Custom turned pens are a great gift.  Who can't use a pen?  Kits are cheap (eBay, $1-$5), and you can use wood, metal, plastic or even solid surface (like they use for countertops) to make the body of the pen.  You need a mandrel, some bushings (depends on the pen kit which ones you need), and possibly a drill if you don't already have the correct size.  Initial costs are fairly cheap, and you use the mandrel and bushings over and over.

I've made a couple dozen so far, and given away all but the first one I made.  Everyone seems to like them, and they are practical as well.  It only takes a couple hours for each one, start to finish, so you get a real sense of accomplishment right away, instead of the weeks or months to make more complicated stuff.

Make sure you get the correct mandrel for your lathe (fits in the headstock taper), and go from there.  I bought a set of HF gouges, but you really can get by with an old file ground to shape.  I find I only use a couple out of the set, and they needed to be reground anyway (lousy edges, not sharp at all), so it's good practice grinding your own tools.

Post pictures, please!  Always interested in something someone has made.

Here is a link to my photobucket account, which shows some pens, and a rocker engine. 

http://s545.photobucket.com/al…..81/rleete/

Thanks.

Give it a try.  You'd be surprised how easy they are to make.  There are literally dozens of different styles of kits, and combined with the huge variety of woods available, you have a custom pen every time.  You'll also never hear "what's it for?", like when you show off the latest engine!

One word of caution: if you make these on your metal cutting lathe, you have to clean up immediately afterwards.  This is because the wood dust/chips soak up all the oil on the ways, and it hardens to a sticky mess if you don't clean it off.