Thread: Newbie

If you want some satisfaction in all things it does not exist ,failures occur,you can minimise these by ,

1.Careful use of a suitable drill.
2.Select dry timber.
3.Control the pressures applied in both turning and sanding to minimise overheating.
4.Sharp ,sharp tools,give cleaner effortless cuts.
5.Have on hand excess brasses they are a cheap part of the process but assume excess significance,cant waste this or that,not true you can.
6. Have a look around and seek out locally based penmakers or make trips to Working Woodwork Club activities with a particular emphasis on pens.
7.Establish what standards to acheive and eliminate problems one by one,learn to accept any physical ,mental limitations and work within your capacity.
8.Close the door before problems push you to feelings of low esteem.
9.Keep your sense of humour.
10.Remember we have all been,are at or somewhere in the progress towards happiness in what we do.
11.Look at the basics and refine how and where you drill,align,press etc.
12. Now you have been infected with pen bug enjoy it is a great ride.

Take care Peter.

Welcome aboard. To resalvageable your brass tubes you just keep turning it down to make it bare.

Jacko CA is simply superglue in Aussie language. Just use a good quality papertowel and hold it on the pen blank as the lathe is spinning it. Then let it dry.
Ask as many question you like we all learn that way
Toni

Welcome to a great penturning group Jacko!

As Toni said, it's usually easiest to just turn the wood away from the tube and lightly sand off any remaining glue, so you can reuse it for the next blank. But every now'n'again you'll "miss a mistake" until it's too late and you've started pressing the pen parts in.

That's where a pen disassembly kit comes in handy... I'm pretty sure you can buy 'em, but you should be able to find all the parts by fossicking around in the scrap bin of any metal shop. Much cheaper.

Generally, you want a long rod that'll slide through the mechanism (where the refill normally goes) so that you can use it as a drift to knock the nib out. Then once you've removed the nib you want another rod, about the same size as your mandrel but with crisply squared edges, for use as a drift to knock the mechanism out. This last rod also works to knock the clip/finial out of the other tube.

The above description is more for the 7mm slimline (which is what most people start on) but you'll probably end up collecting a few different sized rods to suit different types of kits, as the same sort of process works on almost all turned pens. (Except closed end ones, dammit! )

Welcome to the madhouse, BTW!

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

(Except closed end ones, dammit! )

another thing, seeing as though you dont like wasting wood (who does ) remember there are key ring kits available that require a shorter tube so if you stuff up a little bit at the end of a pen tube, you can cut it down to make a keyring. I've done it a few times and the only thing you have to be carefull with is cutting thru the brass tube.

cheers

Hi Toni,
thank you for your help,just not quite sure about the CA tho,how long do you need to let it dry before working with it again and can you put a polish over the top?
I had a look at your Pens WOW!!
jacko

Hi again,
thank you all for your help and helpful tips,I love rummaging around metal yards etc so I will keep my eye out for the rods BTW, but how do you hold the pen without crushing the mechanism? as you may have gathered I did try that but banjaxed the mech by holding it in the vice,also can you tell me where to buy the dismantling kits please? I have some keyring kits Stirlo, didn't even think of that!!! thank you.
Thank you all once again
jacko

HI Jacko, Thank for the compliments on my pens. I enjoy making them. All my pens are finished with CA and they shine like heck. To get that shine I put anywhere up to 3-6 coats to superglue. Just wait till it touch dry then next coat all the way through. Then I use EEE and car polish for final shine. Great stuff.

as for holding the pen. What I do is hold by my hand and tap the rod on the table til the components come out
Toni

Originally Posted by jacko1954

thank you all for your help and helpful tips,I love rummaging around metal yards etc so I will keep my eye out for the rods BTW, but how do you hold the pen without crushing the mechanism? as you may have gathered I did try that but banjaxed the mech by holding it in the vice

This Link (Arizona Silhouette) shows you a few different commercial kits that are available. In the 7mm on, you can see a "base block." It's drilled out slightly larger than the mandrel, so you can put it on a bench, slip the mechanism end into it and then use it as an anvil while you tap with the drift. personally, I don't bother with it... I do the same as Toni and hold the wooden tube, tapping the end of the drift on the bench.

,also can you tell me where to buy the dismantling kits please?

Obviously from Arizona Silhouettes! But instead of going overseas, first I'd try asking Froggie (Addictive Pen Kits) or Jim Carroll.

Both are members of this forum, are Aussie and offer great service. AFAICT, neither list disassembly kits on their web pages, but I'm sure they stock 'em... or would be willing to get one in for you.

I have some keyring kits Stirlo, didn't even think of that!!!

Good ol' keyrings! I've salvaged many a screw-up with them. You can also buy extra tubes, without the mechanisms.

Jim does stock the 7mm disassembly kit, it's in the mandrels and bushes section

Originally Posted by Skew ChiDAMN!!

Good ol' keyrings! I've salvaged many a screw-up with them..

yeah, me to. the good thing is they can be any legnth

Welcome Jacko

I have been missing for a week but I think your question has been well and truly covered

Enjoy

Hello Jacko, welcome along, you have plenty of advice already, which is why I find this forum very informative and caring. Amos

Welcome aboard. Now, let's see some pens!