The first step was to glue a piece of the walnut to a scrap mounted in a chuck.  You need to consider grain orientation at this point.  I chose to show the end grain on this finial, so the piece of walnut was aligned to the lathe, similar to how the body of the pen was turned.  For some woods though it may be better to align the finial perpendicular to the lathe, so that the side grain shows.  As well as the visual look of the two different grain orientations, bear in mind that end grain may accept the finish differently to how side grain will.

While the glue is drying, it’s time to break out the handy dandy Harbor Freight Transfer Punch Set.  This is one of those tools that until you get one you don’t realize how much you will use it.  Drill a 13/32″ hole in a scrap piece of wood.  The idea is the hole is larger than the black metal finial on the Navigator cap, but smaller than the actual cap.  Turn the cap upside down over the hole, select the appropriate size transfer punch and with a gentle whack with a hammer knock the black metal finial out.

With a pair of calipers, measure the diameter of the black metal finial and then turn the piece of walnut to that diameter, rounding the end of the walnut.  Apply the finish.  I used a CA finish here.

Using the calipers again, measure the diameter of the post of the black metal finial, and then turn a post on the walnut finial to the same diameter.

Sand the finish and then remove the chuck, scrap wood mounting block and custom finial from the lathe.  Carefully buff the finial.  Don’t get aggressive with the buffing, remember that skinny little post the finial is attached by!

Now that the finial is nice and shiny and your “inner magpie” is satisfied, mount the chuck back on the lathe and carefully part the piece off leaving a small length of the post.  This post helps to center the new finial on the cap.

A dry fit to make sure the custom finial is the correct size and the post fits nicely in the hole.

I use medium or thick CA Glue to attach the custom finial to the cap.  I like to apply the glue from the inside of the cap.  I find that if I apply the glue under the custom finial and then press it onto the cap, the glue squirts out from under the finial.  Although the bond is formed within minutes, leave the cap sitting upside down in a ventilated area for at least 24 hours.  This will allow the glue to “out gas” and prevent any tarnish forming on the finish of cap.

When assembling the pen, use the scrap block of wood with the 13/32″ hole in it.  That way the pressure from assembly is applied to the metal cap and not to the finish of the custom finial.  Side note:  No, I didn’t forget to add the clip   My customer requested the pen not have a clip.

The completed pen and a close up shot of the finial.

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Just in time for the holiday season!

Use coupon code 1aec884194 for a 10% discount on all
orders over $100.

Offer valid until 12/31/2009.

Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any of
your friends you think might be interested in my products. They are
welcome to use the discount coupon. New
product

Introducing a new style of rollerball pen, the Ariel. The Ariel is unique in that it features a magnetic pen cap! The magnet allows the user to mount the cap on either end of the pen without threading. Simply slip it onto either end of the pen and it will “snap” securely into place! Click on the image below to order yours!

Also introducing the Stars ‘n Stripes. These Stars and Stripes of these beautiful pens are laser cut into specially dyed maple wood. The upper barrel is blue with 50 tiny white stars and the lower barrell features alternating red and white wavy stripes. Click on the image below to choose yours!

Exotic, dangerous and truly one of a kind. A limited number of pens featuring genuine snakeskin are available! Click on the image below to order this truly unique pen!

The skeleton of a cactus plant has been cast in resin
to form the bodies of these unique pens! Only a limited number available!
Click on the image below to order yours!

Autism puzzle pens are assembled from laser cut North American wood pieces that have been dyed in vibrant traditional colors of the symbolic autism puzzle. A portion of the proceeds from this pen are donated to help solove the puzzle of autism. Click on the image below to order this truly unique pen!

In
this issue:

• latest news

• new product

• special offers

• coming soon

LATEST
NEWS

I am now offering laser engraving on any pen purchased.
When purchasing a pen click on “Yes Please” for engraving and enter the text you would like engraved on your pen.

If you are on Facebook consider
becoming a fan of Syzygy Pens. I run a monthly competition where you
could win one of my products. You’ll also be able to follow my adventures
in wood turning and wood working as my blog automatically appears on
the page.

I am now able to accept credit cards as a payment option. In addition
to PayPal I now accept Visa, Master Card, American Express and Discover.

I am now offering free shipping on all both domestic and international
orders. All shipping is by USPS Priority Mail and includes insurance.

Easy
Flow 9000 Ball point refills

These are exceptionally smooth-writing ball point refills are from
Private Reserve. The difference is simply amazing!!! These are like
no other ordinary Parker style refills. You really have to try one to
experience the difference!

Scmidt
5888 Rollerball refills

These smooth-writing Schmidt roller ball refills are often regarded
as the best. They are not always easy to find, so make sure to stock
up!

COMING
SOON

My adventures in wood working and wood turning continue and in the
months ahead I will be expanding my product line beyond pens. I will
soon be offering:

• pepper mills
• bottle stoppers
• shaving brushes, razors and shaving mugs
• cosmetic brushes
• earring holders
• toothpick holders
• wish bowls
• ring holders

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Laser Cut Pen Kits from Rockler

I haven’t made a pen using laser cut kits yet, although I have about a dozen various kits sitting on my workbench waiting for their turn on the to-do list.  I’ve spoken to a couple of pen turners about assembling and turning the kits.  While assembly can be a slow process the results are worth it.   Here are some hints which may help you with assembly.  Please note that these are general hints, the kit you have will probably come with specific instructions.

• Wrap the brass tube with clear tape and insert it in the main body of the blank.  The clear tape will prevent any glue sticking to the tube, while the brass tube will provide support to the blank as you press the inlays in place.
• Mix a 50/50 solution of wood glue and water.  Dip each inlay in this solution and then press the inlay into the main body.
• Once the inlays are all inserted you can wrap the blank with a couple of rubber bands to hold them in place.  You may need to use some rubber bands as you proceed with the inlays.
• After the glue has dried, slide the tube out, remove the tape, rough it with sandpaper and then glue it back in the blank.
• Turning can be done using sharp tools and a light touch, however many people that I’ve spoken with will start with sandpaper until the blank is running true.  Given the cost of the kit and time involved in assembly this is probably not a bad idea!

Another great resource for assembly and turning of these kits can be found in the library of the International Association of Pen Turners.  Just scroll down towards the end of the post and look for a series of videos by Ed Davidson titled Stars and Stripes Pen.

The IAP is an incredible resource for pen turners, I’d highly recommend joining the forum! I’ve been a member for a number of years and have learned a great deal there and made many friends.

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Syzygy

Syzygy

You can see more of my pens at Syzygy Pens.

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Included in the booth is this pen that I have donated 100% of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society.   The Gallery will be running a benefit this afternoon with live music, free food, wine  and beverages.  Part of the festivities will be a silent auction and this pen is one of the items in the auction.

American Cancer Society benefit

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I made another pen and demonstrated the ebonizing to my pen turning club.  I could not get to the pen for a couple of days after the meeting.  When I did, I just sanded it lightly with some non-abrasive steel wool.  The aluminum shone nicely and I still kept the deep color of the ebonizing.

Ebonized maple with aluminum inlay

Click to enlarge

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Ebonized Maple Pen

Click to enlarge

In the June 2009 issue of Popular Woodworking there was an article by Brian Boggs that really caught my attention.  The article was on ebonizing wood.  As I read the article I imagined a pen made from ebonized maple inlaid with aluminum.  Why not just use ebony?  Well, a couple of reasons.  Firstly, though not a huge factor when dealing with pen blanks, maple is a lot cheaper.  Secondly, maple is a lot easier to work with.  Finally, ebony has a tendency to crack and split.

I laminated a maple pen blank with some aluminum, turned it and then followed the steps outlined by Brian on ebonizing.   The picture above shows the results.  Read on to see what is involved and my thoughts.

Traditionally woods that lend themselves to ebonizing well, are woods that are high in tannin acid, oak for example.  Brian has found a process that allows more control and also allows almost any wood to be ebonized.  The process involves introducing tannin into the wood in order to allow the chemical reation to take place.

The first thing I had to do was to dissolve some steel wool in vinegar.  I washed the steel wool with soap and water first to get rid of the oils.   I also drilled a very small hole in the container lid as while the steel wool is dissolving gases are released.  This took about a week.  Once the steel wool was fully dissolved I strained the mixture through a coffee filter.

Introducing the tannin into the wood is achieved by the use of a bark powder tea.  The powder is made from a tree bark called Quebracho.  It is used in the tanning of hides.   I got a small package of it from Van Dykes Taxidermy.  The “tea” is made up by mixing a heaped tablespoon of the quebracho in a pint of hot water from the faucet.

During the application process it is important to use separate clothes for the bark tea and the steel wool/vinegar mixtures so as not to contaminant the two different liquids.

Here is how the mixtures are applied to the wood:

1. Wipe or brush the bark tea onto the wood.  Allow it to soak into the wood.
2. While the wood is still slightly damp, not wet, apply the steel wool/vinegar mixture.
3. Allow the wood to dry.
4. Buff gently with a soft cloth.

It was pretty amazing watching the maple turn black!

In the article Brian recommends not sanding past 320 grit and raising the grain twice before applying the bark tea.  I did not sand the blank at all.  Just applied it on to the finish I achieved while turning with my skew.   Initially I did not get any reaction.  I think the problem was the skew had burnished the wood and did not allow the bark tea to penetrate.  I went back and sanded the blank with 120 grit and everything worked as promised.

I also found I needed to take my time and make sure I got all the areas stained.  When you are dealing with a turning you have both side and end grain exposed.  There was some variation in how the two grains reacted.

The main problem I had was in getting the aluminum segment to shine.  I don’t know whether it was affected by the chemical reaction happening in the wood, or if it just had residue on it.  However if I tried to buff or sand a shine into the aluminum, I knocked some of the rich black off the ebonized maple.  I’m still thinking about how to work around this.  The pen was much darker than you see in the picture.  It would have been great to have kept it that dark and get the contrast with shiney aluminum.  I have a few ideas that I’m playing with.  If anyone else has any thoughts let me know please.

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One of the fun things about turning a closed end pen is that it frees up more design considerations as you are not restricted by the hardware on the end of the pen.

This pen is made using the Navigator kit from Woodcraft. It is the same kit that is sold as the Baron/Sedona by Arizona Silhouette.

You can click on any of the images to see a larger version.

I started with a piece of spalted pecan, approx. 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ x 7″. After mounting it between centers, I turned it round and then turned a tenon on one end that would fit in the step jaws of my chuck. I then measured 2 1/4″ from the end with the tenon, and parted the blank.

Next I mounted the blank with the tenon in the step jaws of my chuck, and drilled a 15/32″ hole 1 13/16″ deep. I checked to see that the tube for the upper barrel would fit completely in the hole.

Then I mounted the other piece in the step jaws and drilled two holes. The first hole was drilled to a depth of 2 7/8″ with a 11/32″ bit. Then I drilled a slightly larger hole, 25/64″, to a depth of 2 1/16″. I checked to see that the tube for the lower barrel fitted in the larger hole and sat flush with the face of the blank.
The reason for the step hole is two fold. Firstly the extra room created at the end of the hole by the smaller bit, allows space for the spring behind the rollerball cartridge. Secondly, a shoulder is created for the tube to rest on so that it does not go to deep into the blank while being glued in.

Having drilled all the holes in the upper and lower barrels, rough up the brass tubes and glue them in.

In order to turn the pen you need an expansion mandrel of some type. It is relatively easy to make one. Well, lets just say some people might find it relatively easy to make one! I tried a couple of times with not much success. If you would like to try you can find instructions in this tutorial.

I ended up buying a closed end mandrel for the lower barrel from Arizona Silhouette. It looks similar to a concrete expansion bolt and operates under the same principle.

Insert the mandrel in the upper barrel, tighten the bolt using a couple of wrenches and insert the mandrel in the step jaws. Take care not to over tighten the bolt, it is easy to crack the blank, especially if you are working with an acrylic blank.

Turn the blank down to approx. 5/8″ and then measure 3 1/4″ from the end and part the blank off at this point. Then turn the blank to the shape you want, sand and apply the finish. You will find that you need to support the blank with your fingers on the back side while turning to help reduce vibration. It also helps to take light cuts.

The next step is to turn the upper barrel. Because the brass tube is a different size the mandrel will not work. You have two choices at this point. The first is to buy another mandrel sized for the upper barrel. This could get expensive, especially if you want to also make closed end pens from other kits as well.

Fortunately, for the frugal amongst us, there is another solution. I got this idea from Ben “DaVinci27″ Brown.

Take a spare lower barrel tube and glue it in a blank. I would recommend using 5 minute epoxy as you want to make sure you fill all the voids between the tube and the inside of the blank. Mount the blank on the lathe between a 60 degree live center and a 60 degree dead center. Turn the blank down to a diameter that makes it a snug fit inside the tube from an upper barrel. Go slow and use calipers to check your progress. Then take that blank to your band saw and cut it in half along the length. Don’t cut along the whole length of the blank, just about half way.

Insert that tube in the tube of your upper barrel, then insert the mandrel and tighten. The cut in the tube will allow it to expand as you tighten the mandrel and hold the blank snug on the mandrel.

Turn the upper blank to the shape you want, sand and finish. Once again you will probably find it necessary to support the back of the blank with your fingers while turning. Light cuts also help.

Here are a couple more shots of the finished pen.

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I’m sure others have slightly different techniques, so feel free to post any comments or tips on something I may not have mentioned.

The pen blanks I show here are cherry. A customer ordered a couple of Perfect Fits and supplied a slab of cherry from which I milled these two blanks.

You can click on any of the images to see a larger version.

The first thing I do is mark the center of each end using a center finder and a marking knife. Once I locate the center I will mark it with a spring loaded automatic punch

I will then mount the blank on the lathe between centers and knock the edges off with a spindle roughing gouge. Then, starting at one end of the blank, I will turn it round to 3/4″. I use a 3/4″ wrench as a gauge. Once the wrench drops over the blank it is at the correct size. Moving the wrench to the side will burnish the wood and show you clearly where the blank still needs to be turned down.

Once the blank has been turned down to 3/4″ diameter, I move the tool rest closer to the blank and rest the tubes on it and the blanks. Looking at the grain, I mark where I plan on cutting the upper and lower barrels. I normally cut my blanks using a crosscut sled on my table saw, so I allow for the kerf of the blade between the upper and lower barrels. I also mark the two barrels and draw a couple witness lines at the center band.

Then I’ll sharpen my drill bits. I use a set of Harbor Freight bits and sharpen them using a Drill Doctor I sharpen them using the 135 degree setting. I’m sure plenty of people will swear by more expensive bits or a different angle, but this is what I use including when I’m drilling blanks segmented with aluminum or brass. So far it seems to be working, so I’ll stick with it.

The shot below shows the tools I use to do the actual drilling on the lathe. From left to right, PSI collet chuck, center bits and 1/2″ drill chuck. I found that when I started using the center bits, my drilling on the lathe really improved. A big thanks to “rherrel” on the IAP for turning me on to that!

When I mount the blank in the collet chuck I will orientate it so that the entry hole is on the center band side. Using a center drill that is slightly smaller than the drill bit I need to use, I will drill a starter hole in the blank. The tail stock is locked down on the lathe bed. As I advance the quill in the tail stock by rotating the handle with my right hand, I will apply pressure to the lock lever with my left hand, to the point where it starts to become a little difficult to rotate the handle. I find that pressure on the quill seems to stabilize things a bit and reduce any possible vibration.

Then I will mount the drill bit in the drill chuck, and applying pressure to the lever, start drilling the blank. I run my lathe between 400 to 500 rpm while drilling. I will typically drill about 1/2 to 1″ at a time. If I see the flutes are clearing the chips then I’ll keep on drilling. The moment I stop seeing chips being ejected, I will stop the lathe, back out the tail stock using the wheel, clear the flutes, advance the whole tail stock forward, lock it down, turn on the lathe and start advancing the drill bit by rotating the wheel. I’ll repeat this until I feel the drill bit exiting the blank.

Before I remove the blank from the collet chuck, I will push the tube into the hole to check the fit and to confirm that I have drilled deep enough. Here are shots of the tube in the blank showing both the entry and exit holes.

Then I’ll repeat the procedure on the other blank. Once done, I’ll mount a 60 degree live and dead center in the lathe and sand the tubes with some 100 grit paper.

Back at my workbench I plug the tubes with dental wax. Then I’ll coat the inside of the blanks with gorilla glue using a q-tip, dip the tubes in some water and then insert them in the blank with a twisting action. Gorilla glue expands as it cures and sometimes will push the tube out of the blank so I use some small clamps until the glue cures.

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