Thread: pen turning

Welcome to the club, they make good presents! Most people ('users') like CA finish on pens. I personally think different timbers benefit from different finishes. I use both CA and EEE/Shellawax for different pens.

CA is good for porous or soft timbers, or when you want shiny finish.
Shellawax gives softer look, and it sometimes brings the timber grain forward. Actually, I use several coats of shellawax with 10 min interval between them, it gives "deeper" looking finish.

Another one I occasionally use is CA/BLO. This is quicker to apply than straight CA, and gives a less glossy finish, but very durable.
My preferred finish is CA as I like the deep glossy look.
I hope you are familiar with all the abbreviations.

hiya John

for starters welcome to the DARK SIDE

with all woods i sand to 320 max, more often i will only use 240 grit paper, i have allergy problems to CA accelerators so i only use the CA/BLO method with medium CA, i find that i can get the deep glossy finish with this method

i don't use shellawax on pens anymore due to wearability, and i can whack 8-10 coats of CA on in under 10 minutes with my method

i do sand the the CA finish after completion with the top 6 pads of micromesh, i very rarely have ridges and if i do i sand it all off and start from scratch

Treecycle if you are having problems getting the deeper finish with this method try some fresh BLO, i found the older stuff doesn't do the job

this is just my method and it took many attempts to work it out on a scrap piece of wood

all the best

MIK

Hi John, yep, it's a slppery slope, but a lot of challenges and enjoyment lie before you . Finishing is really the art of doing what's needed to add to either the protection of the wood, or enhance what may not really show too well in some timbers ,some folks like the "wood feel" others like the shiny "new look" most pen makers start on slims ,but they are a little limited in appeal no matter how well they are made, but don't be fooled by the cheapness of most slim kits,they are as hard to make as any double barreled pen .roller balls,fountain pens ,cigar etc ,but will give a good indication if you have been able to get the fittings to match the metal work at the joins . My first hundred or so slims and streamlines (streamlines are slims with a thicker centre band to give a bit more meat on the pen ) . You will see slims turned in many ways by some, to add thickness some with an "hour-glass" shape or just bulbous ,if you need a bigger pen use a bigger kit hehe. You obviously already have a love of timber work and skills that will help you along the way , it can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be ,you have access to some of our nicest timbers in Tassie ,but a pen has to stand out in a very small space so if you can get Birdseye huon ,it will make a more attractive pen than plain huon , and so on . An easy pen to move up when you are ready (and you will know when) are the sierra types and probably one of the most popular all round ,come in many finishes ,gold chrome gunmetal etc. single barrel to turn and about 1/2 " thick, use parker type refills and are very easy to make . Just follow the path and enjoy the ride Cheers ~ John

John I suggest you turn back now! stop! get rid of all pen making gear!.................I fear its to late the bug has bitten your already talking other kits

Finishes you have started as I did from there I have used WoP, Oils, Lacquer, wax experimant to suit your self. I have never finished a pen in CA I can stand the fumes that much.

Originally Posted by MBUMIK

hiya John

for starters welcome to the DARK SIDE

with all woods i sand to 320 max, more often i will only use 240 grit paper, i have allergy problems to CA accelerators so i only use the CA/BLO method with medium CA, i find that i can get the deep glossy finish with this method

i don't use shellawax on pens anymore due to wearability, and i can whack 8-10 coats of CA on in under 10 minutes with my method

i do sand the the CA finish after completion with the top 6 pads of micromesh, i very rarely have ridges and if i do i sand it all off and start from scratch

Treecycle if you are having problems getting the deeper finish with this method try some fresh BLO, i found the older stuff doesn't do the job

this is just my method and it took many attempts to work it out on a scrap piece of wood

all the best

MIK

I have always used the thin CA with the BLO. Maybe I need to try the medium as I was never happy with the depth of finish and therefore didn't use it much.

Thank you to the forum members who answered my questions on finishing pens,i think i should sit down and consider my next move. john.

I have finished my pens with wipe On Poly, medium CA, several coats of medium CA then boiled linseed oil to finish, and also used plastic coat.

I tend to favor the WOP at the moment.

John, when I started my intention was to turn bowls, but someone at the club suggested I make a pen!! I haven,t turned a bowl yet!!!(even though I want to), The finish is a subjective thing, fun to try various methods, one method rarely used is Danish Oil, would require time between coats, but a very different feel to the CA finish, Amos

I think most people start with slimlines, and quickly go for the sierra, and then on to the larger pens. That was my route too. But a few years ago, I started making pens for the troops out of slimlines. I really liked the look of the euro over the slimline, so I started making my own centerbands more toward the euro. Then I started doing my own finials. Usually with a piece that matched the centerband, or the same wood as the pen. Now the slimline is one of my most favorite kits. But I never do them stock anymore. A slimline has a ton of potential for customizing, without spending a ton of extra time.

As for the finish, I like CA finishes, but CA doesn't like me. I have to wear an organic respirator. But the fumes sometimes get into my sinuses through my eyes (that's what the doctor told me) . I still do a CA finish, but not nearly as often.

Here's a link to a method I've been doing now for several months.

Doctors Wood Shop Pen Finish Tutorial - International Association of Penturners