After a week of dealing with a "honey-do" list as long as your leg, I finally got some time in the shop this evening to make some sawdust. It "turned" out to be a night for lessons . . .
1. I learned that the nib on the pen MUST be aligned correctly before you try to press it into the lower pen barrel. Failure to do this will result in an egg-shape at the end of the tube and split wood.
2. I learned that if you put too much CA glue on the tenon when gluing on the center ring of a Euro stye pen, the glue gooshes out onto the ring and nicely finished pen. Trying to wipe it off only makes the situation worse.
3. I learned that you can put a pen ruined by #2 above back on the mandrel and actually turn the brass center ring off!Then an extra ring can be glued on with a lesser amount of CA glue.
4. I learned that no matter how full your hands are, ALWAYS take the cap off the CA glue with your fingers. NEVER EVER use your teeth to remove the cap.
5. I learned that if you choose to ignore #4 above, NEVER EVER just hold the CA glue cap in your lips while you apply the glue!
6. I learned that even though a person's tongue is wet with saliva, CA glue will STILL adhere very well to it . . . AND . . . will adhere the wet tongue to the inside of the bottom lip . . . AND . . . will adhere to the old, dried glue on the CA glue cap!
7. I learned that frantically attempting to spit out a CA glue cap that is glued in your mouth is pointless - as well as very difficult when your tongue is glued to you lower lip!
8. I learned that after CA glue has bonded to your skin, acetone will not cause the glue to release.
9. I learned that I hate the taste of acetone - not to mention that it really burns one's tongue and lips if it comes in contact with them.
10. I learned that by the time you get hardened CA glue off of your lip, you will look like you have a large fever blister!
10. I learned that my wonderful wife, who loves me deeply, will laugh uncontrollably at me when I really need her help.
Jerry
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