Platinum Blue *PIC*

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

Hi,

This is one of my last pens for the year, it's a blue dyed box elder burl. I turned it on a platinum Gentlemen's roller ball pen kit.

I finished it with my standard process...fun to make, fun to use.

take care,
Jim



http://www.penturners.org/forum/albums/Jim%20in%20Oakville/IMG_3678.JPG

[Blaine in Kitchener]

Love your pens. They look like they would be a joy to use and they sure are a joy to the eye.

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

Hi Blaine,

Thank You very much. I do enjoy seeing what the wood gives me on each blank..

Take care,
Jim

[Karen in Dunrobin]

Hi Jim,
Nice looking pen. The wood is beautiful and you did a great job.
Can you tell me a bit about how you dye the wood and what you use? I am thinking of dying some birch veneer but I don't have any experience doing that. It would be nice to get a few hints before I start experimenting.
Thanks
Karen

PS it was great to finally meet you this fall.

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

Hi Karen,

It was also my pleasure to meet you at the Michael Fortune presentation. We all felt very lucky to have had Michael speak at our furniture club meeting (Halton Furniture Makers Society).

Thanks for the kind words about the pen. This blank happens to be a blue dyed and stabilized piece that I bought like this. It is dyed and stabilized in a vacuum process that allows the dye to permeate through the wood and give a dense colourization of the material.

I do also dye my own woods for pen making, usually after I turn it to shape as I can not get the same dye penetration as the vacuum process. I use a variety of dyes, alcohol dyes giving me the best results. I have been buying a set of dyes from craft Supply USA called Artisian Dye. They come in a wide variety of colours and finish well for my use in pens. I also have used aniline dye for pens, to show off wood figure..applied as a first step followed by an oil or clear coat it works well too.

Great to see you posting again.

Take care,
Jim

[Wally in Calgary]

Nice Looking pen Jim!! When are you going to send some samples out west here for us to see and test?
Cheers Wally!!

[Brian@Muir]

Karen.. Was it you complaining about your LS 1013 not holding the angles and miters correctly? I was having the same problem and took it to the Makita Service Center in London. The saws have a habit of sawdust getting into the area where you loosen the nut to change the bevel angles and apparently need to be cleaned once and a while. Mine is as good as new. Sorry about hijacking your thread Jim.
Brian

[Karen in Dunrobin]

Brian,
Yes it was me. Thanks for the info. I will have a look at mine and see what it looks like. That makes sense because it would be ok for a few cuts and then off again. That is good news - although I got a great deal on a Dewalt Mitre saw (non slider) and bought one. It will be nice to have both. I will lend out the Makita and let no one else touch the Dewalt http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
Karen

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

Hi Wally,

You can try any one you want..thanks for the kind words!

:
:-)


take care,
Jim

[Brent in Montreal]

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

[HorseshoeHobby]

Jim if I may ask, do you make these with a lathe?
What would you charge for maybe 35 of them in not such an exotic piece of wood?
Thanks
Don

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

Hi Don,

Thanks for your kind words. Yes, I do turn them on a lathe, some people use a drill press as a method as well, but it is most simple on a lather.

If you are interested in seeing more of my work and availability please email me and will forward you my web site link.

Take care,
Jim

[J.P.Rap in Hamilton]

[Jim Shaver Oakville, Ont.]

Hi JP,

I guess you'll see me making a few of these in February and at the Hamilton Wood Show too in January.

I just found out the AAW turned me down as a demonstrator for Louisville...a bit bummed.

Take care,
Jim

[J.P.Rap in Hamilton]

Thats a bummer Jim. Im sorry to hear that. It could have been some good exposure for you...not to mention lots of fun. http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif
See ya in January.
J.P.

[HorseshoeHobby]

Thanks Jim
I do not have a lathe but how would one round the blocks on a drill press?
I would love to see any web shots.