Custom pen for an Aussie hero

**bassmansimon** · 8th June 2013, 11:03 PM

A good family friend suffered a major hand injury while serving in the armed forces in Afghanistan. He lost his thumb, index finger and middle finger of his writing hand. He has found it ok to use a particular pen that he owns, but wanted a custom one. As a Mackay local, his favourite timber is Mackay Cedar.

I was struggling for designs for the pen, and thinking what might be ergonomical for his unique needs.

Everyone I have discussed it with has been an absolute massive help. My first issue was pen kit style. Thanks to David from Timberbits for suggesting the Executive Clicker kit, explaining the process to me and even helping with design sketches. The pen kit is perfect because it can be clicked rather than twisted, and also it has a single length of timber meaning that it is easier to create custom shapes.

Then the trouble came in sourcing Mackay Cedar in thick sizes. I contacted Adam from Australian Turning Timbers (eBay seller) to see if he had any for sale. After discussing the sizes needed and understanding why I needed them to be thicker, he was gracious enough to cut and send me 8 massive Mackay Cedar pen blanks plus extra pen blanks, at no cost at all! What a top bloke!! He will be at the Boutique Timbers stand at this year's Sydney Wood Show at Olympic Park. I will definitley go up and say G'day and thank him in person.

It was my honour to work on these pens, and hope that it can help him in some small way. I made two different designs to see which one is more comfortable. Thanks to Adam I have plenty more timber to work with in case the designs are close but not quite there. Thanks for taking the time to come and take a look.

Simon.

**bassmansimon** · 8th June 2013, 11:07 PM

Now the technical stuff for woodturners: they were sanded to 1,500 grit, then coated in 21 coats of thin CA, and then polished with micro mesh all through the grades to 12,000 grit.

While such a thick pen probably would have benefited from a more natural finish, I am quite aware of the dangers of Mackay Cedar, and CA offers a bit of protection, especially for a baby who might get access to the pen.

**Simomatra** · 9th June 2013, 09:01 AM

I am sorry to hear of your family friends loss in Afghanistan, but you have risen to the occasion and turned a beautiful pen. It has real wow anout it. Well done Adam, I know Adam personally, he has some magnificent blanks. Be sure to look him up at the show. Adam has also donated to pens for the troops as well.

Well done Simon that is a real beauty

**Ticky** · 9th June 2013, 09:50 AM

Hey Simon,

I would like to thank you & everyone that supports our Heros.

My Son is in the RAAF, he is young and has just finished his Apprentiship as a Avonics Tech. He has not yet been deployed outside of Australia and the biggest danger he has faced so far is going to work in his uniform. Personally, I'm happy with that and hope it never changes. But everytime I hear of one of our service people getting wounded or killed, it hits a little close to home.

Your pens are beautiful and practical & I hope they serve our friend well. You have put a lot of thought into your pens & I am sure they are much appreciated.

Top Marks to you & everyone that takes part in the Pens for the Troops program which I am not part of, but am very much aware of. Maybe I'll get my lathe oneday & if I do I'll join that group.

On behalf of the family's of Service Personel, I would like to thank you and the Pens for our Heros Group.

With Much Appreciation,

Steve

**artme** · 9th June 2013, 09:57 AM

Brilliant work Simon!!! You have sure gone the extra mile for your friend and received tremendous support
from others. Well done!!!

**Ironwood** · 9th June 2013, 11:43 AM

Good stuff Simon

**Nai84** · 10th June 2013, 02:57 AM

Simon

Mate u are a champion and u have done a top job ;-)

Ian

**tdrumnut** · 10th June 2013, 11:33 AM

Top effort Simon, you deserve high praise not only for producing two great looking pens but for caring enough in the first place to make sure your friends special needs were met and produce a pen from the timber he liked best. Thanks to Adam & David for there assistance also.

**Brosh** · 10th June 2013, 11:55 AM

Top effort Simon - good to see the "looking after" after the troops have returned. With a son currently in Afghanistan, your efforts have touched a chord with me. Well done! Sir.

Brosh

**mkypenturner** · 11th June 2013, 07:02 PM

nice work , glad you could find someone down there with mackay cedar in that size , if you had of thought you could have put a call out here for some and either myself or a few of us northerners would have helped , I live in mackay so finding it is never issue

**cookie48** · 11th June 2013, 10:10 PM

Simon
Being a Viet Vet it is great to see our younger Vets getting looked after. I could not open pics of pens but I am sure they are great.
Thanks for being there for him.
Cookie

**PenTurner** · 11th June 2013, 10:19 PM

Simon, thanks for that wonderful gesture, and thanks to Adam for the blanks, the pen looks great and I am sure you will see to it that the young man gets one to suit his needs. Amos

**timberbits** · 12th June 2013, 12:03 PM

You did a beaut job. Thanks for sharing with us.

**bassmansimon** · 12th June 2013, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by timberbits

You did a beaut job. Thanks for sharing with us.

Thanks for all your help with this. I am going to give them to him in one of your large red burl timber boxes. The large one is way too big for the standard pen cases.

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