Inherited pen blanks from NZ, not sure how to turn
Caleb in Carnduff
>I've inherited a few hundred pen blanks from NZ (honeysuckle, rimu, pahutekawa etc), from an old family friend that passed away. He used to turn the pens as a hobby, sell them at craft sales and forward the proceeds to charity. I'd like to continue that tradition in his honour.
My problem is I don't know how he made the pens. I've made the standard 7mm twist pens and jumbo pens. The blanks I have from him are all 5/8" by 5/8" by 8" and he would turn a simple design and use a bic or equivalent refill inserted in the nose of the pen. So no metal parts, all one piece. Seems to be a 4mm hole in one end, about 5" deep and then the other end was turned off.
I am guessing that he drilled the 4mm hole in one end, slid it onto a mandrel and then gripped the other end with a live center.
My problem is I don't know where to get a 4mm mandrel! OR could he possibly have mounted it some other way?
Could the blocks be used for anything else? They seem too skinny for a jumbo pen...