Pen Question

[Steve Roxberg]

I'm making pens and do fine in getting close to the final demension. I can't get it perfect with a gouge, and the skew isn't working for me (I'm scared of it).

Can I use a straight scrapper, as long as I skew it and only use a small spot? I'm worried about tear out.

[Andy London]

You sure can with a very light touch or leave a little extra wood on the pen blank for a final pass with the scraper. If you have a fingernail grind on your gouge, depending on the wood, quite often I can get the same results using the side of the grind as with a scraper.

[Gary Max]

If you are that close and worried about messing up. Stop----sand it down to where you want it. You can form a pen real nice with sandpaper. I use 100 grit for this task.
Just be gentle and do not get in a hurry.

[Richard Allen]

Re-think the skew. It is a great tool for pens.

Align the skew paralell with the lathe (I prefer long point down)

With the heel of the skew bevel rubing against the wood slowly pull the handle towards you so that the bevel is fully touching the spinning wood.

Keep pulling until you see dust coming off the edge of the skew.

I like to have that dust about 1/16" up from the long point.

Slide the skew along the spinning wood trying to maintain that "dust" effect as you go.

There is little chance of a catch and you will gwet a very smooth surface.

I call this a planeing cut.

[Michael Stafford]

A gouge, a skew and sanding will all work. But it sure is sweet to turn a pen to finished diameter with a sharp skew. It takes some practice and I recommend just that, practice, but use some scrap wood and just cut away. When you don't have to worry about the value of the product it is easier to learn. Learn to use a skew. I'm not that great with it on other projects but I have learned to turn pens with it.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

For 90 % of my pens, I only use a 1-1/4" roughing gouge. When I get close, I turn the gouge around and ride the bevel on the bushing and move into the end of the blank. This way you won't tear up the bushings and you get a smooth finish to the blank that is flush to the bushing.

Bruce

[Steve Roxberg]

Thanks for the great responses. I've completed two pens.

They are really well received as gifts.

Thanks again, I'll report back, I'm going back in with the skew and some wood I don't care about.