My very first pen making "Lathe".

Tom Baugues

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Did anyone else fall for this? About 15 years ago when I first discovered pen making I could not afford a "real" lathe and I found this "Tompkins Turner" pen making jig. You mounted the wood on the mandrel then used your router to shape the wood by moving the wood back and forth across the bit turning it as you go. You then raised the bit and shaved off some more ect...ect...until you had it down to where you wanted. It came with "plastic" bushings of various sizes. I actualy made several pens using this.

I sound like an ol man....."Back in my day...we did it by hand" LOL

Tom
 

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It really wasn't the most user friendly device. Fine detail was not it's thing. I think I only used it to round down a few slim pen barrels then gave up on it. It didn't leave a very smooth surface either as I recall.

Tom
 
Yeah, it looks kind of scary to me. I can see how it'd be about impossible to make a tapered pen barrel, too. :rolleyes:
 
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