A few of my pens

[ADXGlock]

Just wanted to share a few of my latest pens. What do you guys think?

[mlehikoinen]

Cool pens. What are they made from?

[ADXGlock]

The colored ones are all various acrylics and one carbon fiber... the other is deer antler

[alindsey]

Nice work. I can't deal with the smell of antler. I had a request for 30 "cartridge bullet" pens made from deer antler for a gentleman to give his various friends and relatives who hunt. After the 5th one I was feeling nauseous and vowing to never turn the stuff again. Even worse, we have a laser engraver at work and people occasionally bring antler pens in to have them engraved. You think it stinks when you turn it? You should smell it when it's being burned.

We've started carrying some of the Penn State kits in the store. The Vertex has been very popular. I really like the "magnetic Vertex" kit as well. It looks great and it's one of the few capped pens that holds its cap well.

[jHop]

I picked up some acrylic blanks out of the clearance section of Woodcraft a while back. I've never used antler, but the one blank I started to use was just as noxious. In fact, i couldn't even cut through it in one shot. I had to take several days to just drill the hole. I've never been so happy to have a blank break.

I've never held it against Woodcraft, though. I figure it was the material. It could have been there for a really long time. And I've never used acrylic all that much, so I don't have much to go on. I still want to experiment, but it's going to have to wait. I'm surprised by the antler, though, because I know of several people who turn it, some who carve it, and a few who use it for knife handles. Nobody ever mentioned the smell before.

I have to admit these pens are gorgeous. every time I see work this good, I want to get into the shop and make a few myself. (something about "I can do better than that, can't I? I can't be horrible at everything I put my hand to...") But these set the bar very high for me. Great job!

[duckkisser]

they are nice looking, thinking of buying a lathe and some tools to set up in my home. i put a post on about buying a machine and i was hoping you might give me some advise on what to buy what to check for.

[Beechwood Chip]

I'm surprised by the antler, though, because I know of several people who turn it, .... Nobody ever mentioned the smell before.

I know nothing about turning - but I just had a thought. If it stank when you turned it, and perhaps doesn't for other people, could it be that it was burning when you turned it? That would explain the smell - I'd expect burning antler to smell like burning hair - really bad. Maybe there's a technique issue, or your tools weren't sharp enough.

I know that with other power tools poor technique often leads to burn marks and a smell of burnt wood.

[jHop]

I know nothing about turning - but I just had a thought. If it stank when you turned it, and perhaps doesn't for other people, could it be that it was burning when you turned it? That would explain the smell - I'd expect burning antler to smell like burning hair - really bad. Maybe there's a technique issue, or your tools weren't sharp enough.

I know that with other power tools poor technique often leads to burn marks and a smell of burnt wood.

Sorry about the delay in replying; somehow I missed this thread.

I was getting that smell when I started cutting the blank into two pieces with a hand saw. On the lathe, it was even worse.

As for the Carbon Fiber, how did you turn that? Is it impregnated in some hardener, or bonded into acrylic, or was it part of a kit already? I was under the impression that Carbon Fiber was too brittle to turn, but once it had been layered and bonded to something, its' strength is fantastically outrageous. To the point that race car chassis are made out of it.