MTFCA Forum

I am not bringin in alot of money these days so i am running on a tight budget.
1 more year of this limited disability income and i will go on my full retirement,then you folks at these swap meets will have to walk around me to get where you are going. But anyhow,what family I have left are rather well off,due in part to hard work and inheritance. So what does a broke,old southerner give his family members who have everything or can get it for Christmas? Hand made ink pens.
And not just any wood. These are made of Peach. When I was 9 or so,and my cousin was about 5, we got ahold of some peach seeds and we decided to plant them at my grandparents farm, And probably not in the best places either.Only 1 became anything and it was in the flower bed. for decades the family has eat peaches off that tree,froze them for the winter and son on. Well it died awhile back so I got some of the wood,2 pieces about stove wood length,and cut some up for pen stock.My cousin now lives on the farm,so his kids ate from this tree to.
Wood had alot of cracks in it and if you weren't careful it would split on the lathe to. But these turned out ok,except for the top 1, it is to thin at the writing end,the wood split and i decided to try to salvage it,I will carry it and the other 6 will be given to the family members. The finish,I had never done although I read about it,is the cl glue used to assemble the pens. super glue basically. Rub it on there,spray activator on it,sand it smooth and then apply friction wax. I thought in this case the glue may help strengthen the wood to.

So the family ate off the tree,now they can write with it.

Nice work Mack and a very thoughtful gift.

A coworker of my SIL made pens like this. It was fascinating to see how creative
he would get with his layups and turnings and finishes. Fun stuff ! I hope your
recipients are appreciative of your work !

Yes I hope so to, I gave them pens last year or year before last but not made of wood that came from grandpals farm like this. It is a challenge really now adays to give someone something because most folks like in my family have what they need or can get it if they want it,

A couple of years ago I met a man in a wheel chair who made pens like those and taught other people to make them. It was the way he supported himself, I told him I had just re spoked a model T wheel and that he was welcome to the old spokes if he wanted them. He took pictures of the spokes and made a little Certificate that this pen had been made from a real 98 year old model T spoke. even though I didn't ask he gave me one of the pens and said he had put a card in front of those pens that said "Make Offer" he told me that the best offer he got was $75.

Yep,the first 1's I made were from T spokes.
dulls the tools quick though.
I got 5 pieces of olive wood from Israel last year and made 4 pens for my dad to give to his preacher and some other folks .I don't know if I still get that or not with what's going on over there now.
Here is what my cousin had made for me and he made my aunt and uncle 1 to,
My talents are not up to this standard yet,I doubt I will get good enough to do this!

There is nothing better than handmade gifts.
You are to be commended.
Rich