Turning a Pen on a Lathe (Pen Making How-to)

Turning a pen on a lathe is a fun and easy project.
Shop now: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Watch more pen turning videos: • Turning a Pen on a Lat...
We'll show you how to make a wooden pen on your lathe, using traditional turning tools.
Pen making is an exciting hobby that's fun, rewarding and able to be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you're a student on a budget, retired or somewhere in between, getting started in pen turning is easy and you don't have to break the bank to get started.
Beautiful hand-turned pens are great for gift giving, selling at craft shows, for fundraising or just a unique way of collecting your favorite woods. Everyone is impressed by a hand-turned pen and most are eager to get their hands on one too. With pen making kits from simple to complex, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
-PRODUCTS USED -
Slimline Pen Kit: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Pen Blanks: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Pen Drilling Vise: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
7mm Drill Bit: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Barrel Trimmer: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Thick CA Glue: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Glue Activator: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Pen Mandrel: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Spindle Roughing Gouge: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Spindle Gouge: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Sand Paper: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Friction Polish: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
Milescraft Pen Press: www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/...
- LINKS AND RESOURCES -
CRAFT SUPPLIES USA - The Woodturners Catalog
Since 1982, woodturners have trusted Craft Supplies USA to provide them with the finest woodturning tools and supplies. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional customer service and stand behind the products we sell. Our goal at Craft Supplies USA is simple: to make doing business with us so enjoyable that you look forward to doing business with us again.
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Website: www.woodturnerscatalog.com
Address: 1287 E. 1120 S. Provo, UT 84606
Email: [e-mail]
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#woodturning #woodturnerscatalog

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

If you liked the video, give it a thumbs up and be sure to subscribe to our channel!! Visit us online at www.woodturnerscatalog.com for the best selection of woodturning supplies in the industry.

[@valdorboasson95]

Craft Supplies USA í

[@2010exa]

Do they ship to Canada?

[@thunderball11111]

Describes how amazing it is in fully dead inside monotone. Like a boss

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

🤣

[@xmchillin]

Thanks for the fast response. Currently, I make the cartridge pens (.308/30.06) and give them to returning vets. Your video started the wheels turning.... I have subscribed...

[@davidfriedman3962]

This is one of the best tutorials for turning pens. I will play this again when I start turning pens. Thank you.

[@rainking3380]

you ever start?

[@garretschneider3580]

This video was amazing and answered SO MANY questions

[@aarondrossart6026]

Taking a turning class at Rockler soon! Hoping to get a lathe and making projects like this.

[@Grockern55]

made a carbon fibre slimline today, my god it is gorgeous

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Definitely start with sand paper. If it's stabilized burl you can use micro mesh, otherwise just sand to 600 grit. You can use a CA Pen finish if you're wanting an ultra glossy look.

[@chandrakanthas5571]

Excellent video. Very professional.

[@kellybarr6576]

Thank you so much for a very informative video. It was great and I’m gonna turn my first pen. Thanks.

[@devinthomson9027]

yea this helped a TON!

[@darrinblitch4912]

Thanks for a great video!!!

[@MyCraftyCrafts]

this is cool i wish that i had a machiene like that!

[@jugogaming]

It’s a fun project I have made 2 pens and 2 pencils they look beautiful and when people hear I made them they always ask if I could make them one.

[@sootydave1]

I have to say good video. How Ever I have 1 suggestion to make. You say use a cloth rag, Better still, Paper towel. This way should it catch you will not get the chance of injury...

[@Bamcrafting]

And it works verry good so the wax doesn’t crisp on the cloth

[@KingKan]

Satisfying video!!

[@carolcambray1112]

This is sooo beautiful!!!

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Thank you!

[@kl-uk5xj]

I'm looking to purchase all the accessories used In this video. I just purchased an 8x13 USA built grizzly mini lathe and about 80 different exotic species of pen blanks. Never have I turned a pen in my life but when I grab a hobby I try to dive deep into it! I'm going to give you guys a call tomorrow hopefully I can place an order over the phone!

[@landondehart3032]

Love Liza koshys music in the background

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Yes, Micarta turns very easily.

[@Bamcrafting]

I have 2 extra bushings and when I started I didn’t have the thing to clear the excess wood an it works just fine I also make them curvy not flat and it looks great and people love them also what drill press do you have because I cannot drill through the whole way without moving it because my drill press is the wen 8

[@hobel73]

The video was very helpful. I just placed on order on your site for pen making kits and tools.

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Thank you for the comment. Send us some pictures of your finished pens.

[@ericvillarreal1618]

I miss doing this

[@shrekisbae21]

very nice papi, Ill come back in time for thanksgiving dont worry

[@caseyalan5398]

Awesome tutorial. My favorite part was when the hole you drilled was WAY OFF CENTER 😂. Just giving you a hard time, awesome video!

[@nickyhogan8072]

what are the measurements for the bushings?

[@tommycarey5201]

can anyone tell me can you use malamine on wood or ressin

[@booperthebest1501]

Any way I can put on a polyurethane finish instead of can or the one in the vid?

[@asian2kbaby993]

How do I fix it when the led won’t come out it doesn’t show the tip

[@dominicgilman6097]

What's the size of the blanks??

[@Poulamilahiri154]

How can I purchase one of these amazing creations being in India?

[@numantemiz9571]

2:42 de kullanılan malzeme nedir acaba

[@balentincamargo5248]

How to to wait for the glue to dry

[@KedaWoodDye]

Awesome video! Thank you for sharing your technique. Have you ever used wood dye kits for coloring the wood? I have to get a lathe :(

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Wood dye kits can work well once the pen is turned to shape, but you can also buy pre-colored blanks that keep their color while turning them down. Time to get a lathe :)

[@KedaWoodDye]

I know right?!?! Bahaha it is time. Thank you for the extra push I needed 😉

[@KedaWoodDye]

I used to have my grandfathers old one, but it has broken down. I haven't done a lot of turning, since my old lathe went down. I definitely need to get back to it. It was relaxing and Lord knows I need that hahaha thank you again for sharing!

[@wdesigns2845]

I just made a pen today in my Ag class

[@Vijaykumar-cu6xz]

How much does this pen costs

[@wood4nothing284]

Very nice pen ,it looks very slick. I've just been given a almost new pen lathe and accessories,blanks etc so I may be putting up a video of my very first go at turning .It could all go drastically wrong lol. Cheers Tim from Wood 4 Nothing

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Send us a link once you've finished the video. We'd love to see it

[@wood4nothing284]

@@CraftSuppliesUSA I'll see how wrong it goes first lol Cheers Tim

[@hniere]

I have to do this as my construction project but what’s the measurements that I have to cut the wood blank in half???

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

The blanks need to be slightly longer than the brass tubes.

[@mariecrum669]

If I choose to turn a slimline kit with a gunmetal finish, would I still use a brass tube, because it wouldn't match the finish on the tip, center band, and the end of the pen

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

The brass tube will hide behind all of the components of the pen. It doesn't usually matter what color it is unless you're working with transparent acrylics.

[@Soultergeist]

Hello, just getting into this for school. How high and far should my tool rest be from the blanks or mandrel?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

You want the cutting edge of the tool to be at the center height of your blank, so you have have to raise it up or down depending on the thickness of the tool you're using. And you want the tool rest as close to the blank without contacting the rest.

[@robira1313]

What on earth is a barrel trimmer? @1:23 I've been woodworking for 8 years and I've never heard of this. (but i"ve only been woodturning for 5 months.)

[@olivers3973]

If it's a 7mm brass tube, do I need to use a 6mm pilot shaft on the barrel trimmer? and do all slimline pens have a 7mm tube?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Hey Oliver, On 7mm tubes use a 7mm pilot shaft. All Slimlines have a 7mm tube.

[@TwistedViewer]

I see... I have to buy quite a few stuff...

[@robertlee8400]

First off easy to make & I have a wooden pen & a metal pencil

[@jayperdue1369]

So when you drill the holes in the blanks does it have to be perfectly straight or when you turn it shouldn't the hole become the new center and it will round from that point?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

The hole will be the new center, because drilling is never perfect. A hole that's a little bit off will not affect the finished pen.

[@jayperdue1369]

Thanks. I was pretty sure but I had one to get kinda little off and wanted to make sure before I work on the mandrel.

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Feel free to give us a call at 1-800-551-8876 if you ever need more in-depth help.

[@danswoodworkingdreamfromst5152]

Where do I by the mechanical kit for making my own wood pen I can't find anywhere just wood pens already assembled

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Every Pen Kit we sell is a kit. You'll need to complete them yourself. Here's a link. www.woodturnerscatalog.com/t/1/Ballpoint-Pen-Kits

[@samlowe5791]

Go to Pen State Industries

[@alecdeeps4585]

What are you using on your tail stock to hold the mandrill?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

It's just a generic cup center. 60 Revolving Centers work great too!

[@Smithyy12]

hi, i have turned a few pens with different types of wood,, and also using a CA finish , but i seem to be getting white parts (spots) appearing under the CA after i have used the micro mesh pads. Any help would be grate thanks ... Ash

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

So sorry for the late reply. It's either moisture under the CA Finish, or you're using too much accelerator when curing the CA. Hopefully this fixes the white spots. Please call us at 1-800-551-8876 if you have any further questions or concerns. We're always here to help. Thanks.

[@Smithyy12]

thank you , i will keep an eye out

[@Adam_Strachan]

Bought a bunch of blanks now I need the guts where can I buy the guys and mechanical stuff at I’m having a hell of a time trying to find them with out the blocks can you help me out in we’re to find them please

[@michaelsorensen7567]

Not sure if you ever found any, Rockler has them for sale on their website. Fair variety of pen kits, which is just the hardware, no blank

[@caponemachuca5191]

I've recently become very, VERY interested in making my own pens. Where can I find a shopping list of all the equipment I would need to begin this hobby? There's so much to learn and I don't know where to begin.

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Welcome to the pen turning community!! It's very hard to know where to start, based on your budget and other factors. Please call us at 1-800-551-8876 and we'll get you all sorted. Thanks!!

[@The_beauty_ofanimals]

Making pens are really fun and a good way to make money I am 14 and turned this into my hobby for the last month and it is so fun

[@17thstatefishing77]

Really all you need is blanks lathe gouge skew

[@mariecrum669]

Do you recommend CA glue, or just epoxy?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Epoxy tends to bond a little better (esp on acrylics), but it does take longer to dry. CA is great because it dries quickly and holds really well.

[@michaelrice3329]

What was the wood you used in the thumbnail? It looked curly

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

The wood in the thumbnail is Redwood Burl.

[@barend39]

Do you need to use glue activator or does that just speed up the drying process?

[@00Tottr]

just used to speed up the drying process, and ensure the brass tube doesn't slip out when drying. make sure to let the adhesive dry on its side, on a flat surface. I once had a pen ruined because it was tipped while drying, and the tube slid out half an inch.

[@mikeygaming7306]

Hi I'm just wondering where you got the supplies for the pen

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

+jimmyjoebob jeff www.woodturnerscatalog.com

[@raymondjdeuso212]

mikey gaming n

[@danielbuffington2041]

What was the measurements of the piece you started with

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Pen blanks are generally 3/4" x 5". Here's a link to some if you're interested. www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/8/5047/Pen-Makers-Choice-Exotic-Pen-Blanks

[@nickyhogan8072]

@@CraftSuppliesUSA is the measurement in inches or centimeters or millimeters?

[@L.Helmers_Wood_Turning]

Does it cost much to send to Australia?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Call us at 1-800-551-8876 and we can get you a quote, or you submit an order online and wait for a quote.

[@xmchillin]

Can a pen be made from micarta?

[@aventador832]

Absolutely! They actually turn quite nicely!

[@lynnhudson4854]

Fanten pen kit demos

[@sandsmith4750]

Hey, What Type and size Gouge is that ?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

+sand smith It's a 3/8" Spindle Gouge.

[@sandsmith4750]

Thank You

[@isaiahmercado8713]

can someone list the steps?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Here's a link to our online Slimline PDF. www.woodturnerscatalog.com/docs/slimline_pen.pdf

[@tomjagger7392]

hello james

[@kylerandall1958]

has any one have the wen 8 in x 12 in?

[@batman6381]

I do. Works well enough.

[@batman6381]

You'll need an MT #1 mandrel for your wen

[@Elizabeth-rq1vi]

Why didn’t you use a roughing gouge to round the blanks? I find it goes much faster with one. I just may be impatient. You didn’t line up the two blanks on the mandrel, wouldn’t it make rounding easier? Did I miss which pen kit you were using? I have to measure out the blank lengths because each pen kit requires different lengths…one even requires leaving 11/13” barrel exposed! And that’s the kit I’ve been practicing with! A cautionary note for beginners, I personally have not used CV glue since my first attempt…the glue dried before the tube was completely in the blank! I’ve found two part epoxy more my speed, which isn’t that slow either! I asked for the 75s drying one but, wow! Did it dry fast! I’m afraid to try using it as a finish but does a bang up job on non-pen making jobs!

[@michaelsorensen7567]

My experience, it can help me figure out lining up the grain again, but doesn't change turning all that much. You still have to knock off the corners, and you'll still get to round either way. Others' mileage may vary

[@user-ux7om3bw4h]

Где можно заказать фурнитуру, с доставкой в СНГ(Беларусь)?

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

www.woodturnerscatalog.com

[@JayzAppleHelp]

its called a lathe it is expensive but that pay off if you sell what you make

[@lynnhudson4854]

Fanten pen kits

[@lynnhudson4854]

Tim hudson

[@BlackCat_2]

So you really need a vise or pen press to put them together? You can't just do it by hand? - Heidi

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

You'll always need to use a vise or pen press when pressing in pen parts. The parts need to be tight for the pen to work properly and to handle daily use.

[@jilliannitz8474]

I really would recommend a pen press. The vast majority of my breaks when making pens happens in the process of putting them together. The wood is very thin at this point and splits easily.

[@ChuckBoriss]

President of czech republic like this

[@mukeshkumawat8226]

Can you make a business deal with us I am also a handicraft supplier

[@scarekrow9]

I didn't know Piccolo could turn pens... (blink)

[@ardvarkkkkk1]

Make sure you have other projects in mind. After about two or three pens, boredom sets in.

[@jr6105]

ardvarkkkkk1 Not if you sell them

[@mihaelaturcu2530]

Heya, This is a good video here. The most complete woodworking plans that I have ever used was Toms Magic Wood (just google it). Without a doubt it contains the most useful woodworking projects that I have ever tried.

[@cogkis]

I don't have a lathe...

[@CraftSuppliesUSA]

Time to get a lathe :)

[@cogkis]

Yeah right 😂😂

[@markdixon8088]

This is a great woodworking book I`ve ever read, “Bαzοmο Tdy Plαn” (Google it). Both novice and some skilled wood worker could gain a lot of general details out of this reading material. I`ve been very amazed how frequently I use this to look up woods at places like to restore and also salvage spots. .

[@Happ5]

Ello I liek cows

[@puryeareaker7975]

My husband used these plans from Stodoys and he is very pleased.

[@mikel4510]

Easy on the budget?! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@2muchtj606]

Liza koshy wya

[@dancooper1914]

If you're talking about "spinning", you must have missed that part so watch again and pay attention. If you're talking about "spining", you should see a doctor.

[@petermarkesteyn]

Excellent video. Very professional.