First Attempt at Making Atlas Pens

[William Young]

Went to my USA post box on Monday and it was closed because of a USA holiday that I was not aware of.
Went back after lunch today and picked up a parcel that contained six Atlas kits.This was a new one for me and I also had to get bushings to match.
Of course I had to head right to my shop and try them out . ;) Got them done just in time for supper.
These have got to be one of the easiest pens to make with just one barrel and the hardware assembly takes about two minutes or less for each one.
I got three chrome and three gold kits on a sale price.

Front to back are;

Light color corn cob
Darker corn cob
Nashville Red Cedar
Cherry burl
Lacewood
Elm

W.Y.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/1718813/4821935/232170258.jpg

[John Charles]

William,
Those pens look really neat, what do you finish with and would you mind sharing your source for the kits and woods!

John

[Gunny]

They do look great Bill... I have to get some of those CornCob blanks...
PennState carries the same kit under the name "Polaris Pens" and the great thing about them is that you only have to turn one tube but it's long enough that you can get creative... I've made some with the Silver Satin finish but I really like that chrome now that I see what you've done with it...

[William Young]

John;
The finish is CA on all of them followed by wax and just a little buffing by hand with a soft cloth.
The supplier I get those kits from is BeartoothWoods. You can google the address and if you can't find it let me know and I will post it.

Gunny.
I very recently found out that the only difference in the Polaris and the Atlas is cosmetics in the trim for the cap on the pen. Otherwise they are identical

PSI sells Polaris for $4.80 and Beartoothwoods sells Atlas for $3.90. Guess where I get mine ;-)
W.Y.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I am assuming the top part above the wood barrel turns to extract the pen??? Looking at this pen it looks smaller than say a slimline, is that so??? What would a pen like this sell for as opose to say a slimline?? I guess if I do get hooked on this pen thing I will be trying different kits also.

[William Young]

Yes, it's a twist pen from the top.
Size is deceiving in a picture . It is exactly 1/2" shorter than a slimline although the fatter single barrel makes it looks shorter than that. It is much fatter than a slimline. (excluding modified slimlines ) They are about the same diameter as the the bottom barrel on a cigar pen.
Skinny standard slimlines do not sell in my area but modified ones sell very well. Occasinally a lady will like the skinny slimline original design to put in her purse but thats about the only ones that buy them so I only keep a half dozen on hand. All the rest of my slimlines are modified in various ways .

Be prepared to buy a new set of bushings for practically every style of pen.

Price depends on your area. Around here those will go for the same price as a slimline at $19.95 if made from free wood like over 90% of mine are.
Purchased blanks will increase the price by the amount the blanks cost as in the stabilized cob ones shown that will sell for around $23.00.
W.Y.

[PaulD]

I've been making the Atlas model for a while now and it is the favorite of my two daughters and they both report favorable comments on the design from their friends and acquaintances at college.

[Shilly0123]

W.Y.

Do you have any tips on your corn cob pens? Those look fantastic! I've been trying to do my own but by the time I turn it down to the bushings, the cob becomes so thin that I basically wear through it. And the finish looks great! What did you use?

Also wanted to comment on your purchases from Beartooth... I order a lot of kits from them. The prices and service are unbeatable!

Shilly0123

[William Young]

the time I turn it down to the bushings, the cob becomes so thin that I basically wear through it.
You are probably using a kit with too small diameter or else you are not using stabilized cobs.
If your cobs are not stabilized you will need to add thin CA and let it penetrate and cure it with accelerator when you are getting close to the bushings. Very sharp tools and a light touch is required .
Cobs are best suited to fatter pens like the Atlas ones shown and Cigar pens etc.

The finish on those pens is CA.

W.Y