Adam’s Mother’s day present
Adam wanted to make something special for his mother this year for Mother’s day. A few months back, I purchased a few different pen kits and a mandrel so Adam and I could learn how to make pens. He decided to make one that she would like. The pen he wanted to make had a pen on one end and a stylus on the other, that she could use on her tablet. To make it special, Adam dug out his favorite piece of wood. He had a pen blank, made from purple heart, that he had been saving for a while. He thought it would make the perfect gift for her because she knew how much he liked it.
Marking the tube length
We started by marking the two pieces needed to create both ends of the pen. Next, I placed a backer board behind the blank and cut it to length.
Cutting the pen blanks
Marking the centers
After marking the centers, we drilled them out, just large enough to insert the brass tubes.
Drilling the 7mm holes
Mixing epoxy
We mixed up some 2-part epoxy and applied it to the roughed-up tubes, then inserted them into the wood.
Inserting epoxied tubes
Glued up and curing
After they cured, Adam cleaned them up and faced off the ends with the facing tool that came with the pen turning kit I bought.
Cleaning up and facing
Cleaned
Once cleaned up, they were chucked up into the mandrel.
Blanks set up on the mandrel
Roughing the shape
Adam spent some time roughing and shaping the pen blanks, down to the bushings on the mandrel.
Fine tuning the shape
The bushings are the exact same size as the pen hardware so it will assemble perfectly.
Ready for sanding
Once he was happy with the shapes, Adam sanded down the blanks, working his way through from 150 grit, down to 600 grit.
Stepping through the grits
Sanded down to 600 grit
Once it was sanded as smooth as he could get it, we used Shellawax friction polish to buff and finish the pen parts.
Polishing
Final coat and rubbing
After a couple of coats of polish, it was looking good so we took the pieces off the lathe and started pressing the pen components together.
Pressing the pieces into place
Proud of his pen
Not bad for our first pen.
Final product
His mother really liked it.
Happy Mother’s day
I have another dozen or so kits for Adam and I to play with so you may be seeing more of them in the future…
Midnight Woodworking 
Funny, I’ve never thought of using a quick clamp as a pen press. Thanks for the tip.
Looking good, Adam!
Good job Adam! I’m glad to see you’re continuing with building your woodworking skills. I met you at WWIA while running the ShopBot and making the wooden bracelets. I knew you were the type that would continue learning and making things. Congratulations and I sure your mother appreciates the gift of love!
On another note, the drill press also works well as a pen press!