Wood Working with Pens

Gary Kording

Com 115 – Public Speaking

Informational Speech

1. Introduction

• Hello, my name is Gary Kording and will be telling you about one of my passions, pen making.  I would like to start with a quote from novelist and poet, Ursula K. LeGuin, “It’s good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”

1. Attention Getter:  Everyone reach down and show me your pen.

1. Relate to Audience:

1. Creating anything requires imagination and a knack to roll with the punches.

1. Every pen varies in size, shape, and material.

1. No matter your age, if your old enough to write you have used a pen/pencil of some fashion.

1. Creating, is my journey and it allows me to share something special, in the end.  I can spend hours in a woodshop working on a lathe and feel as though only minutes have gone by.

1. Purpose:  Today I am going to be explaining the steps required to create a pen or pencil.  As you hear me refer to a pen throughout my speech, I am also referring to pencils.

1. Main Points:

1. First, I will explain the thought behind what goes into preparing to create a pen or pencil.

1. Next, I will explain each of the steps required to actually create a pen.

1. Lastly, I will explain the steps for finishing and completing your pen.

1. Body

1. Creating a pen requires a lot of forethought and planning.  There are many different factors that must be thought out.

1. The first thing to think about is the Pen Style and shape.  These are determined by each individual person, based upon what they are looking for.  Some of the different styles I create are;

1. Slimline:  A thinner style, very light and sleek.
2. Cigar:  Thicker pen with a heavier weight.
3. Wall Street:  More of the mainstream pen, but can be made very elegant (show pen).
4. There are several other different styles, but these are the ones I create the most of.

1. Pens can also be created for unique attitudes or to support a specific organization.

1. I can include a specialty clip for any occasion, such as a fish, cross, or even the medical insignia.
2. I can create a pen to support Breast Cancer Awareness.
3. .45 Caliber Cartridge Pen.
4. Stylus pens for use on a tablet or smart phone.

1. Pens can be made out of several different elements, called blanks.  The two main type I use are;

1. Woods, which can be hard and soft, such as; (Show blanks)

1. Bocote.
2. Quilted Maple.
3. Walnut.
4. Olivewood.
5. Koa wood from Hawaii.

1. The other type I use a lot is Acrylics.  Acrylics are handmade plastics.  They are made in every color or combination you can think of.

1. From red, white and blue to black.
2. To neon shades of every color.

1. The final step in preparation is selecting the components of your pen. Components vary just as much as the rest of the pen parts.  You can make a pen with;

1. Gold.
2. Chrome.
3. Titanium.
4. Platinum.
5. Or, combinations, such as chrome and titanium (show pen).

1. Now that you have selected the style, shape, blank type, and components, you are ready to begin the process of making your pen.  Most of the pen kits, come with instructions on how to cut, drill, and size your blank along with how to assemble the components properly.

1. The first step is to cut your blank to the proper size, utilizing some type of a saw.  I use a Band Saw.
2. After you have the cut the blank, you must drill the center of the blank for the pen tube.  I use a drill press.
3. Next you will need to rough the surface of the pen tube using 180 grit sandpaper.
4. After the pen tube is sanded, you need to apply a thin bead of Cyanoacrylate or CA glue across the tube.  CA glue is very similar to super glue.
5. Once you have placed the glue on the tube, quickly slide the tube into the blank with a twisting motion and make sure the tube is centered in the blank.
6. Square the ends of the blank utilizing a barrel trimmer and sand the sides of the blank using a disc sander.
7. Once you have the ends even with the barrel tube, place the blank on a mandrel with the appropriate bushings and mount it on your lathe.  Now we are ready to shape your pen.
8. Depending on the style of pen you decided to make, you use the bushings on the Mandrel as a guide for the shape.
9. Shaping the pen is done with one of several types of tools.

1. Carbide tipped, squared edge, roughing tool.
2. Carbide tipped, round edge, finishing tool.
3. Fingernail bowl gouge.

1.  After you have shaped your pen to your desired thickness, you are ready to begin the process of finishing the pen.

1.  With your pen shaped, your next decision is how you want to finish the body.

1. The first part of finishing involves sanding the blank to a very smooth finish.

1. If your blank is wood, you typically start with 150 grit sandpaper and work up to 600 grit sandpaper, until it’s smooth as a baby’s bottom.
2. If your blank is made of acrylic or plastic, you use a Micro Mesh Sanding kit, with grits from 1500 to 15000 grit.

1. The next step would be to seal your pen blank.

1. For wood blanks, I generally use a high build friction polish, a sanding sealer or beeswax.
2. If it is an acrylic blank, I use “Novus fine scratch remover.”

1. After you have sealed the pen blank, it is time to remove it from the mandrel and construct the pen components with the blank.

1. Each pen type has a specific way to put it together.  I typically use a spring loaded pen press to aid in the process.  The pen press allows you to push against a solid base to push together the pen parts.
2. Once the pen is assembled, the final step is to use a polishing cloth and make it shine.
3. It is now ready to be loved and used.

1. Conclusion

In Summary,

1. I explained many of the factors and decisions that go into designing and creating a pen.
2. I discussed and explained the basic process involved in actually creating a pen.
3. Lastly, I described a couple of the ways you can finish and assemble your pen.  According to Marc Chagall, the renowned artist, “Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.”

Working on a lathe, creating pens, is a passion of my mine and I truly love to do it.

I also create wood bowls of various shapes and sizes.

1. Are there any questions.

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