Making Pen Rests

Been making pen rests for twenty years using birth year Aussie Pennies I believe there are no sacred cows to acheive an end with tools. I graze the sides of spade bits and reduce their depth to fit coins closely. This one is quite shallow.

My camera in a hurry in the semi dark with flash refused to focus on the bits.

Peter.

Being a receipt of on of Peters pen rests, I can say they are superb.

Looks great :)

Would a forstner bit not be better suited to making the pocket?

Would be if it was the right size. Peter.

I make fridge magnets using Australian Pennies...very popular. A local Tool Sharpener ground a forstner bit down to same diameter as penny and slightly reduced the tip which acts as a guide when drilling. This has proved a godsend..

Great idea George thanks my first preference is a forstner bit these also give grief with that long tip never ever thought of reducing that as well different types vary in that regard. I have sure had rubbish Forstner bits as well. Noting you live in Busselton I guess you count your lucky stars finding someone there to do the mod.

Did you know the mint in Canberra and perhaps Perth have a commemorative Kangaroo Penny slightly larger that covers a lot of other years at 5.00 bucks each.Similar to the kangaroo on one side but you stick the other side down so who cares.

When I polish them I cut a recess neat fit in an oversize dowel on the wood lathe to hold the penny while I polish them. Last night on You Tube gazing a way to hold a penny to facilitate scroll saw cutting and also holding the coin to reduce the thickness for making jewelry and I figured thinner to assist making pens. Welcome to the frorum from 3000 miles away mate.

Give me a pm with your E Mail I figure we can help each other more also including Mark up in Tennant Creek who I talk to often on Skype.

Peter.

A great desk top accessory Peter.

That is beautiful Peter but I don't know if I could allow myself to let a burr be used for anything other than blanks.

paulm said:

That is beautiful Peter but I don't know if I could allow myself to let a burr be used for anything other than blanks.

Click to expand...

One time I bought these as offcuts from a guy who cuts 6000 pen blanks in Burl at a time I selected the ones that had beaut burl under but the burl runs out at the bark side which becomes the top. I often rout the top in shelves so to speak you can see the grain where I shaved the base for the Golf Club and under the pen. He gets his brother to cut them away from here now but they have been handy. I probably will make one for the IAP swap coming up now theming it to suit the person I swap with. One other swap in the US I used morse code for the ladies name using red crystals set in the pen rest.

Pic of our three cats who inhabit the house many hours of the day. Hence the need for incence near the scratch box.

Peter.