Pens!! Now with a couple more...

[johnny.t.]

Well today I've had a few more pens ordered by a mate of mine, looks like my pens will be in an Xmas stocking or two :lol:
So I thought I'd better make a start.....

This one is Elm

This one is Oak but with purple dye applied before the finish to colour the grain a bit.

Both are sanded to 1200 grit and finished with 3 coats of CA/BLO

JT

 

[Turn It In]

Morning Johnny,
Nice pair of pens and I like them both but the oak with the purple dye is really a nice effect and gets an extra mark.
Regards from a very wet East Yorkshire.
Ian

 

[Walter Hall]

Whilst I am not a fan of "narrow waisted" pens I recognise that this is just a matter of personal taste and despite my own preferences I think these are well made and attractive items. As has been said the purple dye adds something to the oak one.

Regards

Walter

 

[Doug B]

Lovely pens Johnny.

Really like the idea with the colouring, i`ll definitely be trying that.

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks guys

Thanks Ian, the rain is also falling down here in Norfolk

Walter, I quite like the feel of this shape of pen in the hand but must admit the main attraction is the cheap price of the kits

Doug, the dye worked a treat on the open grain of Oak, I'm going to try it with Ash later, should work in a similar fashion

cheers JT

 

[Neil Dyball]

Hi JT,

I, or rather my female customers, like the narrow waisted pens and I particularly like the purple dye effect on the plainish open grained timber.... might have to give that a try!

Nice work.

Cheers,

Neil.

 

[stewart]

Nice work, Johnny - i like both of them. For cheap kits they stand up pretty well - I have one I use every day for work. Have you thought about abandoning the centre ring as a variation of the narrow waist? I've made some without a centre ring or made a larger ring out of contrasting wood or resin.

 

[John. B]

Very nice JT like-em-both!
Great idea with the dye BTW what sort of dye was it?

John. B

 

[Walter Hall]

Walter, I quite like the feel of this shape of pen in the hand but must admit the main attraction is the cheap price of the kits

Hi Johnny

If you want to use the slimline kits but not be constrained to having a narrow waisted pen you can buy larger diameter centre bands on e-bay

Have a look here and here

I also make them this sort of shape, some people seem to like the grip this gives.

Cheers

Walter

 

[Dalboy]

Nice pens JT I also like the stained oak pen. I make the slimline with the waist purely to give customers a choice.

Walter thanks for the links for the centre bands I had heard of them and now know where to get them Thanks
By the way nice looking pen

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks for all the replies guys

Thanks for the links Walter 8)

I might also try the contrasting wood band idea.

cheers JT

 

[johnny.t.]

Made 2 more this afternoon. I did want to try dying an Ash pen but my Ash is in my woodstore and the weather was so nasty I just ran to the shed and used what was to hand :lol:

I made another Oak one dyed with green and blue....

and one from a plain piece of Beech which I dyed from red in the middle to yellow at the ends, which looked really good until the CA/BLO took most of it off :roll: still I think it still looks OK....

 

[Walter Hall]

Looks better than just OK Johnny.

Cheers

Walter

 

[johnny.t.]

Thanks Walter but it did look better before I put the finish on

JT

 

[Walter Hall]

Maybe try sealing in he dye with sanding sealer before the CA?

 

[Pip]

What routine do you use for dyeing? is it just a quick wipe or do you let it soak for a while?
The only wood I've died, I put in to soak and forgot about it for a couple of weeks, seems to have turned out o'k though, but I haven't used it yet
pete

 

[johnny.t.]

Maybe try sealing in he dye with sanding sealer before the CA?

Definately going to try that on the next one Walter.

Pip, the oak ones are just a quick wipe over with dye as it goes straight in the open grain, the beech one was applied more thickly and allowed a few minutes to completely dry but as I said the CA/BLO took much of it off(would probably work better on something like sycamore).

Anyway I'm out of kits now :roll: so I've ordered 25 of this same type from fleabay for £39 after delivery(works out £1.56 ea) and I'm after some of those velvet covered hard boxes with the gold trim, the best I've seen them for is £9.75 for 5, does anyone know of anywhere cheaper?

JT

 

[duncanh]

If you want to use the slimline kits but not be constrained to having a narrow waisted pen you can buy larger diameter centre bands on e-bay

I've never bought separate bands but I have made my own from wood. Ebony usually gives a nice contrast...



and this one is a mix of ebony and ivory reclaimed from piano keys...

 

[Walter Hall]

Very nice pens Duncan

Here is another idea for a design using slimline kits.

Johnny I don't think you will find velvet boxes cheaper than that unless you buy them in bulk ( i.e. thousands)