How I Make Pens

The following is provided as a primer. The discussion below should provide you with enough information to understand the terms and stages of work that have gone into the piece of work you may contemplating for purchase.

Starting Out - The Pen Blank

Pen making is not difficult but does require precision in order to produce results which are of the quality expected in fine pens. A small lathe with tolerances for exact turning dimensioning (such as that shown at right) is the one I use. Construction starts with a kit containing the metal parts (available through several sources in the United States) and a pen "blank". The "blank" is a piece of wood or suitable turning material that has been roughly shaped for lathe turning. See Pen Making Materials for pictures of example "blanks".

Pen Blank - Drilling and Preparation

The blanks are cut slightly longer than the requirements for the type of pen being made (a band saw is good for this purpose). For most pens this results in two pieces: the upper (pen top) and lower (nib portion). The "half blanks" are then drilled through the exact center. Since this is a precision cut, a drill press with jig to hold the blank in place is almost always used. Next, metal tubes the the exact length required for the upper and lower portions are glued in the holes just drilled and the wood ends trued so that the metal just shows shine.

Lathe Preparation

When the glue has dried, it is time to mount the blanks on the lathe (see picture above). In the picture above and at right, note that the lathe consists of a "live" end (the motor or power supply end) and the "rail stock" which provides the seat for the opposite end of the stock so that the blanks are turned without vibration. The picture at right shows the general lathe setup and identifies the major parts. The mandrel, which is nothing more than a metal rod of precise diameter, is inserted and clamped into the chuck at left. "Bushings" are inserted over the mandrel so that they abut and "pinch" on the blank(s). The picture shows only one blank but the normal setup for pens is to mount two blanks with proper bushing between. When properly seated, the "bushings" act to keep the blank from rotating when the turning gouges are applied. Finally, the mandrel/bushing/blank setup is secured by bringing the tailstock seat up to the opposite end of the mandrel and tightening into position with a wrench.

Turning

With everything in position, it is time to turn on the lathe. In preparation for turning it is imperative to test for vibration. Even the smallest amount of vibration will ruin the pen. I usually test for vibration by switching the lathe on and lightly rubbing my finger on the exposed portion of the mandrel as it rotates. A tool called a gouge is generally used to rough out and remove "corners" from the square blank. Once the blank has been reduced to a "dowel-like" roundness, the vibration test is repeated, this time by rubbing the finger against the blank. From this point on, more precise tools, such as "skews", are used to reduce the diameter of the "blank" to slightly greater than that of the bushing. This amount is critical! Reducing the diameter to just a few thousandths of an inch too much can ruin a pen.

Sanding

When the desired shape and diameter at the bushing have been achieved, it is time for sanding. Sanding is perhaps the most tedious part of the pen making process but is absolutely required for quality work. Sanding starts, generally, by applying fairly rough grade "non-loading" sandpaper (120 mesh). The progression through successive grades usually includes 240, 400, 600 mesh. For the pens I make, I generally continue through 6 more grits with the final application at 12000 grit (this grit has approximately the characteristics of your groceries store shopping bag). Between application of each grit it is important to inspect and ensure that any marks from the previous grit have been removed! At the conclusion of sanding, the diameter of the stock should match the bushing diameter with NO tolerance (you should be able to run your finger over the stock to the bushing and feel absolutely no "bump").

Finishing

The last step on the lathe is to provide the finish. This can be done after removal from the lathe, but I find the best results are obtained by applying resins (usually in the form of a bar) or French Polish while the stock is still on the lathe. After applying the resin (which is really a blend of waxes and polishing compound) by application of the bar directly to the surface, the finish is "hot melted" to the surface by using a cloth or towel. The cloth serves to both distribute the finish and provide the frictional heat. I usually provide two coats of finish. The final coat is formulated to the highest possible gloss.

Assembly

The final step is the assembly. The metal parts are "press fitted" into the pen barrels using a vice or ram especially constructed for such fitting. Whereas this should be a simple process, this last stage can be a torment. Since the pieces are press fitted, it is extremely difficult to recover if a mistake is made or one of the parts "disappears", is damaged or out of tolerance. There is nothing more discouraging than to have precisely turned and finished an extremely nice wood and have the effort ruined on this final step. Ah, but the final product is usually worth all the effort. This is especially true it it falls into the hands of someone who appreciates the final "work of art".