WHAT DO I NEED TO TURN A PEN ?
We suggest you get a good book on pen making as it will answer most questions and take you step by step thru the process of making a pen or pencil. Listed below is a short list of things you will need.
 | YOU WILL NEED A LATHE TO TURN YOUR PEN |
 | YOU NEED A MANDREL TO FIT YOUR LATHE. A #1 or #2 MORSE TAPER with a 7mm shaft. The mandrel allows mounting the pen tubes and wood to the lathe for turning. Most kits on the market today can be turned with a 7mm mandrel. |
| YOU WILL NEED THE RIGHT SIZE DRILL BIT AND A SET OF BUSHINGS FOR THE KIT OF YOUR CHOICE. Generally a 7mm bit and a 10mm bit will be the most used. 7mm bushings are used to turn Slimline kits and they are the easiest pens to make. 7mm bushings are also used as spacers for other kits. |
 | YOU WILL NEED SOME GLUE TO GLUE THE BRASS TUBES INSIDE THE PEN BLANKS. Super Glue is quick, but Polyurethane Glue is better in our opinion, and can be obtained at all home centers and even Wal-Mart. We think SUMO is better than GORILLA glue. |
 | YOU WILL NEED A BARRREL TRIMMER TO SQUARE YOUR PEN BLANKS BEFORE THEY GO ON THE MANDREL. You can also use a belt sander or disc sander, but a barrel trimmer is by far the best way to go. It's quick and easy. |
 | YOU WILL NEED A SET OF LATHE CHISELS. Generally a Gouge, Skew, and a Parting tool. You can buy these in sets. Buy HSS they will last longer. Also available in CARBIDE, which is great for the sharpening challenged. |
 | SAND PAPER IN GRITS FROM 180 - 400 These are the standard grits you will use. Sometimes you may want to go higher 600-800. Don't use Black sandpaper ( automotive) the black carrier will transfer to light color woods. MICRO-MESH is also very popular and we stock it. |
 | SOME SORT OF FINISH TO PROTECT THE WOOD OR POLISH THE ACRYLIC. Everyone has their favorite finish. For Wood, we sand to 600, then use EEE-Ultra Shine and then finish with Behlen Woodturners Friction Polish. For Acrylic we sand to 600, then apply One-Step Plastic Polish. Others prefer to use a buffing wheel and buffing compounds. You can make your own friction polish for wood pens by mixing equal parts of Boiled Linseed Oil, Wood Alcohol, and White Shellac.Also very popular is the CA/BLO finish described below. |
PEN TURNING INSTRUCTION | These are links to pen turning videos on U-Tube. The first two are basic Slimline Instructions. The last one is a video on turning a Fountain Pen. These should help answer many questions for new pen turners. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgipMJYyyuc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYZWL2ZSE8g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XEmqm-2M9I From the Forest Products Laboratory of the US Forest Service, this is the place to go for technical data and properties on all domestic and foreign woods. No photos. |