Thread: Wedding Pens finished at last

Well here they are at last, they have certainly taken more time than I originally thought. Normally I make pens for fun and gifts, not just to sell, but I do sell my excess. These I was making just to sell, but after all the problems I’ve had it is questionable if is going to be profitable, even though I have refined my technique. It took 3 trials with scrap wood of different lengths to get the balance/feel right, followed by mixed success when turning. The thinner the pen, the better it looks, but the higher the chances if break through/tear out at the base of the hole. It has taken another 7 pens and 9 holders to get these four.

They are made with a modified Classic pen kits and can take a roller ball or fountain versions. I drill the long blank with a long smaller central hole, long enough for the roller ball version to mimic the end cap, before drilling a larger hole for the brass sleeve. I also drill a small hole at the other end for the feather, but also glue in a brass eyelet, this allows turning the pen spindle style. I clamp the central bush for the classic kit in my pin jaws, place the blank against the bush, then bring up the tailstock into the eyelet. I also have a timber version of the bush for the finishing sanding/polishing work.

The stand bases are glass picture frame coasters from the local gift shop – set of 4 for $12. The holders use the standard gold plated little pen holders you can get at Timbercon/Carbetec etc with those plastic/gold sleeves, but I replace the sleeves with my own turned piece. I start by turning the top end and drill out a tapered hole to suit the pens (using a ground down spade bit). Like the pens, I glue in a small section of brass sleeve at one end and a brass eyelet at the other, to avoid splitting, then spindle turn them.

They are from Bonewood (Acradenia euodiiformis), Ebony (Diospyros ferrea), Purpleheart (Peltogyne spp.) and Pink Ivory (Berchemia zeyheri). The feathers are dyed ostrich from Spotlight at $6. I could have used dyed timbers, but I prefer the natural colours of these unique timbers. They are all finished with CA/EEE/GLOW. The inside of the stands are also flocked with burgandy floc from Timbercon.

I would have preferred to use Barons instead of classics, because of the problems I have had with the plastic threads, but I found the fat pen style didn’t suit. As they are Classics, and there are minor faults the photographs don’t show, I have a problem with charging any more than $150. Time wise etc I would need to charge $250 for them to be profitable, but you can get plastic versions of these pens for around $25-$75 from Ebay, so I’m not sure the market would support the higher price.

Cheers