Cook County Boy Scouts learned a new skill and made some memories recently when they learned to use a lathe to make a wooden pen. The Scouts show off their finished product—a unique handmade wooden pen. (L-R) Aaron Breitsprecher, Kyle Martinson, instructor Richard Fortunato, Rusty Day and Alex Ditmanson.
The Cook County Boy Scouts had an enjoyable start to the year while making their own wooden pens turned on a lathe. Richard Fortunato brought his craft and hobby to the Scouts and taught them how to turn wood and make a pen of their own creative design that will last the rest of their lives.
To start, each Scout picked out a blank piece of wood used for just this type of project, which measured about 6” long by ¾” square. Each piece was cut into two pieces of different specified lengths, drilled lengthwise down the center, and then Scouts glued a brass tube into each wood blank. After drying time, each set of blanks was put on a spindle designed for this process to fit the lathe.
Next was the turning of the wood down to their designed styles. After a lathe rough cut to the hoped-for design, each piece then had to be sanded with five or six different grit sandpapers, working from the coarsest to the finest grit. Scouts rubbed on a sub-finish, followed with a hard wax finish. This process got warm to the fingers but the more heat you could stand the glossier the finish.
Alex Ditmanson carefully sands his work. Scouts used gritty to fine sandpaper to smooth the pens for writing.
Finally, the pen was assembled using a press to push the mechanism in the brass tube for operating the ink pen and a beauty cap and tip.
Let the writing begin! The Scouts send a special “thank you” to Richard for his talented services and professional directions in helping them make a memory they can write with.
If you have a hobby that you would like to share with any of the county Boy Scouts, please contact Dan Baumann, Scoutmaster, at (218) 388-2203.
“Wow! Look at those cars go!” The annual Pinewood Derby was held at St. John’s Catholic Church on Saturday, March 31. Above: (L-R) Lucas Sheils, Noah Furcht, Finn Furcht and Preston Benedix. Left: Holding the trophies they won are, (L-R) Caleb Benedix, Vaughn Swindlehurst, Tristen Walton, and Riley Tarver.
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