A few pens

Pete Simmons

Member
Messages
546
Location
Melbourne, FL
Getting ready for the Fall Craft Shows.

Building up a little inventory.

From the top down

Gold Ti Baron Prickly Pear Cactus

Jr Emperor Afzilla Burl

Emperor Afzilla Burl

Statesman - Stars & Stripes

Yes I have a laser but I still buy the Stars & Stripe Kits from Ken N.

Someday I may work on cutting my own but right now I need the time for other projects.
 

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Good to see you Pete. :wave: You're sure gonna have nicer pens in your booth than I will in mine. :) They all look great.
 
Nice pens...

I would love to make some myself, but I am not a very accomplished wood turner with a wood lathe. Still is making pens fairly easy, or are their better projects to start on?
 
Great place to start

Pens are a great place to start. Easy to turn and quick to reward.

You can pick up a mini-lathe for $150 - $350, a few tools, pen kits and a little wood and you are ready to start.


I will warn you - A friend of mine let me show him how to get started. I warned him of the potential to spend $$ on the project. Some weeks later we saw his wife and asked how is the pen project going?

She said " He is working on his first $800 pen!" He went and bought everything.

Many pen kits are available in the $5 - $10 range.

I will also warn you that the pens pictured are not low cost. Kit prices of the top pictured Baron is about $12 and the other 3 are about $50 each. I sell the Emperors and the Stars & Stripes in an engraved case for over $200.

If you want to start there is lotza info available on the web. Feel free to PM me with any questions.
 
Nice pens...

I would love to make some myself, but I am not a very accomplished wood turner with a wood lathe. Still is making pens fairly easy, or are their better projects to start on?

Travis, hard to define "easy". Being tiny they reveal flaws readily. Penturners are kinda finicky and want theirs to be only perfect. Getting perfect finishes is, perhaps, the biggest challenge. What you can do on bowls won't work on pens. I would encourage trying. They are fun and even if you don't intend to sell, make great gifts.
 
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