Getting started making pen blanks

[BenjaminF2001]

Hello everyone. This is my first post on this forum and I look forward to gaining knowledge and getting to know all of you here. So, I live on about 60 acres of woods, 30 of which was recently timbered. There's some particularly nice ambrosia maple, sassafras, and black walnut that was left, among lots of others (birch, oak, tulipwood, beech, etc.) I chainsawed the sassafras wood into roughly cut logs and am storing it outdoors protected from the elements to let it dry. I do some basic woodworking but I enjoy the unique woods, the different grains, hardness, and coloration (I'm aware colors fade over time when exposed to light and other factors.) I'm looking to get into something more complex, particularly penmaking. I figured this sassafras wood I'm drying could be used for making pen blanks. Fundamentally I have two questions:

1) Do I need a lathe even for basic penmaking? If so (and I assume so), what price range am I looking at for a general woodworking lathe? The ones I see online run from $500 up. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, or if this is simply the price to pay for a good tool.
2) What size should I cut the wood to when it's about dried?

Additionally, if anyone has any thoughts, words of advice, or webpage links, it'd be appreciated.

Thanks - Benjamin Failor

[AHill]

1) Do I need a lathe even for basic penmaking? If so (and I assume so), what price range am I looking at for a general woodworking lathe? The ones I see online run from $500 up. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, or if this is simply the price to pay for a good tool.
2) What size should I cut the wood to when it's about dried?

Welcome to WoodNet.  You may also want to post this on the Turning Forum, since that's where the pen makers usually hang out.

1)  Yes, you need a lathe.  A mini-lathe is plenty for pens.   I don't know where you live, but you might try Craigslist before you buy something new.  Jet makes a great mini-lathe.  You will also need a lathe chuck with an insert sized to your lathe.  I've listed more tools below.
2)  Pen blanks are usually 3/4" square x 6" long.

You will also need a pen turning kit.  It will include a mandrel and shaft that you slide the pen blank onto.  Don't buy a mandrel until you buy your lathe, because the mandrel usually fits into the lathe headstock Morris Taper.  You need to know what Morris Taper your lathe is to make sure it's the right one.  A MT2 is the most common.  Each pen style requires a unique set of bushings and drill bit(s).  The bushings are mounted on the mandrel and fit into the pen barrel and they set the diameter of either end of your pen where the hardware mounts to the barrel.  The drill bits are sized to allow the pen tubes to fit in your pen blank.  Some use the lathe and a lathe chuck to drill.  Some use a drill press.  I prefer the drill press.  Every pen kit comes with instructions that tell you what bushing sizes you need and what drill bit sizes you need.  Most of those instructions can be downloaded from the online store that sells the kits.  DO NOT mix bushings in one container.  Keep them segregated by pen type.  A bushing kit usually comes in a very small ziplock bag.  I use a Sharpie and mark the pen kit on the ziplock bag.

And, it goes without saying that if you purchase a lathe, you'll need turning tools.  For pen turning, a roughing gouge to make the square blank round, and a spindle gouge to shape the pen.  If you are totally novice to turning, you might consider the carbide-tipped tools like Easy Wood.  There are cheaper alternatives than EZ Wood.  And sandpaper.  For wood pens, there's really no need to go beyond 220 grit, if you plan on applying a finish.  They make narrow rolls of sandpaper targeted toward pen turners.  You will also need glue to bond the pen barrels inside the blanks you've drilled.  Some use CA glue.  I use epoxy.  I highly recommend nitrile gloves for the glueing process.

Good sources of info:
Craft Supplies USA - probably the best turning store online:  https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/
YouTube - Plenty of videos out there on turning pens.  CSUSA has a lot of links to videos as well.
Amazon - Plenty of books on Pen Turning, from novice to advanced.  Find one that has good reviews.  The basic ones give you all the information you need for basic tools and supplies, etc.

Hope all this helps.  If I missed anything, somebody here will chime in.

[Arlin Eastman]

What Allen said

I think I turned over 5000 pens which was mostly teaching the vets how to turn.  Thank goodness for the guys here, Woodcraft and others who donated half of the pen kits which I would not have been able to buy.

[MichaelMouse]

1) Do I need a lathe even for basic penmaking? If so (and I assume so), what price range am I looking at for a general woodworking lathe? The ones I see online run from $500 up. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, or if this is simply the price to pay for a good tool.
2) What size should I cut the wood to when it's about dried?

Additionally, if anyone has any thoughts, words of advice, or webpage links, it'd be appreciated.

Well, a lathe would certainly be easier on you if you're making round pens.  If you're making hex or sculpted, a spokeshave as well as a good sloyd knife or two.

In any case, you have to buy the pen kits, and start with about a 3/4" square of appropriate length.  After that, it's what fits a hand and appeals to the eye.  Lacquer is a decent finish.

[SteveS]

Penturners website

This place has all the information you would need as well as people who sell parts and do group buys on kits. AHill has covered the basics, though.

I don't do much penturning nowadays, preferring the complexity that segmented turning offers, but still do making pens using the $50+ kits to make something special.

I have seen a crude jig for making pens using a router, but I expect blowouts would be common, so a lathe is recommended. If you can see if there is a turning club in your area so you might be able to try out a good quality lathe. I don't think getting into turning using some craigslist low end lathe will make for an enjoyable experience.

[MichaelMouse]

Additionally, if anyone has any thoughts, words of advice, or webpage links, it'd be appreciated.

Thanks - Benjamin Failor

Well, I guess most other turners haven't be at it as long as this geezer, but you could play with the old Vertilathe concept https://www.instructables.com/id/Drill-Press-Lathe/

More, if you use a search engine on Vertilathe.  George isn't selling them any more, it would seem. Used to spam regularly, https://www.farmshow.com/a_article.php?aid=14223 to see the McCoy.

[iclark]

Dry pen blanks are commonly 3/4"x3/4"x6"

Some pen kits actually require slightly larger, say 1"x1"x6"

Again, that is a dried wood size with end-checks cut off.

I would suggest cutting the green future pen blanks at 1"x1"x6" or 5/4"x5/4"x6" - perhaps a bit longer to allow for end cracks while drying.
Actually, leaving them as long as convenient for racking/stacking them for drying would be better. Then, you can cut the dry sticks into the lengths that you want.

For the non-aromatic woods (like the maple and black walnut), I would suggest setting aside some wood for pepper mill blanks.
For cutting green, I would suggest 13/4x13/4 by as long as convenient for drying (but at least 13" if you try cutting to length.

In all cases, you will want to seal the end-grain of each end of every stick. If you do not, you will probably lose a lot of blanks to cracking.

There are various ways to seal the ends. Two of the easiest are a commercial sealer (name escapes me at the moment) available in gallon paint cans or simply melting wax in a pan and dipping the ends.

Just like any other wood drying process, remember to sticker the stacks of wood and put some weight on top of the stacks.

[EightFingers]

Google woodturning clubs in your area. They will help you get started and will probably let you try it on one of their lathes.

[stoppy]

If you are budget minded, do what I did, start with a Harbor Freight model 34706. You’ll find out quickly whether you love woodturning (I do) or not. You’ll get a feel for what you like and move up from there. In my case a PM3520B. Enjoy the slippery slope. BTW the 34706 still works as a permanent buffing station.

[Arlin Eastman]

Is this a one time question??