I See a Red Acrylic and I Want to Paint it …. Taupe?

Yesterday’s entry of How Long DOES it Take? where I touch upon an aspect of pen making seemed to be well received, so I figured let’s keep on track with the behind the scenes entries and follow a few of these pens from yesterday through the entire process.

One thing I need to be mindful about when making a pen from acrylic vs. wood (or almost any other material) is how translucent it is. How much light will pass through to the brass tube in the middle? With the finished product sometimes being as thin as 1/64″ it is often very easy to see the brass tube, especially at the ends where the material tends to be the thinnest. The last thing you want is a beautifully colored acrylic blank on a sparkling Rhodium plated hardware set to be discolored because of the brass. And often times, even if you can’t see the brass, it is still affecting how the final color of the pen is seen.

To combat this, a lot of people started to paint the brass tubes. This is better than leaving them be, but the downside is if the acrylic is thin enough, you can see the glue that adheres the tube to the inside of the acrylic pen blank. And so the process of ‘reverse painting’ was started- painting the inside of the acrylic blank instead of the tube that goes in the hole. But the color doesn’t always have to be a match to the acrylic, especially if you know the finished piece will be a little thicker.

I used to use spray paint, but the fumes and lack of customization was a bother. Plus sometimes it was difficult to get a good solid finish inside of the tube. I’m now using acrylic paint which not only coats nicely, it also lets me mix the colors for a more customized color. So, following some of the blanks I cut and drilled yesterday, here is an example with a blank that has a predominantly teal color in it with a paint mixture I made to match:

Reverse painting a teal blank.

You can see the paint in the drilled opening is almost a perfect match to the teal in the body of the pen. When I turn this, that will be the color that really pops.

Blue pen blank reverse painted.

In the blank above, there were 2 blues and black to choose from, so I went with the lighter blue. Again, I’m looking for a nice pop of the lighter color here.

Red pen blank reverse painted.

And lastly, a red blank painted more of a taupe color. It’s a bit hard to see in this picture, but as you turn this blank in the light there are some very dark undertones. The taupe will help pull those out, adding more dimension.

These will all be allowed to fully cure overnight, at which point I will glue the tubes in place. Then that glue will be allowed to fully cure overnight as well. Have we figured out how long it actually takes to make a pen yet? Some of these paints are good right out of the tube, others need to be hand mixed. Are we counting drying time?

Next week we will follow them on to the lathe.

How Long DOES it Take?

As a pen maker, easily the most common question I’m asked is how long it takes me to make a pen. And that’s really a hard question to answer for a few reasons. Is the body of the pen one piece or two? Is it made from wood or acrylic, or maybe even stone? Did the pieces need any sort of pre-treatment? For instance, pens I’m making with wood from St. Peter’s have, technically, taken 7 months if you include the time I first got the wood from the arborist and cut it up to begin the drying process.

Then there are pens that I make in batches. This is my preferred method and the way I typically make pens. Each phase of the process is bulked together so there is as little time wasted going back and forth as possible. Without getting into too much (boring) detail on what I mean, here’s a picture showing 1 part of the process.

Each pen has a brass tube that goes inside of the pen body. The body is cut slightly longer than the tube, then a hole is drilled and the tube is glued in place (that’s the quick version, there is really more to it than that). But if I’m making a batch of pens, cutting each pen body section to the correct length would be a tedious, time consuming process. So instead I set up my miter saw to make repetitive cuts and do 3 at once.

Cutting multiple pen blanks at once helps move batches of pens along.

The boards clamped to the back are just far enough apart to let the saw blade pass through (also known as zero clearance). This helps make sure the backside of the blanks don’t blow out, or chip apart. Since these 3 pen blanks are all for the same style of pen, I was able to cut all 3 at once. This particular batch has 7 of this style being made so with one cut I was nearly halfway finished.

Some of the more astute readers out there might notice this is a sliding miter saw. I will be working on a special platform that can accommodate more than 3 blanks at once soon. For acrylic, I don’t like to stack them (too slippery) and 3 or 4 was about as many as I could line up here safely before approaching the edge of the bed.

So, how long Does it take me to make a pen? Well, actually cutting these 3 blanks took about 4 seconds. But these pens are Far from finished……….

4 Years Down, the Rest of My Life to Go

Today marks 4 years since I founded Greco Woodcrafting. What started out as a toy company has certainly taken some twists and turns. Woodworker David Marks once said in an interview that you never really know where woodworking will take you. At the time, with my company being just a few months old, I laughed at that. I was doing exactly what I had been dreaming of doing for the past nearly 20 years, why on Earth would I change?

But new Federal regulations forced me to re-think what I would make in my shop. After trying to lobby as a Board member for a non-profit trade group, a year and a half after getting started, I started to look into what I could make instead of toys. And that was a bit of a mistake.

What I should have been thinking of was what other things do I enjoy that I could make? Hindsight is 20/20, and I doubt things would have been any different had somebody suggested that thought to me. It was really one of those journeys you need to take and see where it leads you. To find out first hand that yes, I could make lots of different things that many people would be willing to buy. But in the end the things I make need to be more than that. They need to be more than just things I make. Don’t get me wrong, I love how happy people were with my work, whether it was a clock or a fiber tool. But it wasn’t as satisfying for me personally as I knew it could be, and should be.

Wade, a friend of mine, had been talking to me about pen making. I was reluctant to try it for a few reasons, initially because of needing to buy some very specific tools. I’m more of a calculated risk taker, so the thought of spending money for tools to make items I might not really enjoy was a bit of an obstacle for me. I was also concerned about the quality of the pens I would make. As a sort of amateur pen collector myself, I didn’t want to make something that was junk. Handcrafted pens have components that need to be purchased, and at the end of the day if something goes wrong with the pen it is my name attached to that piece.

Reluctantly I finally gave in. I plunked down the money for the tools and supplies then sat there staring at it for about a month. After finally giving it a try I knew 1 thing: I was hooked.

It was just over a year ago when I made that first pen. I’ve learned a lot and feel my skills are really shining in the pieces I make (and also feel like learning to use a lathe back in college is finally paying off!). The shop is now more of a studio. Pen making is very much an art, and if you were to ask 3 pen makers how they did something you would probably get 3 different answers.

I have been fortunate enough to have a line of my pens carried by a museum and have gotten a nice amount of local publicity (an interesting feeling being at a craft fair and having a stranger walk up to you and say, “Hey! You’re that guy from the newspaper!”). And there’s even more good news to tout in the weeks ahead.

But today on the 4 year mark for Greco Woodcrafting, it’s interesting to look back. To see what I’ve done and just how ‘write’ David Marks was. And Wade, for that matter. I’ve found that very special balance of being able to make what I love and have others who are willing to pay me for it. No, Greco Woodcrafting doesn’t have a 401(k). But that’s OK. I plan on doing this for the rest of my life, day in and day out. And you know what? I’m going to love every minute of it.

A Shot in the Dark

I was recently accepted to be an artist for the juried art show First Friday in Haddonfield, NJ. I was pretty excited after all of the great things I had heard about the event, but I did have 1 major concern. The show ran from 5-9pm, outdoors. Translation- I needed to figure out a way to get some light shining on my pens!

Fellow woodworker Tom Iovino (Tom’s Workbench) wrote a blog post not long ago about customizing your tools. Things like making marks on a table saw for cuts that you repeatedly make in your line of work. Things that, for most woodworkers, we tend to shy away from doing. Tom probably never thought I would take his post and relate it to a plastic folding table, but that’s exactly what I did.

I came up with the idea of mounting some lights at the front end of my table to shine on my pens. The problem I envisioned would be keeping them in place. The front of the table really gets a lot of attention. Children walking by, shoppers leaning over the table, customers trying out their new pen on my pad. I needed a way to keep those lights in place throughout the night. A trip to Lowes later and I had my solution.

Metal strip attached to the table for lights

I bought this 36″ strip of metal for around $2. I used my hacksaw to cut it in the middle where the table folds, then used some epoxy to attach it to the front of the table.

Next I picked up some LED battery operated lights and epoxied a couple of rare earth magnets to the underside.

I thought I was ready, but after an in-house test, I realized the lights did a nice job of making the hardware sparkle, but didn’t give quite enough light to really illuminate the entire pen display. I grabbed the 2 little spotlights I use for taking pictures of my pens for my website and sat them at either end of the table, and BAM! I had a winner…..I think.

Craft table with night display. Front LED's held in place magnetically.

Here you can see a test run in my house. 10pm, all house lights turned off.

I was pretty happy with how it looked (though not very happy at all with my photographs LOL!). Below is a close-up of the pens in the light. I didn’t get any shots at the show itself, but did get compliments from other artists and even had 1 person ask to borrow a set of my LED’s to see how they looked at their table.

In the end I had some good sales despite the bone chilling wind and darkness. If only there was a way I could have gotten rid of the wind!

Close-up of pens in the dark being lit by front LED's and side mini spot lights equipped with true-color bulbs.

50 Caliber Bullet Pen Price Increase

On April 1st I will be increasing the price of my 50 caliber bullet pen from $40 to $45. I am offering the pen for the rest of the month of March at the $40 price with the option to lock in even if I sell through my current on-hand inventory.

I have 1 bullet pen made and ready to ship with a couple others ready to be made. As long as you place a paid order by the end of the month, you will be locked at the current price.

The pen is made from a once-fired .50 caliber machine gun shell. The ‘bullet’ is a piece of curly Walnut from a tree originally harvested by Remington Rifle Co with a 24k gold plated tip. The bullet has been sealed and buffed to a brilliant shine, while the brass shell casing has been left with its natural patina. You can read more about the bullet pen and buy it on my website.

If you have any questions, or if the pen appears to be sold out and you would like to lock in at the $40 rate, please feel free to contact me.

Selling a Pen as 01110000 01100101 01101110

I was struck tonight by the irony of my art. Pens, used for hundreds of years in various forms to write on paper, parchment, etc…, being written about and sold digitally.

Of course my pens sell much better in person. When people can hold them, feel them, and see firsthand the functional piece of art they are buying. But I do well with online sales, too. And yet, even just the idea of listing a pen for sale in an online, digital format seems almost bizarre!

The Digital Age; being prompted by billing companies to ‘go paperless’ and receive your statements via email only. Shoppers are using the latest tablets to surf the web, zooming through item listings with a swipe of their finger to purchase things like my fountain pens. Fountain pens, which may have origins as far back as the 10th century.

I’ve gotten plenty of funny looks when I tell people what I do. I can’t say I fully understand how something that is, for all intents and purposes, the exact opposite of digital sells so well digitally. But I enjoy making pens and my customers enjoy using them, so maybe it’s not so bizarre afterall.

One thing I’ll never understand though, is why it takes a computer “01110000 01100101 01101110″ just to say “pen”.

 

Behind the Scenes: Pen Tool

I’ve decided to start doing some behind the scenes entries to give my readers a better idea of what goes into making a pen. Since I just got a new toy, er, tool earlier this week I thought I’d start there.

The bodies of my pens are made on a lathe where the material spins at a high rate of speed, then a chisel, gouge or some form of tool is introduced to the material surface. The result, as you probably guessed, is the material is removed where it contacts the tool. And up until the other day, I had used a wide array of tools to remove the pen material. Then I got my first carbide tipped tool and everything changed.

Previously I was using High Speed Steel tools that required sharpening every couple of weeks. And the wet grinder I used to sharpen them needed to be flattened, or dressed, before I could do that. Shop time is precious and spending it sitting there sharpening was a sort of necessary evil. You need sharp tools for good cuts, otherwise the material will just be chewed up.

Carbide tip of the tool I use to make pens.

Enter the carbide tipped pen making tool (aka the woodchuck pen pro). The bit on the end of the metal arm stays sharp for MUCH longer than my HSS tools, and when the time (eventually) comes that it is dull I can replace it for just a few dollars. Now, I thought that I was able to get a pretty sharp edge on my old tools, but they pale in comparison to how sharp this is! And there are people who have these that have not changed the tip in almost a year….That is how long these stay sharp.

The only problem (and not so much a problem as a challenge) was that it came without a handle. That’s right, it was just the metal rod and a 2″ tang that seats inside of a handle. I could have bought one from the site I ordered the tool through, but where’s the fun in that? I initially planned on using a nice piece of Cherry for the handle until I came across this beautiful piece of Padauk in my scrap bin. I particularly love the strip of creamy colored sapwood running the length of the handle.

Tool used for making pens, showing the sapwood on the Padauk handcrafted handle.

I used a piece of 3/4″ copper pipe for the ferrule and gave it a finish similar to the finish I use for my pens. The only real difference is this wasn’t buffed out to be super smooth- I want to be sure I have a good grip on the tool when it comes into contact with material spinning at 2,000 RPM. Other than that, like my pens, it was designed with comfort in mind. I prefer a more beefy handle to hold on to, so I was able to make this custom to my grip.

I’ve posted so many pictures of projects I worked on, I thought it would be a nice change to show you what I use to make those projects. I hope you enjoyed it!

Side view of my pen turning tool.

New Pen Line!

As promised, Greco Woodcrafting now has a new line of pens! Called my ‘introductory’ line, these are meant to be an affordable option for people who are new to using a handcrafted pen and might be hesitant to spend too much on trying one out (I certainly never want any customer to have buyer’s remorse). And at just $20 each, these are also at a great price point to be gifts for teachers, co-workers, friends, or family.

Purple with White Swirl Handcrafted Pen from the Greco Woodcrafting Introductory Line of Pens.

Pink and Purple Swirl Handcrafted Pen from the Greco Woodcrafting Introductory Line of Pens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a few things that led me to create this $20 line of pens. The first is my firm belief that there are people who have never tried a handcrafted pen, yet are very interested in doing so. Part of the problem, I believe, is that so many less expensive pens leave the customer wondering if they are simply buying some of the maker’s “Oops!” stock. That is to say, the pens were less expensive because they had flaws.

And although I’m a bit of a dreamer, I’m also a realist. News about the economic times we are living in is everywhere. I’ve had people pick up my pens at shows with that glimmer in their eyes. The glimmer that says “This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen”, only to have the shopper tell me they need to start saving up for one of my pens. That kind of makes me sad, because although I can’t let them set their own price, I hate seeing somebody love what I make that much and have to walk away empty handed.

So what’s the difference? The introductory line costs me a little less than some of the others of a similar style that I make, but the design itself is also a bit more simple. For instance, the front of my more expensive acrylic slim pens have a little double bump for both aesthetics and handling. The rear also has a little flare out that mushrooms slightly near the very tail end. These little details take more time to shape, sand and buff, also lending to the higher price. The introductory line has simple tapers at the ends with a slightly larger front for an easier grip.

The best part is that no matter which of my pens you buy, whether it is $20 or $200, every pen gets the same level of attention to detail as my pens carried by the Philadelphia Independence Seaport Museum. And just like anything else on my website, every introductory pen is ready to ship anywhere in the world!

Slow Down: Cliches at Work

I like to push myself. I enjoy trying new things in my shop and seeing what works. Sometimes I’m surprised that a particular idea worked, other times I’m surprised it didn’t. But trying new ideas is vital to growing as an artist.

For the past week I’ve been working on a new idea. It’s big. It’s so big that it actually has me wondering if it’s too big. Is there such a thing? Can you actually have an idea that is too big, or is it that we are just too afraid to fail? Part of me hates the idea of failing simply because that means either my idea wasn’t good enough or I simply couldn’t execute it properly. But another part of me is afraid to fail because of the monetary investment this particular idea will take.

We all know the cliches – You reap what you sow. Go big or go home. Balls out (which actually has nothing to do with male genitalia). Despite my concerns, my fears, I’m going to do exactly that. I’m going to grab the bull by the horns.

I would rather fail and know I tried my best than never try and wonder “What if?”

Greco Woodcrafting at Riverwinds

Having your own website is interesting. Of course there’s the obvious, you get to display and sell your products or services, but there’s more to it than that. There’s also the spam you receive from people promising to increase your Google rankings, or other such nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, increasing my search ranking is important, but I’m not going to hire a random spammer.

But you also get some good contacts. Just today I received a message from somebody asking me to call them, so I took the chance that it wasn’t related to more search engine optimization and gave the gentleman a call. I am gad I did!

As it turns out, I was invited by the Woodbury Rotary Club to be a guest speaker for their February 28th meeting at the Riverwinds restaurant in Deptford, NJ. I’ll be talking about my pens and will bring along some tools of the trade along with pens in various states of finish. I will also have a select group of my finished products on-hand showing some of what I have available for purchase. I’m expecting a good Q&A session, I just hope I don’t go over the allotted time!

My thanks to the Woodbury Rotary club, I’m looking forward to a great afternoon