Tag: 2026

Wes walked through how he makes pens out of spruce cones. Some notes about the process:

Bandsaw off the bulk of the cone under the cap

Shape on new 80 grit belt sander

Wire brush to see pattern

Burn off fuzzy bits as needed

3/32 drill for mini refills, by hand with short jobber bit then with longer aircraft bit

Urethane tubing – Flexible drive belt used as end/tip detail and stop

Use 6000 adhesive for gluing pine cones to metal, Home Depot has it for $4

Finish with Tried & true linseed oil & beeswax

Other creative things to use to make pens – Garlic root and Brussels sprouts

We also had a great show & tell time

Mike demonstrated piercing bowls with an air powered high speed tool spinning 400,000 RPM at 35 PSI. Pressure must be strictly regulated to not damage the tool so a separate regulator is recommended, as well as a water separator. The brand he uses is from SCM, at about $400, but expect to invest $5-600 plus a compressor to get all set up.

As you might expect there is a significant amount of fine dust and smoke generated so a mask is needed but at that speed the grain of the wood does not really affect the cut. It’s best to make the bowl very thin for aesthetics as well as tool performance. Brushes and tiny sanding pens help clean up the rough edges.

We also had a nice collection for show & tell