# OK, GalvBay...here's what you done to me..



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Been grindin' away this AM.. First pix is three turned from your mesquite. Left one is natural mesquite, second is mahogany stained mesquite and third is teak oil finished mesquite..Not a heck of a lot of difference but it makes some purdy pens..Fourth pen is my LAST adventure with the BIG pens..a 'Churchill' turned from a stick of that mexican ebony you brung me. Bottom two pix are of that big devil...first pix..all dressed up...second pix..opened and 'ready for action'..LOL..Once again, not perfect...but did turn out pretty good...Just too much skrewing with wierd size bushings, tubes, etc..for this old goat..Going back full time to my good old reliable slims and decorators...7 mm is good enough for me.. 

Think I got enough 'fishing theme' pens now for Capt. Shupe.....if he wins and if that's what he wants for his customers...

Did whip out a burl last night with a 'pink butterfly' on the clip at the request of my Bride..Turned out nice, but I might have to turn in my 'Man Card' if I kept going down that road... :rotfl: ....too lazy to go thru the photo thang with that 'un so you'll have to use your imagination....LOL

Thanks again for the crate of wood...

Old Jim


----------



## notoj (Apr 25, 2006)

Those look great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Troy


----------



## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

Jim....those mesquite pens look very nice! How did you like the Mexican Ebony? I picked both woods up down in Kingsville at a sawmill down there. I like the ebony. Have you tried any of the rosewood? It also turns well. gb


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Jim...the ebony was easy to work..I thought it would be hard as iron but it cut easy and took a great finish.. The BIG rosewood blank is just sittin' in the middle of my workbench until I figure out what to do with it..LOL.. May get my nerve back up and give one of the BIG ONES a try again. ..Some little sumthin' always seems to go wrong with them..but I am getting GOOD at covering up the mistakes. 

Thanks again for the sticks.. Picked up some black and white ebony blanks at Rockler today and they made great tarpon anad topwater spec pens, but they don't have the richness of color like that Mex Ebony of yours...Got a great assortment for Capt Shupe if he comes out on top...Sure hope he likes fishing theme pens...but got plenty of others as well.. Gonna keep it all together so he gets first shot at everything,, then mebbe spread a little surprise around. My boxes are FULL..about seven dozen here and three more dozen at the store. 

Thanks again for the wood...Jim


----------



## Surf Hunter (Sep 28, 2006)

Very nice Tortuga, Well, i must say, you guys are infectious, Shannon and I have already begun searching the catalogs looking for supplies to start turning pens.
See what you guys did? LOL


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

LOL..Welcome to the "Vortex", Tom...It (pen turning) kinda grabs you and won't let loose...and I really cant think of any hobby less expensive actually..My whole investment in the deal is about the price of filling up my ex-boat about three times..LOL....and there's SO MUCH really GOOD stuff you can pick up from the catalogs and the 'net (that you prolly don't need.).. Sign up on Rockler, Woodcraft, Hut, Penn State, etc websites and they will keep your email box full of GREAT deals. 

Sounds like your Wife is all for it...and that helps.. Mine don't wanna get into the turning, but she sure likes to see me interested in sumthin that keeps me around the house.:tongue: 

Good luck and keep us posted on your new 'obsssion'...your lures still look fantastic to me...


----------



## Surf Hunter (Sep 28, 2006)

Thanks Tortuga, we are gleaning the catalogs now looking for the basic set ups.
Question, does anyone use the blank drilling jig? I would think my bench drill vice would work ok.
How about the pen putter together pushy thingie? (like the technical term?)LOL
The wife actually is the one that showed me how to use a wood lathe, she is really good, those lures that I posted that we were giving away as wedding gifts, she made well over half of them. Can't beat that eh?


----------



## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

a pen press will be on my next round of items to buy.

for a blank drilling jig, I would send an email to Paul Huffman and ask to get on his waiting list. He makes them in his spare time - and they are great jigs for drilling pens, bottle stoppers or anything less than 2" square.

[email protected]

he sells them for $80 shipped (or $83 by paypal) and will not charge you till he's ready to ship it to you. It generally takes 3 months to get one. I should be betting mine soon.

here's a pic of his vice:


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

SH..I think you need BOTH of the items..I started out assembling with my bench vise, but screwed up a few jobs before I gave in.First one I got had a knob to set the span of the assembler but the threads finally stripped. One I've got now uses quick remove blocks of wood to do the same thing..Highly recommend it over the other one. The pen blank drilling vise is also almost a necessity. The one I'm using I keep clamped to the worktop on my drill press with a strong squeeze clamp..easy to move around a little bit when you are trying to center...and you can remove the whole thing and just put it on your workbench for squaring the ends with a portable hand drill after tubing the blanks. Been just holding the blank with my hand while drilling, but after my little episode with the antler blank tearing up my palm, I'm going back to the safe method of putting the blank in the vise..LOL..Pretty sure I ordered both from Penn State but not positive..The drilling vise was about fifty bucks and the press about thirty bucks..well worth the money if you're gonna turn out a lot of pens...You might invenst in a 'Pen Dis=Assembly" kit while you're at it. They are less than 20 bucks and can correct a lot of mistakes by taking the pen completely apart again and fixin' it right this time...LOL

Good luck..and post up some pix of what you turn out for us to admire...Bet even you are gonna be surprised what beautiful stuff you turn out....

Jim


----------



## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

You can get by without either of those items. I drill all my blanks either on my drill press or the lathe. All the wood is done on the lathe and all the poly is done on the lathe. Deer horn is done on the drill press because it is so crooked.
For the pen press use your drill press to press the parts together.


----------



## bill (May 21, 2004)

I use wood clamps to drill the blanks. Only wood I have had any trouble with was some Xcut...and I gave/threw all of it away. I got to the point on the small pens I can do them with a hand drill.

I use the quick clamps to put the kits together.

I square the blank ends with a block and sand paper. If you measure and cut well, then not much to trim.

And I sharpen my tools freehand..

That's just how I roll LOL


----------



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

bill said:


> I use wood clamps to drill the blanks. Only wood I have had any trouble with was some Xcut...and I gave/threw all of it away. I got to the point on the small pens I can do them with a hand drill.
> 
> I use the quick clamps to put the kits together.
> 
> ...


_________________________________

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: ...you're killin' me, Bill..What should I do with all these high-falutin' tools and apparatus' I got ????

Bet when you go huntin' , you just use a ROCK...and when you go fishin' it's just with a sharpened stick.!!!:headknock

You're too tough for me, Friend.......

lol...Jim:biggrin:
___________

dang !! just went backwards and read Bobby's post..You birds are real 'frontiersmen'...LOL....TOOOO tough for the old fart...:rotfl:


----------



## bill (May 21, 2004)

sharpened stick works in both cases LOL


----------

