Heres' this weeks progress - been a battle :P

**karlkuehn** · 12th August 2007, 08:55 PM

Well, it's been a rough week for me and turning pens. Seems like everything that could've gone wrong did, mixed up bushings, wrong sized tenons, muffed finishes, over/under turned, you name it, I screwed it up.

I was able to get a passable rack out of it, though.

Listed from left to right:

Berea flat top American upgrade gold fountain (Bear Tooth) with Chatke Kok and my very first CA/BLO finish (at least the first one that anyone will ever see). I learned a ton about CA/BLO on this one - list anyone?
- When you put on too much BLO and then quick-like try to compensate by putting on a whole bunch of CA, you get to spend the day with a paper towel armored index finger.
- The best way to gauge how well you managed to get the CALO ratio mixed is by using a dial caliper to measure the blister on your finger. That chemical reaction gets darn hot! I learned quickly to sixteenthle fold the paper towel.
- Olive oil is not a good substitute for BLO.
- It is possible to completely laminate a pen blank with an entire blue nitrile rubber glove while you're wearing it. Er, at least while you were wearing it.
Berea Euro in black chrome (Bear Tooth) with red palm and Mylands 3-step. Blew the finish on this one. It now lives in the 'seconds' drawer.
Berea Euro in black chrome (Bear Tooth) with Russian olive wood and Minwax lacquer; dyed olive green with sunset gold pearl mica in the first coat. Took me all week, and I muffed the bushing on the cap side CB, way under-turned. I think I can sell it, however. I took the sharp edge off the tenon corner and managed to save the finish.
Slimline in silver (Woodturningz) with Michigan black ash burl and CA; dyed maroon and holes filled. Big crack near clip plug. Another one for the seconds drawer.
Slimline in silver (Woodturningz) with Michigan black ash burl and CA; dyed peacock blue and holes filled. Turned out great.
Slimline in bright copper (Woodturningz) with Midnight Express/Black Swirl (Woodturningz); Melted the acrylic near the point, but was able to save it by installing a spare comfort gelly thing. Some scratches in the finish, am going to try swirl and scratch remover.
Slimline 'Cross' style in 24kt gold (Woodturningz) with mystery Fritz bonus blank (Woodturningz); Turned out okay.
My first Jr. Gentleman's II in plat/gold titanium (CSUSA) with segmented flame box elder and walnut; CA finish. Turned out pretty good, I like the red stripes with the brown and whiter woods.

Including a closer look at the flat top and Jr.

I'll try again tomorrow. Going to go selling for the first time on Monday, so I need to build up as much stock as I can because they're going to sell like hotcakes and I'm gonna come home rich!

**ss_11000** · 12th August 2007, 09:27 PM

good luck with your sales

very nice pens mate, the flat top is my fave but they all look good.

your CABLO finish looks great

cheers

**PenTurner** · 12th August 2007, 10:36 PM

Karl, I like what I see, very attractive display and they should sell, except you won't come home rich!, you will call in the pen shop and buy more stuff will you not? Amos

**karlkuehn** · 12th August 2007, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by Woodenink

Karl, I like what I see, very attractive display and they should sell, except you won't come home rich!, you will call in the pen shop and buy more stuff will you not? Amos

That's a good point. I'll be rich in blanks and kits and tools and more kits and...

**bdar** · 13th August 2007, 02:00 AM

Karl a nice collection of pens you have, do like the Flat Top and JR Gent as for the maroon dyed Black Ash Burl you could dis assemble the pen and turn the timber off and re use the kit or just dis assemble the clip end and soak it in acetone and slide the tube out. Cut the offending crack of at an angle the find a contrastin piece of burl, Ebony would even do the trick. Drill the bit of Ebony cut it to match the angle of the maroon blank. Glue the maroon blank back to the tube first then the bit of ebonyto line up the angle cut, re-turn the Ebony to match the burl and refinish. I have done this once to save a special blank.
Darren

**karlkuehn** · 13th August 2007, 03:22 AM

Ooooh...you got me thinking!

I may have to try something...now, let's see...I'll need an Easter basket....*rummaging*...where the heck is that trumpet?...

**Simomatra** · 13th August 2007, 10:11 AM

Wow!

Karl nice collection of pens you turning full pro?

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 13th August 2007, 04:24 PM

Rich? A pen turner?

Now that is rich!

But I gotta agree, you're building up a nice range of stock. With such a wide variety, if you really want to make more than a quick quid, it's probably worth your while to take photos of each'n'every pen.

Then, once you come home after a day in the barrel... errm... sales booth..., sort the photos into "sold" and "unsold" so that at a later date you can check through the "sold" to see what types of pens are popular in your area without having to rely on just memory or a few chicken scratches on a bit of paper.

**karlkuehn** · 13th August 2007, 06:20 PM

Yeah, I've been forcing myself to take pictures of all of them for future reference. I'm trying to get myself set up on the penventory app, too. Lotta work to set up, but it seems like it'll be a help.

What the heck's a quid? Do they come in brindle?

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 13th August 2007, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by karlkuehn

What the heck's a quid? Do they come in brindle?

Good question! It has been a long time since I've actually seen one and I don't rightfully remember. I make plenty of 'em, but first the guvmint grabs it's share, then the treasurer/head chef, then my shed suppliers...

If I'm really lucky, on pay-day I get a smaller bill than usual.

I wonder... if I cast one in epoxy as a pen-blank, could I justifiably charge more than normal? Hmmm...

**Simomatra** · 13th August 2007, 06:32 PM

What the heck's a quid? Do they come in brindle?

[/quote]

The pound used to be our currency before the dollar and it was called a quid

Stay here long enough you will be able to read, write and talk stryne, streuth mate!!

**jess** · 13th August 2007, 07:19 PM

i really love that fountain pen, looks amazing.
crazyscew loves the Jr, looks great.
what a good weeks work!!

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