Lathe Turned Pen

This Instructable is on how to make your very own hand turned pen, in the indestructible I will be explaining how and putting in some tips to go with it. This is my first instructible :D

Here are some supplies you will need to turn your own pen, they include:

1. wood lathe

2. a cheisel

3. a pen kit of your choice, mine come from pennstateind.com

4. a wood blank of your choice (acrylic also works but I wouldn't recommend if this is your first pen turning)

5. wood polish

6. super glue or another strong glue (gorilla glue etc.)

7. sandpaper

8. strong paper towel

9. patience, for me that can be the hardest thing to get :)

Some unnecessary things only for tips:

1. q-tips

2. guitar string

3.wax

4.potato

1. First to prepare your blanks you need to cut into rectangles the correct size, then depending on your kit you cut the blank to a more specific size. (For this instructable I am using a basic to block size which is used in many pen kits)

2.Once your blanks are at the correct size you will need to drill them straight through unless they came pre drilled.

3.Now you ready to glue your blanks, take your super glue, (etc) get something to cover the surface of whatever you are working on along with some q-tips and spread it over the brass tube included in your kit. TIP! If you would like to make the glue stick better scratch up the tube with some sandpaper. TIP! To help prevent glue getting within the brass tube plug up the ends with something easily removable I use either pieces of a slice of potato, or wax. Now place/slide your glue covered tube into the hole within your blank.

1. Place your blanks on the metal pole that goes across the lathe, make sure the pole is locked in place but not to tight. Now turn your lathe on and start carving holding your chisel.

2. Have Fun, make your own shape and grip or whatever curves you want.

1.To sand choose your sandpaper and try to smooth it all out till you can't see any slight chips you may have caused while turning.

2.To add burn marks when your done sanding you will need some guitar wire and a way to hold it tightly onto the wood. First make a groove using a high speed steel blade, then you hold the guitar wire across the groove until a puff of smoke comes up.

Now to polish your pen, take your paper towels and rip off a good sized piece fold it up so there's some towel between your finger and the spinning blank.

Next put some of your polish on the towel, then apply blanks with lathe on.

Take your blanks off the lathe and place onto a press, now put the kit and blanks in order and press them together nice and tight.

Admire and use your very own custom pen, it would be great to see some of the pens everyone makes so if you make any post them with a comment on here. (:

Follow the guide and rules for using power tools.

I will be adding any pens I make to this step for examples to this instructable. (gonna add more pictures soon :) )