Great video, thoroughly enjoyed watching this dip pen come together! I have a slight obsession with writing instruments of this kind. To open a gift and find this lovely work of craftsmanship inside....lovely! Hope that your wife enjoyed the gift.
For anyone interested in buying a dip pen from me I will be launching a kickstarter campaign where you can on June 15th 2016. Your help would be fantastic.
Really enjoyed watching this loved the commentary. Im waiting for my lathe to come in and I'm excited to try my hand at making pens. To start. Then who knows from there but I did learn alot from this thanks so much.
Thank you, I had to re watch to see how I parted. I have to admit I am still a little embarrassed about having blunt tools for the video. I plan to have a new video up soon showing some more advanced dip pen making. Since I uploaded this video I have made a whole bunch more pens and think I have some new things worth sharing now. Feel free to subscribe and ring the bell icon for more :)
That was a fantastic video. Well done. I have only seen a few other dip pen turing videos on youtube and was very excited to find yours. I appreciate your audio quality and the fact that you removed the sound of the late. I have been working on improving my hand writing and would love to learn how to turn pens. They seem pretty bassic and straight forward...I hope to see more pen videos from you!
+Matthew Condon Thank you. To be fair i don't think the sound of a lathe is the most enjoyable noise so if I can spare someone from it I will do. Hopefully sometime soon I will upgrade the lathe and get a super one with easier speed control and less noise than my current model. (which by the way the JET 20 12 is and has been awesome for me) I have a plan to create an oblique angle pen in the future as well as a more ergonomic pen but wouldn't be able to predict when these are likely to come out yet. I also have plans to make a small traveling righting desk with compartments to keep a travel set of pens inks and other equipment but these are the projects I hope to get to in the future and wouldn't be able to predict exactly when their likely to come out.
That all sounds great. I'll be looking forward to seeing them. I am getting into collecting vintage fountain pens. I would enjoy seeing some kind of pen display box/case for fountain pens and/or for the dip pen holders.
I have a few questions: -What is that machine you're using with which you make the handle of the dip pen? -How much does that machine cost and where would I find that machine? -When the handle is finished, does something go in the hole before the nib?
Hi. It sounds like I might have inspired you. The tool is called a lathe, Their available from specialist tool shops/ ebay and a number of online shops. I use the JET 22 12 which is a great little lathe for the price. As well as the lathe you will need a minimum of a gouge and a way to sharpen the gouge. I would highly recommend joining a local wood turning club where you might be able to get some hands on experience and make friends who can give great advice in starting a new hobby. starting out can cost as little as £100 and can easily go upto £1000. If you are interested I currently have a kickstarter showcasing a very unusual dip pen www.kickstarter.com/projects/world-of-woodcraft/dip-pen-and-wand-dippenwand-for-the-magic If you have any more questions I am happy to point you in some useful directions.
Don't worry I understand your question. I like to re enforce the hole with a brass tube. This serves to benefit the pen in a few ways, it means the ferrule can be replaced without risk of damage to the pen. it means you can theoretically weight the inside of the pen to change how it handles, and it means the pen is likely to withstand the forces put on it when turning without braking. The part of the dip pen which holds the nib is called the ferrule, there are a few different ways to make your own but if you shop around you can get them for around 15p per ferrule, these will degrade with use and are supposed to be changed over when they stop working. I have seen ferrules sold for over £1 so it is well worth clicking around a little to find the best deal. Alternatively I know one or two turning suppliers have been known to sell everything you need as a pack. If you are in the UK Turners Workshop has supplied them to me in the past and have always been nice to deal with. (this reminds me I want to buy some metal powders for inlay from them) I hope this helps and if you make something your proud of I hope you share it :)
World Of Woodcraft Thank you. This was very informative. (Fun fact: I'm an American. In fact, I'm from the most hated state in America. And in the end of your comment, you wrote "your" when it should have been "you're". I mainly wrote that as a joke. But thank you.)
Lol to be fair if you are in America you are in a slightly better position than most people here in Europe, being you live in the place where most of the European retailers buy from. I think the big one is called pen state. I would have to google about a little to find the big US retailer. The ferrules degrade at different rates depending on a wide range of factors, how often their used, if they are left in damp conditions, if the user is jamming in nibs and not taking care. I have one that I have been using for 2 + years and its still going strong. if not a little better than it used to be because now its slightly easier to change the nibs. PS America sounds great, its my hope to go and experience it some time. (I'm from a part of England which has been in ressession and suffering austerity since the 70's)
Well? Did she like it? :) Amazing video, it was a pleasure to watch how the pen holder is made. Really nice result, I'd love to have a pen like that. I'm using a plastic one now :((( (it's good, but I'd love the wooden feel, it's more natural and goes better with the fine nib, imo). Great job on the holder and video. Thanks for sharing!
Fantastic. As luck would have it I will soon be in a position to launch a Kickstarter for a new dip pen design called the Doubble Dip Pen. If you back the project there are a number of different pens you can choose as a reward.
Thank you. You might be interested in an upcoming dip pen project. I have become slightly obsessed with these pens and have two kickstarters hoping to introduce new functionality to these fantastic pens. If you subscribe to World Of Woodcraft you should be one of the first to know about them :)
Excellent work ... a question: The metal cylinder that you insert and stick in the dip pen and the other cylinder that holds the pens that you also introduce in the end, what name do you know them and where do you get them?
Thank you... the metal cylinder is just some copper tubing. I got a bunch of 7mm tubing from pen kit suppliers through I am sure you could find it cheaper from non-specialist suppliers. the bit that holds the nibs is somewhat specialist but I have seen them on e bay, called ferrules. I get mine from a company called Slates and Bates near Newcastle in the UK.
thanks for that, I've made other pens on the lathe but I'm going to have a go with a dip pen kit, it looks really nice and finished beautifully. what wood did you use for the dark looking pen? very nice. cheers, from Paul in Adelaide, South Australia.
+SabotPottery Thank you. When I was making these I had a lot of walnut and maple off cuts so that is what I used. The dark wood where you can see the grain is walnut but the black pen is maple which has been ebonised primarily using paint. (I had thought of staining but ended up moving onto other projects) Coming soon is a video showing how to make a striped lamp (depending on when the wire ect comes through the post)
Nice job, need some info, i have been tasked with turning a pen, preferably a fountain pen rather than a dip pen for my father in laws 100 th BD. I do not want to buy a fountain pen kit and toss all the extra parts just to get the nib and reservour , any ideas where i can obtain parts. Thank you kelsey s
+Kelsey Smeltzer Interestingly I'm looking at a similar build. From my research Bock look to be the best quality nibs which are somewhat easy to get your hands on. The best kit makers tend to swap out the nibs from the kits to makers like Bock when selling to people who really love pens. The best place I can currently find is www.beaufortink.co.uk/bocknibs.html
Hi Philippe, I use CA for a few reasons. 1 it's not expensive (I get ca in retail packaging reducing the price to an insignificant amount, 2 it is quick, 3 when cured the finish is resistant to the oils found on fingers and the finish is generally very resistant to most things, 4 it creates a very nice shine. The downsides are 1 it can be difficult to use if you are not prepared, 2 it can be dangerous if you are not prepared (and if you are) . If you are using CA as a finish please be safe.
Thank you for this quick answer ! What do you mean when you're talking about "be care if not prepared" ? Is this about "gluing fingers together" ? ;) Is it the final finishing, or do you apply finally varnish or wax ? One more time, thanks in advance !
That is not a problem. CA has a few ... complications. 1 as it cures it creates heat so if you are using certain types of paper towel to apply the paper can sap up the glue stick to you and burn at the same time. (it hurts) again with paper towels and glue the glue can vaporize and the fumes are not good to breathe, so keep in mind this can happen. I have known glue to "bloom" meaning it crystallizes creating a white powdery finish if you apply too much of it. I would advise applying a smallish amount of glue to the surface and then use a folded and compressed paper towel spread the glue onto the surface of the work you want to finish. the glue works as a final finish though I do love the high gloss achieved when using a burnishing cream, at the moment I use one from Mylands though I hear products for cars work very nicely. I have used waxes in the past and would rave about buffing systems (I think mine is from charnwood but I could be wrong) which buff in things like white dimond and Canooba wax, though with finger oils ect I have found these to dull over time.
Many thanks for this long answer, my friend ... As I viewed on different vids, isn't it preferable to use cotton clothes (just like I do for using wax on wood) ?
I think it's partly personal preference. My problem with cotton is it tends not to rip as easily as paper, It is more expensive and less available in a lint free version (non-dusty version) With ca you will be throwing away everything it touches / you will have ca on your fingers. but it's entirely a personal decision. I tend to use paper towels for applying waxes ect, only using cotton for things like french polishing.
I couldn't be more happy with mine. Its the Jet 12 20 which started out as a small lathe then became a medium sized lathe when I got the extension. I started with a very in expensive lathe (I payed £50 for it) I would avoid the super cheep ones as in my experience they are very badly designed, noisy and the parts are made badly. At the same time my poor lathe encouraged me to invest in something better. I got my Jet 12 20 from www.ockenden-timber.co.uk/ around 5 years ago as at the time they had the best deals and threw in a bag of exotic turning blanks (many of which have been turned into really nice things) It has been a real work horse and has helped me to win a bunch of awards :)
Not a problem. I mentioned Ockenden but there are lots of places where you can buy from. Axminster is one, I like Rutlands tools as they occasionally have ridiculously good offers, stilesandbates tends to have a wide selection and very knowledgeable sails people, and theturnersworkshop is a great place to find intteresting things that are difficult to find elsewhere. I hope this helps and that I havent just made your buying of a lathe a lot more difficult. The one thing I would like on this lathe that it doesn't have is an automatic speed control. (This model requires me to manually change the belt to change speeds which isn't the end of the world but does mean I have to stop and change rather than just change)
I always thought that speed control was something that was pretty standard. I would imagine it would add more to the price tag. And there's me thinking that £300 would get me something decent. Hmm.... Maybe not.
£300 can... and its really a case of looking at what you want to do.. A lot of wood turners will but a lathe and only use it 2 times a year, a hobby lathe is probably going to be fine for these people but if your planning to use it all the time you will need something a bit more substantial. I would defiantly say the best thing to do is find your local club and talk to people. I know at the club I used to be a member of they sold their old demonstration lathe which retails for 1k + for £100 (it had slightly worn baring but still a heck of a lot of life left in her) if you know what your looking for then lathes like the legendary ML8 and Graduate pop up from time to time for very reasonable prices and these lathes were built to last longer than the buildings they were housed in. If you are looking to buy second hand and you have checked out some video's you might get some handy things thrown in.. like some turning gouges and skews, possibly a chuck and some wood. But the best possible thing I can think of is to find a local club and talk to people.. chances are they will have a hands on day where you can get to try out some of the tools and techniques you have seen with the guidance of people who have spent a long time turning and will be able to help out a huge amount. but in terms of cash... As with anything there are lots of places where you can spend coins.. the good thing is you can nearly always justify the cost if you use the tools you buy. (not everyone does which means there are some nearly mint second hand bargains out there if you know where to look )
Enjoyed the video - thanks! I am about to buy a lathe and am in the research stage. I am a beginner but love the idea of making a dip pen to service my other hobby of calligraphy. Where could I buy the metal inserts for the nib? Are you using normal sized tools or the miniature sets I've seen for pen-making? Thank you for taking the time to make these videos to help us new beginners.
Hi this sounds fantastic. I would recommend if you're starting off making a face mask a high priority buy. (when your just starting off is when you're likely to make the most mistakes so protection is even more important at this time. Apart from nibs which are available at most places and I personally love zebra brand nibs at the moment. the components I used were brass tube, available from most places which sell pen kits, The tubes I use are replacements from slim line pen kits which are ideal in diameter to work with a ferrule. Ferrules are the bits which hold the nibs and these are available from most places online auction sites fairly cheaply. I tend to use normal sized tools when possible as I find I have more control of the tool and can produce work without any added complication. I hope this helps. I would highly recommend seeing if there is a turning group near you where you can get some hands-on experience hints and tips :)
Many thanks for your advice. I would love to find a club nearby but have failed to find one. I live in the South Wales valleys in the UK, perhaps there may be another viewer from my area that knows of one. I have found that USA has far more available for most hobbies. I am so enjoying learning through TH-cam.
The AWGB might be worth taking a look at. www.awgb.co.uk/club-map/ From the looks of things you might have to travel a little further than I do but I know there are a few professional turners from South Wales. Occasionally the UK has big symposiums which could be worth traveling to like UKIS and the AWGB conventions which pull together not just local talent but international talent as well. I don't know of any that are imminent but If you have a woodworking hero you might be able to see them in the flesh and give them the thumbs up for doing a good job.
+Tiến Hoàng Đinh Not a problem. I plan to make another video in the nearish future showing how this make can be embellished to make something with breathtaking prettiness.
Hopefully I have given enough information that your sister can craft one for you. It is a very rewarding thing to be able to make something for someone who appreciates it. If not then I now have an online shop where you can get a nice wooden dip pen :) www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheWorldOfWoodcraft?ref=hdr_shop_menu
In a year-old answer to a question, you mention getting the ferrules for about 15p each if you shop around - but I've just sat for hours into the night, searching EVERYWHERE I can think of... Google, eBay, Amazon... and the ONLY ones I could find at ALL were in a pack of 24 from the USA, incurring ridiculous postage costs, PLUS, no doubt, customs charges as well! WHY can't we get then here in the UK? Does NOBODY stock them? Or aren't there enough people wanting to make their own pens over here to make it worth while? Does America have the monopoly on pen ferrules? Can you help, please?
Lol I have the same UK thing going on, I can find a product but then transport can be an issue. (more so recently) Stiles an Bates has helped me out, www.stilesandbates.co.uk/product.php/section/6131/sn/LCALIG_MST There is also a turners supplies based in Newcastle who often have good deals with ferrules + nibs (the nibs can be the expensive bit) However I have just taken a little look and cannot currently find the offer. My first big bag came from eBay, I suspect they all come from the same wholesaler and I got lucky the first time.
Okay - thanks for replying so promptly! Nibs aren't an issue for me - I bought loads of Gillot 303 nibs for pen-and-ink drawing many years ago, in a job-lot from a little stationery shop that was selling them for something like 2p each, would you believe? I bought their entire stock! I told the lady I was 'stocking-up for life' - and I was indeed!I've always used my existing pen holders up till now, but I've always had a dream of making my own, special one, one day, and I stumbled upon your channel after my son told me he'd bought himself a small lathe! I've always been into making 'treen' as they call it - especially wooden nose-flutes (see my own video: th-cam.com/video/XvEy1-Tm4eM/w-d-xo.html and my granddad had been a bone and wood turner, too.It's just this problem of getting hold of those purpose-made ferrules - though, I suppose, it IS possible to simply use a short, brass or stainless tube of the right internal diameter to reinforce and line the hole, while improvising the filler by using something like a suitable-sized, polypropylene rawlplug? I actually used a plastic rawlplug when I converted an old, broken fountain pen into a dip pen once - and it's my favourite one to draw with!
Having said all that - I just bought 20 ferrules online from Stiles and Bates, so thanks for telling me about them! They don't come up when you search for nib ferrules on Google! Sorted! Thanks again!
to be fair, I think I might be in the minority of people re-enforcing the shaft, certainly when i look at other dip pens it doesn't seem to be common, I suspect you could use anything to do this from a sliver of a drink can to some plastic tubing. The 7mm brass tubes are just easy for me to get (they are used on all slimline pens). Using a fountain pen nib sounds like a great idea. They do tend to be a little expensive but probably well worth the cost if it results in the best dip pen experience. I have been eyeing up some bock nibs, I might have to have an experiment. thank you for letting me know. With Stiles and Bates i suspect they have fab products but might benefit from a little search engine optimisation. The good thing is we will be halping by mentioning them here.
I think you're right to reinforce the shaft like that! when I look at some of my plastic, so-called 'calligraphy' dip pens, they just have the springy nib-holder inside an unsupported plastic hole - so the plastic around it could easily split one day when changing a nib. With a special, precious, hand-made, wooden pen, there is even more of a tendency for the wood grain to split around the hole, so I've also sourced and ordered some 7mm brass tubes to go with my ferrules! I want mine to LAST!When I said I converted an old fountain pen, I didn't retain its original nib. I wanted to use it for pen-and-ink cartoon drawing - the main use of all my dip pens. For my speech-bubble lettering, I have a stock of ancient Waverley writing nibs that I bought from the same little shop - while for drawing I favour Gillot 303 nibs, which are still available, I happen to know, from artists' and specialist suppliers at around 79p each.The beauty of the 303s is that they have a sharp point for light, fine lines, but they open under pressure to give a heavier, varied line thickness. They are also recommended for copperplate script.
Great video, thoroughly enjoyed watching this dip pen come together! I have a slight obsession with writing instruments of this kind. To open a gift and find this lovely work of craftsmanship inside....lovely! Hope that your wife enjoyed the gift.
For anyone interested in buying a dip pen from me I will be launching a kickstarter campaign where you can on June 15th 2016. Your help would be fantastic.
Really enjoyed watching this loved the commentary. Im waiting for my lathe to come in and I'm excited to try my hand at making pens. To start. Then who knows from there but I did learn alot from this thanks so much.
Where do you get the kit?
Interesting video.....lovely pen.... liked your method of parting off.....thanks
Thank you, I had to re watch to see how I parted. I have to admit I am still a little embarrassed about having blunt tools for the video. I plan to have a new video up soon showing some more advanced dip pen making. Since I uploaded this video I have made a whole bunch more pens and think I have some new things worth sharing now. Feel free to subscribe and ring the bell icon for more :)
Super!! Watched it from start to finish with much excitement.
Top stuff. Thank you for commenting. I hope to have time to make more videoes soon.
That was a fantastic video. Well done. I have only seen a few other dip pen turing videos on youtube and was very excited to find yours. I appreciate your audio quality and the fact that you removed the sound of the late. I have been working on improving my hand writing and would love to learn how to turn pens. They seem pretty bassic and straight forward...I hope to see more pen videos from you!
+Matthew Condon Thank you. To be fair i don't think the sound of a lathe is the most enjoyable noise so if I can spare someone from it I will do. Hopefully sometime soon I will upgrade the lathe and get a super one with easier speed control and less noise than my current model. (which by the way the JET 20 12 is and has been awesome for me) I have a plan to create an oblique angle pen in the future as well as a more ergonomic pen but wouldn't be able to predict when these are likely to come out yet. I also have plans to make a small traveling righting desk with compartments to keep a travel set of pens inks and other equipment but these are the projects I hope to get to in the future and wouldn't be able to predict exactly when their likely to come out.
That all sounds great. I'll be looking forward to seeing them. I am getting into collecting vintage fountain pens. I would enjoy seeing some kind of pen display box/case for fountain pens and/or for the dip pen holders.
Great video. Thanks.
+Mark EM Thank you.. I am working on a few more which I hope you will find just as good.
Simply wonderful! Brilliant!
Thank you for your kind words
So if this pen was a bit wibbly wobbly, is the next gonna be the timey wimey pen?
+William Prince Bits of the video were sped up in a wibbly wobbly timey wimey way. Hope you like it.
+World Of Woodcraft liked the video. Just heard wibbley wobbly and my brain went straight to Dr Who. :~)
it is a really good show. :D
this craft looks so much fun
+bgtip I'm not going to lie to you. It isn't just fun, its awesome rewarding too :)
I have a few questions:
-What is that machine you're using with which you make the handle of the dip pen?
-How much does that machine cost and where would I find that machine?
-When the handle is finished, does something go in the hole before the nib?
Hi. It sounds like I might have inspired you. The tool is called a lathe, Their available from specialist tool shops/ ebay and a number of online shops. I use the JET 22 12 which is a great little lathe for the price. As well as the lathe you will need a minimum of a gouge and a way to sharpen the gouge. I would highly recommend joining a local wood turning club where you might be able to get some hands on experience and make friends who can give great advice in starting a new hobby. starting out can cost as little as £100 and can easily go upto £1000. If you are interested I currently have a kickstarter showcasing a very unusual dip pen www.kickstarter.com/projects/world-of-woodcraft/dip-pen-and-wand-dippenwand-for-the-magic If you have any more questions I am happy to point you in some useful directions.
Don't worry I understand your question.
I like to re enforce the hole with a brass tube. This serves to benefit the pen in a few ways, it means the ferrule can be replaced without risk of damage to the pen. it means you can theoretically weight the inside of the pen to change how it handles, and it means the pen is likely to withstand the forces put on it when turning without braking.
The part of the dip pen which holds the nib is called the ferrule, there are a few different ways to make your own but if you shop around you can get them for around 15p per ferrule, these will degrade with use and are supposed to be changed over when they stop working. I have seen ferrules sold for over £1 so it is well worth clicking around a little to find the best deal. Alternatively I know one or two turning suppliers have been known to sell everything you need as a pack. If you are in the UK Turners Workshop has supplied them to me in the past and have always been nice to deal with. (this reminds me I want to buy some metal powders for inlay from them)
I hope this helps and if you make something your proud of I hope you share it :)
World Of Woodcraft
Thank you. This was very informative.
(Fun fact: I'm an American. In fact, I'm from the most hated state in America. And in the end of your comment, you wrote "your" when it should have been "you're". I mainly wrote that as a joke. But thank you.)
Also, how long does it take to the ferrule to ware out?
Lol to be fair if you are in America you are in a slightly better position than most people here in Europe, being you live in the place where most of the European retailers buy from. I think the big one is called pen state. I would have to google about a little to find the big US retailer.
The ferrules degrade at different rates depending on a wide range of factors, how often their used, if they are left in damp conditions, if the user is jamming in nibs and not taking care. I have one that I have been using for 2 + years and its still going strong. if not a little better than it used to be because now its slightly easier to change the nibs.
PS America sounds great, its my hope to go and experience it some time. (I'm from a part of England which has been in ressession and suffering austerity since the 70's)
Well? Did she like it? :)
Amazing video, it was a pleasure to watch how the pen holder is made. Really nice result, I'd love to have a pen like that. I'm using a plastic one now :((( (it's good, but I'd love the wooden feel, it's more natural and goes better with the fine nib, imo). Great job on the holder and video. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful skills !
really a master hope i could have one of your craft sir amazing like it
Fantastic. As luck would have it I will soon be in a position to launch a Kickstarter for a new dip pen design called the Doubble Dip Pen. If you back the project there are a number of different pens you can choose as a reward.
Where can I get the metal insert parts?
Hello, I am about to create an etsy shop location where you can buy kits. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheWorldOfWoodcraft
Brass...
I can't find where I can buy metal insert parts
really beautiful!!!
Thank you. You might be interested in an upcoming dip pen project.
I have become slightly obsessed with these pens and have two kickstarters hoping to introduce new functionality to these fantastic pens. If you subscribe to World Of Woodcraft you should be one of the first to know about them :)
Excellent work ... a question: The metal cylinder that you insert and stick in the dip pen and the other cylinder that holds the pens that you also introduce in the end, what name do you know them and where do you get them?
Thank you... the metal cylinder is just some copper tubing. I got a bunch of 7mm tubing from pen kit suppliers through I am sure you could find it cheaper from non-specialist suppliers. the bit that holds the nibs is somewhat specialist but I have seen them on e bay, called ferrules. I get mine from a company called Slates and Bates near Newcastle in the UK.
Thanks a lot...!
Not a problem at all. I hope you have tons of success
thanks for that, I've made other pens on the lathe but I'm going to have a go with a dip pen kit, it looks really nice and finished beautifully. what wood did you use for the dark looking pen? very nice. cheers, from Paul in Adelaide, South Australia.
+SabotPottery Thank you. When I was making these I had a lot of walnut and maple off cuts so that is what I used. The dark wood where you can see the grain is walnut but the black pen is maple which has been ebonised primarily using paint. (I had thought of staining but ended up moving onto other projects) Coming soon is a video showing how to make a striped lamp (depending on when the wire ect comes through the post)
Nice job, need some info, i have been tasked with turning a pen, preferably a fountain pen rather than a dip pen for my father in laws 100 th BD. I do not want to buy a fountain pen kit and toss all the extra parts just to get the nib and reservour , any ideas where i can obtain parts. Thank you kelsey s
+Kelsey Smeltzer Interestingly I'm looking at a similar build. From my research Bock look to be the best quality nibs which are somewhat easy to get your hands on. The best kit makers tend to swap out the nibs from the kits to makers like Bock when selling to people who really love pens. The best place I can currently find is www.beaufortink.co.uk/bocknibs.html
Hi !
an you please tell me why do you apply CA glue on the dip pen (as finition ?) ?
Thanks in advance !
Philippe, from France
Hi Philippe,
I use CA for a few reasons. 1 it's not expensive (I get ca in retail packaging reducing the price to an insignificant amount, 2 it is quick, 3 when cured the finish is resistant to the oils found on fingers and the finish is generally very resistant to most things, 4 it creates a very nice shine. The downsides are 1 it can be difficult to use if you are not prepared, 2 it can be dangerous if you are not prepared (and if you are) . If you are using CA as a finish please be safe.
Thank you for this quick answer !
What do you mean when you're talking about "be care if not prepared" ? Is this about "gluing fingers together" ? ;)
Is it the final finishing, or do you apply finally varnish or wax ?
One more time, thanks in advance !
That is not a problem. CA has a few ... complications. 1 as it cures it creates heat so if you are using certain types of paper towel to apply the paper can sap up the glue stick to you and burn at the same time. (it hurts) again with paper towels and glue the glue can vaporize and the fumes are not good to breathe, so keep in mind this can happen. I have known glue to "bloom" meaning it crystallizes creating a white powdery finish if you apply too much of it. I would advise applying a smallish amount of glue to the surface and then use a folded and compressed paper towel spread the glue onto the surface of the work you want to finish. the glue works as a final finish though I do love the high gloss achieved when using a burnishing cream, at the moment I use one from Mylands though I hear products for cars work very nicely. I have used waxes in the past and would rave about buffing systems (I think mine is from charnwood but I could be wrong) which buff in things like white dimond and Canooba wax, though with finger oils ect I have found these to dull over time.
Many thanks for this long answer, my friend ...
As I viewed on different vids, isn't it preferable to use cotton clothes (just like I do for using wax on wood) ?
I think it's partly personal preference. My problem with cotton is it tends not to rip as easily as paper, It is more expensive and less available in a lint free version (non-dusty version) With ca you will be throwing away everything it touches / you will have ca on your fingers. but it's entirely a personal decision. I tend to use paper towels for applying waxes ect, only using cotton for things like french polishing.
Enjoyed watching your video mate. I'm thinking about getting a small wood turning lathe from Axminster in the UK. You happy with yours?
I couldn't be more happy with mine. Its the Jet 12 20 which started out as a small lathe then became a medium sized lathe when I got the extension.
I started with a very in expensive lathe (I payed £50 for it) I would avoid the super cheep ones as in my experience they are very badly designed, noisy and the parts are made badly. At the same time my poor lathe encouraged me to invest in something better.
I got my Jet 12 20 from www.ockenden-timber.co.uk/ around 5 years ago as at the time they had the best deals and threw in a bag of exotic turning blanks (many of which have been turned into really nice things) It has been a real work horse and has helped me to win a bunch of awards :)
Nice! Thanks for the recommendations. I shall take a look at them.
Not a problem. I mentioned Ockenden but there are lots of places where you can buy from. Axminster is one, I like Rutlands tools as they occasionally have ridiculously good offers, stilesandbates tends to have a wide selection and very knowledgeable sails people, and theturnersworkshop is a great place to find intteresting things that are difficult to find elsewhere. I hope this helps and that I havent just made your buying of a lathe a lot more difficult.
The one thing I would like on this lathe that it doesn't have is an automatic speed control. (This model requires me to manually change the belt to change speeds which isn't the end of the world but does mean I have to stop and change rather than just change)
I always thought that speed control was something that was pretty standard. I would imagine it would add more to the price tag. And there's me thinking that £300 would get me something decent. Hmm.... Maybe not.
£300 can... and its really a case of looking at what you want to do.. A lot of wood turners will but a lathe and only use it 2 times a year, a hobby lathe is probably going to be fine for these people but if your planning to use it all the time you will need something a bit more substantial. I would defiantly say the best thing to do is find your local club and talk to people. I know at the club I used to be a member of they sold their old demonstration lathe which retails for 1k + for £100 (it had slightly worn baring but still a heck of a lot of life left in her) if you know what your looking for then lathes like the legendary ML8 and Graduate pop up from time to time for very reasonable prices and these lathes were built to last longer than the buildings they were housed in. If you are looking to buy second hand and you have checked out some video's you might get some handy things thrown in.. like some turning gouges and skews, possibly a chuck and some wood. But the best possible thing I can think of is to find a local club and talk to people.. chances are they will have a hands on day where you can get to try out some of the tools and techniques you have seen with the guidance of people who have spent a long time turning and will be able to help out a huge amount. but in terms of cash... As with anything there are lots of places where you can spend coins.. the good thing is you can nearly always justify the cost if you use the tools you buy. (not everyone does which means there are some nearly mint second hand bargains out there if you know where to look )
Enjoyed the video - thanks! I am about to buy a lathe and am in the research stage. I am a beginner but love the idea of making a dip pen to service my other hobby of calligraphy.
Where could I buy the metal inserts for the nib?
Are you using normal sized tools or the miniature sets I've seen for pen-making?
Thank you for taking the time to make these videos to help us new beginners.
Hi this sounds fantastic. I would recommend if you're starting off making a face mask a high priority buy. (when your just starting off is when you're likely to make the most mistakes so protection is even more important at this time.
Apart from nibs which are available at most places and I personally love zebra brand nibs at the moment. the components I used were brass tube, available from most places which sell pen kits, The tubes I use are replacements from slim line pen kits which are ideal in diameter to work with a ferrule. Ferrules are the bits which hold the nibs and these are available from most places online auction sites fairly cheaply.
I tend to use normal sized tools when possible as I find I have more control of the tool and can produce work without any added complication.
I hope this helps. I would highly recommend seeing if there is a turning group near you where you can get some hands-on experience hints and tips :)
Many thanks for your advice. I would love to find a club nearby but have failed to find one. I live in the South Wales valleys in the UK, perhaps there may be another viewer from my area that knows of one. I have found that USA has far more available for most hobbies. I am so enjoying learning through TH-cam.
The AWGB might be worth taking a look at. www.awgb.co.uk/club-map/ From the looks of things you might have to travel a little further than I do but I know there are a few professional turners from South Wales. Occasionally the UK has big symposiums which could be worth traveling to like UKIS and the AWGB conventions which pull together not just local talent but international talent as well. I don't know of any that are imminent but If you have a woodworking hero you might be able to see them in the flesh and give them the thumbs up for doing a good job.
I have just signed up to their forum and I will watch out for any events. Many thanks
Thanks !
+Tiến Hoàng Đinh Not a problem. I plan to make another video in the nearish future showing how this make can be embellished to make something with breathtaking prettiness.
+World Of Woodcraft Great ! I'm waiting for this !
If I may, where do you buy your pen nibs?
Thank you for the swift reply!
How lovely
I hope I can get my sister to figure this out... I'm desperate for a wooden dip pen, they're so difficult to come by where I'm from...
Hopefully I have given enough information that your sister can craft one for you. It is a very rewarding thing to be able to make something for someone who appreciates it. If not then I now have an online shop where you can get a nice wooden dip pen :) www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TheWorldOfWoodcraft?ref=hdr_shop_menu
In a year-old answer to a question, you mention getting the ferrules for about 15p each if you shop around - but I've just sat for hours into the night, searching EVERYWHERE I can think of... Google, eBay, Amazon... and the ONLY ones I could find at ALL were in a pack of 24 from the USA, incurring ridiculous postage costs, PLUS, no doubt, customs charges as well! WHY can't we get then here in the UK? Does NOBODY stock them? Or aren't there enough people wanting to make their own pens over here to make it worth while? Does America have the monopoly on pen ferrules? Can you help, please?
Lol I have the same UK thing going on, I can find a product but then transport can be an issue. (more so recently) Stiles an Bates has helped me out, www.stilesandbates.co.uk/product.php/section/6131/sn/LCALIG_MST There is also a turners supplies based in Newcastle who often have good deals with ferrules + nibs (the nibs can be the expensive bit) However I have just taken a little look and cannot currently find the offer. My first big bag came from eBay, I suspect they all come from the same wholesaler and I got lucky the first time.
Okay - thanks for replying so promptly! Nibs aren't an issue for me - I bought loads of Gillot 303 nibs for pen-and-ink drawing many years ago, in a job-lot from a little stationery shop that was selling them for something like 2p each, would you believe? I bought their entire stock! I told the lady I was 'stocking-up for life' - and I was indeed!I've always used my existing pen holders up till now, but I've always had a dream of making my own, special one, one day, and I stumbled upon your channel after my son told me he'd bought himself a small lathe! I've always been into making 'treen' as they call it - especially wooden nose-flutes (see my own video: th-cam.com/video/XvEy1-Tm4eM/w-d-xo.html and my granddad had been a bone and wood turner, too.It's just this problem of getting hold of those purpose-made ferrules - though, I suppose, it IS possible to simply use a short, brass or stainless tube of the right internal diameter to reinforce and line the hole, while improvising the filler by using something like a suitable-sized, polypropylene rawlplug? I actually used a plastic rawlplug when I converted an old, broken fountain pen into a dip pen once - and it's my favourite one to draw with!
Having said all that - I just bought 20 ferrules online from Stiles and Bates, so thanks for telling me about them! They don't come up when you search for nib ferrules on Google! Sorted! Thanks again!
to be fair, I think I might be in the minority of people re-enforcing the shaft, certainly when i look at other dip pens it doesn't seem to be common, I suspect you could use anything to do this from a sliver of a drink can to some plastic tubing. The 7mm brass tubes are just easy for me to get (they are used on all slimline pens). Using a fountain pen nib sounds like a great idea. They do tend to be a little expensive but probably well worth the cost if it results in the best dip pen experience. I have been eyeing up some bock nibs, I might have to have an experiment. thank you for letting me know. With Stiles and Bates i suspect they have fab products but might benefit from a little search engine optimisation. The good thing is we will be halping by mentioning them here.
I think you're right to reinforce the shaft like that! when I look at some of my plastic, so-called 'calligraphy' dip pens, they just have the springy nib-holder inside an unsupported plastic hole - so the plastic around it could easily split one day when changing a nib. With a special, precious, hand-made, wooden pen, there is even more of a tendency for the wood grain to split around the hole, so I've also sourced and ordered some 7mm brass tubes to go with my ferrules! I want mine to LAST!When I said I converted an old fountain pen, I didn't retain its original nib. I wanted to use it for pen-and-ink cartoon drawing - the main use of all my dip pens. For my speech-bubble lettering, I have a stock of ancient Waverley writing nibs that I bought from the same little shop - while for drawing I favour Gillot 303 nibs, which are still available, I happen to know, from artists' and specialist suppliers at around 79p each.The beauty of the 303s is that they have a sharp point for light, fine lines, but they open under pressure to give a heavier, varied line thickness. They are also recommended for copperplate script.
666 subscribers wtf
667 now :) It's been around that number for a while now, I haven't been super active as a creator for this platform.