How to turn a wooden pen on a lathe

[kramerkrame1]

Great video! Thanks for posting!

[RickyJ108]

I actually have a question now. I just bought a mandrel and it didn't come with the circular bit you screwed onto the end of yours. Do you think this is just a different design or is that a piece I'll need to get in order to turn safely?

[Jdlikefood]

Alright so I am making one in school and started turning it today, it looks terrible the texture is very rough, will this be fixed after sanding?

[zacker001]

@Jdlikefood yes, but it depends on how rough the finish is, if its really bad, you may need to smooth it out on the lathe with a skew.. use the flat end of the chisel to take down any lines that you see while its spinning, then sand with like 150 grit to the highest grit you have, the higher, the better. I then use "micro mesh" pads.. they work great.

[zacker001]

@Jdlikefood yes, but it depends on how rough the finish is, if its really bad, you may need to smooth it out on the lathe with a skew.. use the flat end of the chisel to take down any lines that you see while its spinning, then sand with like 150 grit to the highest grit you have, the higher, the better. I then use "micro mesh" pads.. they work great.

[bradschak]

What lathe would you recommend to get started?

[xboxrules112]

where can i buy an mandrel at?

[borz34]

very nice :)...but i always thought u start with the rough sand paper then go lighter...idk if thats wat u said (if not plz tell me if i am wrong)

[txgators1]

@borz34

Yes, that is correct. I believe Sam started at 120 grit (fairly rough) and worked his way down to 500 grit (very fine).

[pugzlie18]

Nice video. By the way you sound like Tanner Foust

[letsgobassfishin]

hey where do you buy the spacers?

[letsgobassfishin]

ANYONE CAN TURN A PEN the secret is in the finish;)

[83mikemighty]

hey where can you get a good mandrel????

[Fenix3456]

@83mikemighty lee valley :)

[55ChevyHdt]

How do you drill the blank on the lathe? I do not have a drill press. Great video.

[Fenix3456]

@55ChevyHdt a self centering dowling jig may do the trick, or make up your own jig from scrap around the shop

[55ChevyHdt]

How do you drill the blank on the lathe. I do not have a drill press. Great video.

[kc88kc]

what was that bar thing called that you put the blocks on and are they all 7mm or can i get them smaller

[sampane]

@kc88kc

Thanks for watching. The bar is called a pen mandrel. 7mm is pretty much the standard that is used, but you could probably make one with a smaller gauge steel rod and a collet style chucks. All the pen kits I've seen (and I've looked at lots of them) are turned on a 7mm mandrel. You can also turn pens between centers without a mandrel. All you need to do is turn a piece to fit within the brass tube in the headstock and a live center in the tail. I hope these suggestion work.

[kc88kc]

@sampane thanks man i subscribed i really learned some stuff off this video

[pajo65]

Hey Sam. I'm just starting out in turning and i think your video is excellent... thanks

[DuMb666SkUlL]

good video, but i think you should try giving the pen some shape instead of just bushing to bushing

[sampane]

@DuMb666SkUlL

I generally do give them a bit more girth in for the majority of the pen's body, but I don't like going too far from the basic design. Seeing as this is a slimline pen with pretty straightforward hardware, I tend to think the shape should be a reflection of that. I make more shapely pens with cigar, baron, and majestic hardware because they're more suited to it.

Thanks for watching,

Sam

[mrspudoink]

hey good vid i have a question where do you get the parts for the pen ?

[sampane]

@mrspudoink

There are lots of places online. Try Penn State Industries, Wood "N" Whimsies, or Woodturners Catalog.

Thanks for watching.

Sam

[ftp5500]

perfect sampane

[Pod187]

Good video. I recently bought an old Gil-bilt lathe that was made in the 70's. Your video has been helpful. Please continue in your efforts. Thank you.

[cornflakesnwater]

do the pen kits come with the spacers / bushings???.lets say I wonna do a 10mm pen.. and what speed do you turn ur pens..??? veryyyy nice work...

[sampane]

@cornflakesnwater

Sorry to get back to you so late, but I can answer those questions. Pen kits generally don't come with the spacers (or bushings as I usually call them). They are pretty cheap though and last for a long time. There are also lots of different sizes and 10 mm is very popular. As for speed, I turn around 2500 RPM.

Thanks For Watching,

Sam

[cornflakesnwater]

do you need diffrent size spacers to make fat pens...??? and great Job..!!!

[bigblocknova92494]

how do you know what size hole to drill??

[sampane]

Pen sizes are pretty standard. For this pen, it is a 7mm hole. Most of the pens that I make are either 7mm or 10mm.

[ZackPomerleau]

Could this become a hobby for a younger person? I'd like to try to get into it. I find pen turning tools and lathes are the needed tools.

[2001blazin]

Hey like the video I think I now you

[Oneandoneself]

good vidoe thanks

I am about to buy a lathe, I was wondering what do i need to set up a turning 'workshop' if you want to call it that

[sampane]

Thanks for watching my videos. If you're wanting to start a shop there are a few things. You'll need a grinder to sharpen your tools. I'd also recommend a better grinding wheel than the one that will come with the grinder. A drill press is almost essential if you want to make pens so that you can drill vertical holes your pen blanks. A bandsaw is very helpful to work with large blocks of woods and break them down into manageable bowl blanks. Some quality turning tools are nice as well.

[Oneandoneself]

thanks

[jtburtt]

Sam,

Good job on the video. I found it very helpful.

Jason

[johnnight1969]

Hi Sampane I want to buy lathe

for making pens and maybe a bowl

I dont want to pay much whats the cheapest one I can buy

Please let me know where Thanxxxx

Great work

[sampane]

Thanks for watching my videos. If you're looking for a cheap lathe, head to Craigslist. I got one from an advertisement there. Amazon also has a pretty good selection and good prices. That's where I got my Jet Midi. It's a great machine for pens, bottle stoppers, pepper mills and the occasional bowl. Penn State Industries has a bunch of lathes, but I have no experience with their quality. Some stores might do price matching if you find one online, so that might save you some money.

[Roflinurface]

Have you ever used 12,000 grit sand paper?No joke,looks great afterwards!

[sampane]

I use some micromesh sanding pads that go to 12000 grit when I work with acrylics.  I agree that it does look. I haven't ever taken wood down that far.

Thanks for watching

[Roflinurface]

I love your bullet pen man,looks awesome.

[RugerSniper22]

Thanks for the video. What type of tool rest is that? I do not like the one that came with my Jet mini.

[ndktube]

Nice job but since this is for beginners it would be helpful to show how you drill out the blanks in the first place. That's at least as tricky as the turning itself which is straightforward. For the drilling you need a drill press (right?) and some kind of reliable clamping to hold the blank in place. So it's not just a matter of having a lathe.

[sampane]

Thanks for watching. You're right that drilling out the blank can be difficult. I do use a drill press. As for the clamping, it's pretty easy. I use a wooden hands screw that I cut two 45º notches out of to make a small squared area. It holds the blanks very still.

[torgy91766]

what happens when the spacers get worn down with all the tool work and sanding

[sampane]

when the bushings wear out, it's time to get some new ones. They can get out of round and it affects the finished product. I've gone through a few sets of bushings with different pens, but they're still useful as fill ins between the good one right next to the wood and the brass tightening wheel.

[beckamb26]

I am in 7th grade and I have made 2 of these wood pens out of Oak and also a acrylic pen. They work so nice because you can customize it for your own style of pen grip. Good job making the video

[josuelecho]

i did it in my woodshop class. it's very fun.

[sampane]

Thanks for watching. I was able to get the ebonite rods from Penn State Industries, but it looks as though they're not carrying them anymore. I'm not sure where I would get them today.

[dimputhegreat]

pen turning is an excellent art and i wish all the artist good luck,anyone has idea where do they make 2 inch diameter ebonite rods?

[mediamst]

Did you put the brass tubes in before you turned it on the mandral??

[sampane]

I always epoxy the tubes in first. Then I use a pen mill to square up the ends so the hardware fits smoothly against the wood. A pen mill is like a grinder with a mandrel that fits right inside the tubes. The grinder edge is perpendicular to the mandrel and flattens the end of the wood so it is square to the tubes. You can find mills at most good wood shops or online.

Thanks for watching

[howtobyalex]

im making one of these in shop

[pillypaw]

wow! keep up the good work!

[asdithgedf]

making pens is soo much fun, when you have the time, i learned that in 7th grade shop class!

[capneddie]

Nice video Sam, thanks for the entertainment.

Makin' Shavins

Capt. Eddie Castelin

The Bayou Woodturners

[crazyryan]

very nice! I like the look of the wood and a simple design. i myself getting into a woodshop business just now learning the curves and in a year or two should be making money.

do you think its better to have the blade at an angle having the point just above the piece? thats what i do and i can get it smooth! also i just go one dir. and not back and forth.

[Wallrunner1992]

Good job. What brands of mineral spirits and shellac do you use?

[jspring0945]

Great video Sam. I'm just barely getting into pen turning.