesome job.


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## Rangertrek (Feb 20, 2010)

Very nice work, something to be proud of.  The center band just adds another great element to the pen.


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## Oldwagon (Feb 20, 2010)

WOW,Ron that is wild.You put some great additions on that one.That is awesome. Todd


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## workinforwood (Feb 20, 2010)

Very nice...totally of the chain!:wink:


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## OKLAHOMAN (Feb 20, 2010)

Nicely done grasshopper!


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## mredburn (Feb 20, 2010)

Indeed nicely done. May i suggest that on the next one you match the profile of the closed end and the plug on the finial.   Mike


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## GaryMadore (Feb 20, 2010)

Wow....

What I need here is a "smiley" that portrays someone with their jaw hanging open in amazement.

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous pen - one that I would buy (which is, I think, the highest compliment one maker can pay to another maker).

That centreband is to die for.

Wow.

Can you give us your thoughts on your choice of name for it?

Cheers!

Gary


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## bgibb42 (Feb 20, 2010)

Just curious...

Why didn't you enter this in the Freestyle Contest?


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## mbroberg (Feb 20, 2010)

That is a beautiful pen!!  Great workmanship!!


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## Karin Voorhis (Feb 20, 2010)

Very nice!!! GREAT WORK!!!! How do like the feeling of the best yet. I love those feeling moments!!!!!


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## Steve Busey (Feb 20, 2010)

Nice pen! But you may still need a little work on your naming conventions...


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## jimofsanston (Feb 20, 2010)

nice................................


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## RAdams (Feb 20, 2010)

Thanks everybody! 
I have decided that my best work yet deserves individual responses for all that are kind enough to comment!!! so here goes! Just "ctrl F" your name for your very own personal response! And thanks again for checking my pen out!

Dion: Thank you! The CB was probably my favorite part to make. Quite a challenge for me.
Jim: Thank You Sir! I am trying to keep up!
Ken: That is a HUGE Compliment! I still have a long way to go but i will get there!
Glenn: WORD! (Thank you!)
Cav: Thank you for the Ovation!
Brian: Thank you very much!
Spock... er... uh... Alex: Thanks! 
Jeff: Thank you! I am indeed proud! 
Mark: Thank you! It was a very fun project!
John: Thanks! And I agree. I was worried it would be to much but i think it adds a nice touch.
Todd: Thanks my friend! I had to do something after pouring all those Kentucky and Indiana blanks.... (GO POKES... sorry, couldn't help it!!)
Jeff: When i went to the meeting i mentioned earleir, I hadnt yet learned of your amazing skill. You are one of my inspirations as well.. There are quite a few people here that i really look up to.
Roy: Thank You Sir! I was hoping to get a post from you! I know you don't just throw the compliments around so any compliment would be earned! WOOHOO I DID IT!
Mike: Thank you! I thought about matching the finial to the post but for some reason decided at the last minute to do it this way. I can always go back and do another one, allthough i doubt i will. It is definately in my mind for next time if i dont change this one.

Gary: Thank you! WOW is how i feel! Naturally i want people to flip out over my work but until now, it has never happened! I have gotten close a couple of times, but yours is my first totally excited response. That is how i felt when i saw all the pieces that led to me doing this one. totally flipped out. Thank you for the excitement! Your post made my day!

I named it "The Sickness" because that is what it represents. All of the nights I lay in bed, My mind racing... Pens have all but taken over my mental spare time. I used to think about exotic women, now i think about exotic wood. I have goals for my pen making, and they have absolutely nothing to do with "fame" or fortune. They are all based on my skill level. I want to be among the Masters. I want to earn my spot as a talented pen maker. When I started turning, everyone said "Welcome to the vortex." Well for me, turning is a vortex, and penmaking is the sickness at the heart of that vortex. This pen is the culmination (sp) of my sickness. 
Brian: I didnt enter it in the freestyle contest because I have no idea what the freestyle contest is. I tried to keep up with all that goes on around here and decided it was beyond my ability. I am lucky to be able to post pics and replies!! Thanks for thinking that it is worthy of entering in anything!! That is totally awesome! lol...
Mike: Thank You! I try! 
Karin: Thank You! It is mixed emotions for me. I am happy that it is better than anything I have done, but i am sad knowing what it could be. Allthough i will never quit learning, surely the curve has to at least slow down some at some point. I have learned so much, so fast, my brain is going to melt! 
Steve: Thanks! The name will more than likely just be a private thing. When someone decides to buy it, They can call it whatever they want.
Jim: Thank you Sir!


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## mredburn (Feb 20, 2010)

You go to the home page, you click on the freestyle pen link in the top area, you click on "go advanced" in the quick reply area, you type in "this is my entry" you add your pictures, now you have entered your pen in the free style and have participated in the birthday bash. Try it see if it works, the freestyle is just that, make a pen that isnt a straight kit and go for it. DO IT NOW!. Now doesnt that feel good!


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## khogan16 (Feb 20, 2010)

we all start somewhere RA, and looks like your well on your way.


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## bitshird (Feb 20, 2010)

Great Pen Ron, nice centerband, great material, and from what I can see well turned and finished.


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## CaptG (Feb 20, 2010)

Sweeet, that is one awesome pen.  Very nice work.


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## JimMc7 (Feb 20, 2010)

Great work!  Wild Horse Jasper is one of my favorite blanks and you did it proud.


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## RAdams (Feb 20, 2010)

mredburn said:


> You go to the home page, you click on the freestyle pen link in the top area, you click on "go advanced" in the quick reply area, you type in "this is my entry" you add your pictures, now you have entered your pen in the free style and have participated in the birthday bash. Try it see if it works, the freestyle is just that, make a pen that isnt a straight kit and go for it. DO IT NOW!. Now doesnt that feel good!


 


I missed to boat... again. 

I missed out on the PITH trade because i didnt know what it was, and felt like a big dummy. Oh well.. I think i will just stick to makin pens for the sake of makin pens!


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## jbostian (Feb 20, 2010)

That is a great looking pen, you should be very proud of it.

Jamie


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## johncrane (Feb 21, 2010)

Well done, i also love the blank you used.


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## Ligget (Feb 22, 2010)

Lovely work, I really like the centre-band but would have made the custom finial the same size as the original standard one (just my personal taste).


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## tim self (Feb 22, 2010)

Wonderful work Ron.  I think you've really got the closed end thing down.  I to like the center band. Haven't went there yet.  Beautiful Pen


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## RAdams (Feb 23, 2010)

THANKS EVERYONE!

I realy really like doing the closed end. In fact, I just did a blank trade, and the guy is sending me some extras that are extra long just so i can use them for closed end! Todd, YOU ARE THE MAN! 

The last pen I did, I used the factory height on the finial, but it was made with PR. The PR ended up being so thin that you could see through it. I did a pen swap and the pen i recieved had a taller finial on it, so i decided to try it for this pen. I like the way it turned out. 

It took me a little bit to figure out how to make the CB. The finial was simple, but the CB offered some challenge. I am excited to try another in a different material! Maybe some super curly maple!

As soon as I can get a decent picture, I will post my new Gold Ti. JG II Cumberland Ebonite rollerball. It isn't modded, but it is still beautiful!

I also have anotehr kit in 10k gold that might get some Alt. Amber! Or Masur Birch maybe...


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## Mrs Rojo22 (Feb 23, 2010)

Beautiful!

Robin


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## Daniel (Feb 23, 2010)

Nicely done, now you wanna come on over and show me how to do all that center band stuff. I never seem to find the time to set down and try much of that and have never tryed metal. You are also displaying a refined eye for how all the elements of the pen work together. Not to much but enough to be sophisticated and elegant. You have every right to gloat on this one. And always remember, here we love the Turner far more than the Turning.


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## RAdams (Feb 23, 2010)

Daniel, I would LOVE to come to Reno and show you how to do CB's. My only concern is that i would roll into town in my $6,000 truck and leave in a $100,000 bus!


I appreciate the kind words on my pen! I am just trying to catch up to everybody else!


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## JohnU (Feb 23, 2010)

I see a lot of time and passion in this pen.  Its something to be proud of.  Very nice!


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## Bree (Feb 24, 2010)

Very fine pen.  Congratulations!  Terrific work.
:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## RAdams (Feb 24, 2010)

Thank You John, and Bree! Now if i could just get my picture taking skills up to match my penmaking skills I would be golden!


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