SUPPLIES
Wood: kingwood—package of ten blanks, No.
PB-1637*
Tools: band saw; chop saw; drill press with 7mm drill bit; pen drilling
vise; pen tube insertion tool; barrel trimmer; mandrel with required
bushings (No. PK-1167 and No. PK-1168 Sizing Sleeve)*; revolving
center; lathe with assorted chisels; handheld electric drill with
Velcro sanding system; buffing system; pen assembly press
No. PK-1023 Designer Pen*
No. SG-THICK Superglue*
1/2" masking tape
320- and 400-grit sanding discs
320-grit abrasive paper
Danish oil
*Available from: Steebar Corp., (973) 383-1026,
www.penmakingsupplies.com
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Introduction
It is always tough to find a gift for a man at most craft shows. That’s
why these pens are popular. They are larger in diameter and weigh more
than the other pens, and if you make them in a “man’s color,”
they sell quite well. Christmas, Hanukkah, Father’s Day and Boss’
Day are all good holidays for sales. (Because of its size, I’ve
also discovered that this particular type of pen is favored by women who
suffer from arthritis.) I sell my pens in the $45.00 to $55.00 range,
depending on the material used for the body of the pen. Again, know your
market!
I learned early on that pen woods are “gender specific.”
Women prefer the lighter colors, such as purpleheart or tulipwood, while
men prefer the darker ones, such as cocobolo or kingwood. Some woods,
such as tiger and bird’s-eye maple, are “unisex species”
and are favored by both genders. The same holds true for the Dymondwood
colors.
These pens are a little more difficult to make because of the center
band. It is “force fitted” onto a short tenon—which
makes the tenon dimension critical. In addition, the blanks are not just
turned into a straight cylinder, as are most of the other, more common
pen styles. These pens have a long, curved “bead” shape that
starts toward the middle of the blank and culminates at the bushings.
Turning a smooth transition that “flows” from point A to point
B is tricky. Beginning pen makers generally either form a taper instead
of a curve and/or undercut the bushings, so be careful.
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INSTRUCTIONS
Preparing the blanks
I chose kingwood for my pen. I like it because it is one of the Rosewoods
that exudes a pleasant odor when turned. It also cuts cleanly and sands
easily.
The designer pens benefit from having a continuous grain pattern. Because
the tubes are of differing lengths, I lay them directly on the blank and
mark the midpoint where the center joint will be located (see Fig. 1).
I prefer to make this cut on the band saw because very little material
is sacrificed to the kerf. Mark a large “X” on both pieces
before you make the cut so you can align them later (see Fig. 2).
I also make two more lines to locate the ends of the tubes and I cut
the blanks about 1/8" longer than necessary. Even though this wood
does not have the problems with “blow out” associated with
Dymondwood, I still like to leave them longer than required. Sometimes
the drill bit will enlarge the entry hole and this extra length allows
me to trim the defect off, if necessary. I make these cuts on the chop
saw.
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| Fig. 1. Start by laying the tubes
directly on the blank. |
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| Fig. 2. Mark the center point between
the two tubes. Mark the adjacent sides with an “X” so
you match the grain later. |
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| Fig. 3. Find the center of both blanks
and drill them using the pen drilling vise. Be sure to drill the ends
marked with the “X.” |
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