I started turning wood-bodied pens about ten years ago, soon after I first started turning on the wood lathe. I soon got bored with the basic process, and actually stopped turning pens for a couple of years, until I saw some pens that blew my mind, and greatly expanded my horizons regarding what it is possible to accomplish in such a small project, both technically and artistically. Early on, wood pens were simply a novelty to me, and something to make to pass the time. I had little interest in pens or other "writing sticks" until I eventually gained a better appreciation for really well-made tools, such as the hand planes of Lie-Nielsen and the measuring and marking apparatus of Bridge City Tools. The tools made by these companies are truly a joy to use, and the results that can be achieved make the work so much more worthwhile. I then realized that for ordinary and extraordinary writing and drawing tasks, a really well-made instrument could be equally beneficial, and so I started out to teach myself to make the best writing instruments I possibly could. My current emphasis in pen turning is all about testing the limits of turned pens. One thing I like about making wood-bodied pens is the fact that it is easy to turn a pen the first time, but it takes lots of practice, experience, and experimentation to perfect the process. In addition to building an aesthetic sense for designing a piece of functional art, there’s the process of learning the properties of different materials and hardware kits, finding a versatile and highly durable finish, and, of course, becoming proficient on the wood lathe. The process of making a basic wooden pen starts with a blank about an inch square and five inches long, and a hardware kit with the mechanism and ink refill. The blank, which could be wood, cast acrylic, or almost anything, is cut into one or two shorter lengths and drilled to receive brass tubes, which will make the core around which the pen will be assembled later. After some trimming, the blanks, with brass tubes inside, are mounted on the lathe and shaped by hand to the desired contour, and the ends are matched precisely to the size of the metallic hardware. After sanding and finishing, the wood blanks and hardware components are assembled into a finished pen. In searching out the limits of what can be done with these wooden pen kits, I often find myself spending hours gluing smaller blocks of wood, metal, and acrylic together to make the blank for a pen. Other times, I may take a twig, or a length of bamboo cane, and have a blank ready to go in minutes. I make both themed and un-themed pens; the themed ones are typically far more difficult, but also much more fun as I must find a way to convey an idea or thought, normally without words, using the miniature canvas of the pen. Once the pen has been shaped on the lathe, I may apply a texture to its surface, or perhaps an inlay, or even a “tattoo” of sorts. I may also modify the hardware components, or replace them with parts that I make to match the wood blank. I prefer to use a “high-build” CA finish, which leaves a highly durable, glass-like acrylic coating on the pen and enhances the colors of the wood. The hardware kits I use are of the highest quality I have found, and where I can find ways to improve on them, I do; such as replacing ballpoint ink refills with brand-name gel rollerball refills, which write much more smoothly and reliably. I also test the pen mechanisms, ink refills, plating, materials and finishes regularly with everyday hard use to ensure that they hold to the same standard of quality with which I handcraft each pen I make.
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 Other
Turned Items
In addition to turning pens, I have long enjoyed making such items as bowls and platters (both decorative and functional), kitchen utensils, wine bottle stoppers, walking sticks, perfume atomizers, Christmas ornaments, turned boxes, and more. I use wood from locally harvested trees, domestic timber, and some imported exotic woods for the unique colors and grain patterns they offer.
Turning in the old workshop. It was very cluttered in there. Often, the final shape and use of a wood blank is determined as much by the character of the individual piece of wood as by myself, and it has happened on occasion that I misread the character of a particular piece of wood and changed the form of the piece in the middle of the turning process as I uncovered some unexpected feature hidden inside. Thus, most of the pieces I make, especially those made from locally harvested trees, (which often exhibit more character than their forest-grown cousins), are unique by virtue of the wood itself and by the process of turning each piece by hand. I am a firm believer in carefully selecting wood for a piece in such a way as to put the particular piece of wood, with its unique coloring and grain patterns, to its best possible use, rather than bending it to fit a particular purpose without regard to its unique properties as a naturally formed, living material. |
