Introduction and Rationale
In a previous post, I wrote about many of the general characteristics of working with Corian as a pen making material. That post came about as a result of a project in which I decided to make a batch of 36 pens using Corian blanks and Slimline pen kits from two vendors: Woodcraft and Craft Supply USA. The kits were essentially identical, although there was an extremely slight difference in the length of the brass tubes. This difference had no effect in the assembly of the pens however as the blanks were mixed by accident although I had kept the blanks for each manufacturer separate initially. So goes one of the risks of a shared shop space. My motive in making this batch of pens was simply to use the kits. I had purchased them years before and as I had the kits and I had the Corian I went with it. I don’t have any more Slimline pen kits but I still have a great deal of Corian, so mission partially accomplished. In what will be a series of 9 consecutive posts, I intend to discuss in detail each discrete step in the process of making this batch of Corian pens. I hope you enjoy this in-depth look at the pen making process in general, and the use of Corian as a material in specific.
Wow, All Done!
It has been quite the odyssey, making 36 pens all at one time. Making pens is something of a vocation I think. Pen making isn’t something that someone does casually because there are just too many discrete steps and processes for it to be simple. But it is a satisfying and worthwhile sort of hobby in that you end up with a tangible and useable item when you are done investing the effort, time, and finances on pen kits, materials, and tools. There are, honestly, worse things you could do with your time!
30 of the 36 Finished Pens
A Corian Pen As A Gift
If you intend to give your newly made pens away as gifts, and they made great gifts because most people have never seen, much less a custom pen made just for them, and everyone at some point needs a pen. And of those people who have seen or owned a custom pen, few of those folks will have had one made from Corian. Believe me, most people have no idea that you even can make a pen from Corian, so they are often quite impressed and pleased. The reason the photo above only features 30 of the 36 pens I made is because I gave away the other 6 as gifts before all the pens were completed and photographed, but I do have a photo of some of the gift pens, complete with specialty pen clips below.
4 Gift Corian Pens with Specialty Clips – Left to Right: Faith, Golf, Basketball, Soccer
Pen Presentation
If you are going to give the pen as a gift, you might want to think about how you are going to present it aside from just handing it to someone naked, so to speak. The pen would be naked, not you presumably, but hey, if that’s your thing, I’m good with that too.I often present my gift pens in a purpose made box lined with velvet. These are easy to purchase and don’t add a great deal of cost to the endeavor. You can go very upgrade on the pen box if you wish by purchasing presentation boxes made of fine hardwood, or if you are a skilled enough woodworker in addition to your lathe skills, you could make a box yourself out of most any material you wish. Whichever you choose, a presentation case or box really dresses up the experience.
Adding a Final Personal Touch
Most often, when giving a pen away as a gift, I write and include a little summary statement about the process used to make the pen and then give details about the material the pen is made from. Many people enjoy knowing these details about their pen as it really helps bring the gift to life. I have written about these inserts in greater detail in a post you can find here.
My Next Project
Now that the big Corian pen project is finished, it is time to think ahead to the next big project I shall undertake. I am not certain what it will be yet but I do know that I have some parts of razors and stands that I intend to use to make Christmas gifts for the male members of the family because my Dad greatly enjoys and uses the two that I have made for him. I also have some pre-drilled pepper and salt mills along with the requisite parts that I intend to use to make some gifts for some other members of the family because my Mom has so enjoyed the two salt mills she has that I made for her and I enjoy using the salt and pepper mills here at the house that I made and kept. And finally, I have pulled over 40 bowl size blanks of various species and sizes from my overflowing stocks that I intend to turn into bowls, some of which will without doubt end up as gifts for different people this season. So you never know what might turn up next, so to speak, here on Wood Turning Pens. Stay tuned and do a good turn today.