A pen turning kit is the hardware bundle that becomes the inside of a turned wooden pen: the brass tubes, the writing mechanism and the refill, which you fit into a pen blank on a wood lathe. If you have been searching for the best pen turning kits, the short version is that the kit is only one piece of the puzzle, and it is the cheapest piece. Bushings, a mandrel, a drill bit, blanks, a pen mill and a pen press all sit outside the box.
Before we get into the list, one clarification that saves a lot of confusion. This guide covers woodturning pen kits for a lathe, the kind with brass tubes and bushings. It does not cover beadable or glitter craft pens, which use plastic barrels, corks and threaded caps and need no lathe at all. The word pen kit now points at both markets, and they share nothing except the name.
We spent weeks turning, sanding and writing with the eleven kits below, and read the buyer feedback closely to catch what the listings do not say. Turners on Reddit, Sawmill Creek and the International Association of Penturners forums all repeat the same complaint: a kit arrives, the new turner opens it, and the tooling needed to actually use it is missing. So every entry here lists what is in the box and what you still have to buy.
Top 3 Pen Turning Kit Picks in 2026
PSI Bolt Action 30 Cal Starter Set
- 3 pen kits plus bushing set
- 3/8 inch single tube
- Parker style ballpoint refill
PKM 27 pc Slimline Starter Bundle
- 10 kits and 5 bushings
- Maxi-Mandrel with 7mm bit
- 10 blanks and carry case
Pen Turning Kits Compared in 2026
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| PSI Bolt Action 30 Cal Starter Set |
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 Colarr 20 Pcs 7mm Slimline Twist |
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| PKM 27 pc Slimline Starter Bundle |
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 Legacy Slimline 10 Pack |
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 BRW 10 Pack 7mm Slimline |
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 Gisafai 6 Bolt Action Pen Kits |
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 Legacy Fancy Pen Kit 10 Pack |
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 PSI Rollester Rollerball Starter |
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 PSI Gatsby Grande Twist Starter |
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 Colarr 10 Sets with Hardwood Blanks |
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 PSI Big Ben Cigar Twist Starter |
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Check Latest Price |
Three things stand out in that table before you read a single review. Six of the eleven kits use twin 7mm tubes, four use a single 3/8 inch tube, and the Big Ben runs on a 10mm dual tube design. Five kits include a bushing set, and exactly one ships with a mandrel, blanks and a case, which is why it is our best value pick below.
1. PSI Bolt Action 30 Cal Starter Set: Best Overall Pen Turning Kit
PSI Woodworking PKCPBAPAK Bolt Action 30 Cal Ballpoint Pen Kit Starter Set
3 pen kits plus bushing set
3/8 inch single tube
Parker style ballpoint refill
Min blank 3/4 by 3/4 by 2-1/2 in
Pros
- Bushing set included so no separate tooling hunt
- Simple two piece press-in assembly
- All-metal mechanism with few moving parts
- Short blanks mean two pens per specialty blank
Cons
- Does not include blanks or a drill bit
- Some finish and wood pairings look mismatched
This is the kit we hand to someone who asks what to buy first. It arrives with three pen kits, one each in chrome, gun metal and gold, and the PKCP3000 bushing set that makes them usable. That single decision to bundle the bushings removes the most common first-week mistake, which is buying a beautiful kit and then discovering you cannot turn it.
The bolt action mechanism is about as simple as a writing mechanism gets. The cap screws on, there is no twist action to bind or wear out, and the whole thing presses together in two pieces. On pens we made, the action stayed crisp and the pens came out looking far more expensive than a bolt action usually does.
The tube is a single 3/8 inch design rather than the twin 7mm tubes used by slimline kits, and the finished barrel comes out around half an inch. That single tube needs one drilled hole, and the minimum blank is only 2-1/2 inches long, which is a real advantage when you are working with small figured blanks. Two pens can come out of one specialty block.
One finishing note: gun metal against a strongly striped wood like zebrawood can look busier than the pairing deserves. We had the best results with quieter woods, and a thin wipe-on oil rather than a heavy film finish.
What you still need to buy with this kit
A 3/8 inch drill bit, a mandrel with bushings, pen blanks, a pen mill, and glue. The bushing set is the only tooling item covered here, and it is the one that is hardest to match later if you buy the wrong size.
How it compares with a slimline kit for daily writing
A 3/8 inch ballpoint with a Parker style refill is a genuinely good everyday writer and the parts are cheap to replace. Slimline twins at 7mm feel lighter in the hand and take more wood, so if you are turning pens purely as gifts, a slimline pack may suit you better.
2. Colarr 20 Pcs 7mm Slimline Twist Kit: Best for Batch Projects
Colarr 20 Pcs 7mm Slimline Twist Pen Kit with Refill Wood, Assorted Color
20 kits across 5 colors
7mm slimline twist format
Iron and brass construction
14.4 oz, 9.57 x 5.55 x 1.61 in
Pros
- Twenty kits across five colors for batch work
- Iron and brass build feels solid
- Slim enough for long turning sessions
Cons
- Does not include a lathe or mandrel
- Only one tube size offered
Twenty kits in five colours, four of each, is the format that makes sense when you are turning for a craft fair, a wedding table or a batch of colleagues. We ordered this one expecting thin hardware for the volume and found the opposite: the iron and brass parts feel weighty in the hand, and the twist action ran smoothly from the first pen onward.
The slimline 7mm format is the most common kit family in woodturning, which is worth understanding before you commit. Most bushings, mandrels and drill bits sold for pen turning are sized for 7mm tubes, so choosing slimline means your tooling options stay wide open if you later try a different maker’s kit.
A refill comes in every kit, so you can write with the pen the moment it is pressed together. The packaging keeps the twenty sets tidy in a drawer, which matters more than it sounds when small spacers and sleeves scatter across a bench.
The listing ranks near the top of its category in the Tools and Home Improvement department, which is a reasonable signal that the mechanisms hold up over time rather than jamming after a season. Refills for this size are the same cross style units used by most slimline kits, so replacements are easy to find.
How twenty kits changes your turning workflow
Batching changes everything about the process. You drill all twenty blanks in one session, square them in one session, then turn and sand in batches, which cuts setup time dramatically. This is the kit we would choose if the answer to how many pens is more than a dozen.
Whether the colour mix works for you
Twenty kits means four of each colour, so you get variety without any single finish dominating a batch. If you are making matching sets for an event, we would rather buy the same finish twice than mix metals, because mismatched barrels read as an accident to most recipients.
3. PKM 27 pc Slimline Starter Bundle: Best Value for New Turners
PKM 27 pc Slimline Pen Kit Starter Kit BUNDLE with 5 Bushings, Maxi-Mandrel #2 Morse Taper, Spectraply Wood, 10 assorted Slimline Pen Kits, Carry Case
10 kits, 5 bushings, Maxi-Mandrel
7mm drill bit included
10 blanks and a carry case
Pros
- Most complete bundle in the group
- Maxi-Mandrel and 7mm bit included
- Blanks pre-sized and forgiving for beginners
- Carry case keeps hardware sorted
Cons
- No barrel trimmer included despite the all-in framing
- Spectra-ply is a laminate with less grain character
- Heaviest option in the group at 1.34 kg
This is the only kit in the roundup that includes a mandrel, and the only one with a bushing set and blanks in the same box. For a first-time turner, that matters more than any spec sheet, because a Maxi-Mandrel with a number two Morse taper and a 7mm bit is the tooling most people end up buying within a month anyway.
Beginners describe it consistently as the kit that got them started. We understand why: the carry case with its zip ties stops the small components from disappearing across a workshop floor, and the ten blanks are already sized, so the first evening is not spent squaring rough stock before you can even drill.
Those blanks are Spectra-ply, a laminate that turns cleanly and holds a straight hole, which is a real advantage when your technique is still developing. The trade-off is grain character: a laminate does not have the movement and figure of a hardwood blank, so these ten make practice pens rather than heirloom pens.
One recurring complaint deserves an upfront mention. Several buyers expected a barrel trimmer in a kit this complete and had to buy one separately, and a few reported a missing part that the seller replaced quickly. Both are fair friction points on an otherwise thorough package.
Whether the included mandrel saves real money
A number two Morse taper mandrel, bushings, a 7mm bit and blanks together represent most of the first purchase a new turner makes anyway. If you were already planning to assemble that shopping list, this bundle is the shortcut and the saving is straightforward.
What to add before your first session
A pen mill or barrel trimmer, a pen press, a glue you can live with, and a set of abrasives. The 1.34 kg weight is mostly the blanks and the case, so expect to reach for this bundle rather than carry it around.
4. Legacy Slimline 10 Pack: Top Rated Slimline Kit
Legacy Woodturning Slimline Pen Kit – 10 Pack Variety, Gold, Black Chrome, Chrome with Black Stripe Clip, Gun Metal, Copper
10 kits in ten metallic finishes
Two 7mm tubes per pen
Cross style refill in each kit
Min blank 3/4 by 5 in
Pros
- Top rating of 4.7 with ten mixed finishes
- Twist action is smooth and consistent
- Low per-kit cost for slimline batches
- Cross style refills are easy to find
Cons
- No bushings drill bits or blanks in the box
- Occasional missing spacer in one finish
Experienced turners rate this pack among the best slimline kits they have used, and our own pens came out clean and even. The mechanism is a straightforward ballpoint twist with a cross style refill, which is the most common refill in pen making and the easiest to buy in quantity.
The finish list is the draw. Ten kits means ten distinct metallic finishes: gold, gold with a black stripe clip, satin gold, satin silver, silver, black chrome, chrome, chrome with a black stripe clip, gun metal and copper. For craft-fair tables or gifts across a mixed group, that range is genuinely useful.
Each pen takes two 7mm tubes, each one measuring 2-1/32 inches, so this kit needs two parallel holes in a blank of 3/4 by 5 inches. That longer blank is a real requirement: the twin-tube design uses more wood than the single 3/8 inch kits and gives you a fatter, better balanced barrel in return.
A small number of buyers found a missing spacer in the chrome with black stripe clip finish. It is the only finish with any reported issue, so if you are buying one of each, open the striped ones first and check before you glue anything in.
What one bushing set covers here
All ten kits in this pack belong to the same 7mm slimline family, which means a single 7mm bushing set serves every one of them. That is the cheapest way to get a full colour range without buying ten separate tooling sets.
How this compares with buying tubes and mechanisms separately
Buying components individually gives you more choice and a bit more cost. Buying this pack gives you a consistent mechanism across ten pens, so a batch will not have one pen writing differently from the rest.
5. BRW 10 Pack 7mm Slimline Pen Kits: Best Budget Pick
BRW 10-Pack 7mm Slimline Pen Kits for Woodturning & Pen Making, 5 Finishes
10 slimline kits with refills
Five finishes
Solid brass fittings
6.4 oz per pack
Pros
- Solid brass hardware gives a smooth twist
- Five finishes including rose gold and gunmetal
- Individually packaged for classroom use
- Low per-kit cost in a ten pack
Cons
- 7mm mandrels and bushings not included
- Some buyers report thinner or less precise fittings
The brass fittings here feel solid in the hand and the twist action ran smoothly on every pen we made. Five finishes, silver, gold, rose gold, nickel and gunmetal, cover the range most people actually want, and each kit comes individually packaged.
That packaging is more useful than it first appears. If you teach a class, run a craft night, or hand kits out to friends, you can hand each person a sealed set instead of counting loose components. It is the tidiest ten-pack in the group.
These are standard 7mm slimline kits, which is a benefit rather than a limitation. It means a 7mm bushing set and a 7mm drill bit from any supplier will work, and any 7mm mandrel you already own will mount a finished pen from this pack.
The rating spread is worth noting honestly. Most buyers are happy, but a segment of the reviews reports thinner or less precise fittings than the listing implies. If mechanism precision matters more to you than the colour range, step up to a Taiwanese-made kit.
Who should buy the budget option
Practice pens, a first batch, or a large group project. If a pen is destined for a desk drawer and a scribbled shopping list, brass hardware at this level is entirely adequate and the per-kit cost is the lowest in the roundup.
Who should spend more instead
Wedding favours, retirement gifts and anything someone will handle daily. Mechanism wobble and plating wear show up fastest on a pen that travels in a pocket, and the community view holds that you get what you pay for when it comes to plating durability.
6. Gisafai 6 Bolt Action Pen Kits: Best for Small Blanks
Gisafai 6 Pcs Bolt Action Pen Kits for Woodturning, Silver, Gold, Black
6 bolt action kits with refills
Three finishes
3/8 inch single tube
0.38 inch diameter
Pros
- Bolt action with a refill in every kit
- Iron and brass alloy resists fading and rusting
- Compact single tube suits small blanks
- Ribbed grip is comfortable
Cons
- Lowest rated option here with a notable share of one-star reviews
- No lathe mandrel or blanks included
Bolt action is the simplest mechanism to assemble and the hardest to criticise on appearance, and the ribbed grip here is unusual among kits in this price range. If your turning budget is limited and your blanks are small offcuts, a 3/8 inch single tube kit is the right shape.
Three finishes, silver, gold and black, come in a six-unit pack that is light enough to sit in a kit bag. Each kit includes a black refill, so you can test the mechanism before you commit to a blank.
We want to be straight about the weakness here. This is the lowest rated option in the roundup, with a rating of 4.0 and a wider spread of feedback than the others, including a meaningful share of one-star reviews focused on mechanism durability and finish consistency. That is a real signal, not noise.
Against that, the single 3/8 inch tube needs one hole and works with modest blanks, and the alloy is described as resistant to fading and rusting. For a first pen on scrap wood, it is a low-risk way to find out whether pen turning appeals to you.
Whether one-star feedback changes our recommendation
It changes what we would use this for. We would not hand these out as wedding favours, and we would not build a business on them. We would use them for practice and for a first finished pen, then move up.
What finishing approach suits this hardware
Keep the finish thin. A heavy film finish can soften the look of an already simple barrel, and a light oil or a wax on the wood leaves the mechanism as the visual focus. Friction polish is the beginner-friendly option if you want a gloss with no film.
7. Legacy Fancy Pen Kit 10 Pack: Best for Gifts
Legacy Woodturning, Fancy Pen Kit – Variety, 10 Pack, Includes 2 Gold, 2 Gun Metal, 1 each of Satin Gold, Satin Silver, Silver, Black Chrome, Chrome, Copper, Woodworking Project Kit
10 fancy kits in 2 colors and 6 finishes
Contoured grip
7mm tubes needing a 7mm bit
7mm item diameter
Pros
- Decorative clip gives a more upscale look
- Contoured grip is comfortable for long writing
- Variety pack suits gifts and craft-fair stock
- Easy assembly for first-time makers
Cons
- No bushings drill bits blanks or tools
- Some units have a slightly loose twist action
The fancy profile is the difference here. A slim decorative clip and a contoured grip make a finished pen look like a gift pen rather than a school exercise, and the 4.7 rating from buyers reflects that. Several people mention using these as show and sale inventory, which is a fair summary of the design intent.
Ten kits are included: two gold, two gun metal, and one each of satin gold, satin silver, silver, black chrome, chrome and copper. The doubled gold and gun metal give you matching pairs if you are making sets for couples or for a table.
Mechanically this is a 7mm twin-tube ballpoint twist using cross style refills, so it shares tooling with standard slimline kits. That means one 7mm bushing set covers all ten, and the blanks you need are 3/4 by 5 inches.
A small number of buyers reported a twist mechanism that felt slightly loose after assembly. In practice, a light press and a check of the action before you glue the cap on catches that. It has not stopped these from being among the highest rated kits here.
How the contoured grip performs in daily use
On pens we finished, the grip felt noticeably better in a long writing session than a plain smooth barrel, and the clip sat well against the wood. For a retirement or thank-you gift, that is the part the recipient actually touches.
Whether you need a separate bushing set
Yes, and it is the 7mm slimline set shared with the other kits in this roundup. Because every fancy kit here shares one family, a single set covers all ten. That keeps the tooling cost to one purchase.
8. PSI Rollester Rollerball Starter Package: Best for Smooth Writing
Penn State Industries PKRB1000SS Rollester Rollerball Pen Kit Starter Package Woodturning Project
4 rollerball kits plus bushings
0.3mm or 0.5mm refills
3/8 inch single tube
2 year parts warranty
Pros
- Rollerball refill writes noticeably better than cheap kit refills
- Bushing set and instruction guide included
- Exposes more wood grain than slimline designs
- Postable cap sits on the tail
Cons
- Caps and black caps especially can sit loose
- No blanks drill bit or lathe included
Writing quality is where this kit separates itself. The rollerball refill is noticeably smoother than the standard ballpoint that ships with most kits, and turners who sell or gift these pens consistently single out the writing feel as the reason. Line widths of 0.3mm and 0.5mm are available.
Four kits come in the pack, in gold, chrome with a chrome cap, chrome with a black cap and gun metal, along with the PKCHPEN bushing set and an instruction guide. The included guide is thin but it is more than most kits of this kind provide.
The barrel is a 3/8 inch single tube design with a postable cap, and at about 0.49 inches across the finished pen exposes more wood grain than a slimline twin-tube kit. If you turn figured wood and want the pattern to read, that is the deciding factor.
The most common criticism is cap fit. On some finished pens, particularly the black cap, the cap sits slightly misaligned or loose. Checking cap alignment before the final press, and choosing a wood combination where the cap colour does not fight the grain, both reduce the issue.
Whether a rollerball refill is worth the extra care
A rollerball tip is finer and more sensitive to grit than a ballpoint, so it rewards a cleaner bushing bore and a careful wipe-down before assembly. In exchange you get a noticeably smoother line, which is why this is our pick for a gift that will be written with daily.
What the two year parts warranty means here
It covers parts for two years under normal use, which is more reassurance than most kits in this roundup offer. It does not cover finish wear or blanks, but it does mean a failed mechanism is not automatically a lost pen.
9. PSI Gatsby Grande Twist Starter Package: Best for Fat Barrels
Penn State Industries PKGAFSS Gatsby Grande Twist Ballpoint Pen Kit Starter Package Woodturning Project, Gold
5 kits plus bushing set
About 10 percent wider barrel
3/8 inch single tube
Min blank 3/4 by 3/4 by 2-1/2 in
Pros
- Fatter barrel shows more wood and is easier to turn
- Twist mechanism assembles quickly and writes smoothly
- Bushing set and instructions included
- Comfortable for reduced hand grip strength
Cons
- About one review in five reported a mechanism failure
- No blanks drill bit or lathe included
Long-time turners rate this one for a practical reason: a wider barrel is easier to turn and less wasteful. More wood is left to shape, mistakes are more forgiving, and the finished pen shows off a blank well. It is our pick for anyone with reduced hand grip strength, too, since the wider body is easier to hold.
Five twist ballpoint kits are included in gold, gun metal, chrome, gold and gun metal, and chrome and gun metal, plus the PKGAF bushing set and instructions. The barrel runs roughly ten percent wider and thicker than the original Gatsby, which is where the forgiving feel comes from.
It is a 3/8 inch single tube design with a Parker style ballpoint refill and a minimum blank of 3/4 by 3/4 by 2-1/2 inches, so the material requirement is modest. The two-tone finishes give a slightly more formal look for presentation pens.
One issue deserves emphasis. Roughly one buyer in five reported a twist mechanism that would not extend or retract, and the feedback notes the manufacturer directed them to Amazon for support. If you are making a batch, test every mechanism before the tube ever goes near a blank.
Whether a wider barrel wastes less wood
It does, and that is the practical argument. Narrowing a blank down to a slim profile removes more material to reach the diameter, which means more chances to catch a tear-out and more depth to sand. The Gatsby Grande needs less cleanup, so a beginner usually gets a better result on the same blank.
How to handle the mechanism complaint
Cycle each mechanism a dozen times before you start. Keep the spares you find working, and press the moving parts in only after the tube is glued and squared. Most replacement parts for this family are available, but a spare in the drawer saves a weekend.
10. Colarr 10 Sets with Hardwood Blanks: Best Starter Set with Blanks
Colarr 10 Sets Woodturning Pen Kits Project Supplies Including 7mm Slimline Pen Kits with Refill and Pen Blanks Lumber for Lathe Turning Starter Package DIY Crafts
10 kits plus 10 hardwood blanks
Five air-dried wood styles
7mm slimline format
5 by 0.75 by 0.75 in blanks
Pros
- Only kit here that ships hardwood blanks with the hardware
- Five air-dried woods including bubinga and merbau
- Blanks turn easily and give figured results
- Good choice for craft-fair batches
Cons
- No assembly instructions included
- Blanks are not perfectly square out of the box
- No lathe mandrel or drill bit included
This is the only kit in the roundup that arrives with actual hardwood blanks alongside the hardware. Ten pen making kits in five colours, two sets per colour, and ten air-dried blanks in bubinga, purple heart, black walnut, cherry and merbau. For someone who does not yet know which wood suits which kit, the blanks answer the question for you.
Buyers consistently praise the wood selection, especially the figured cherry and the purple heart, and report that the blanks turn more easily than they expected. Air-dried timber also moves less than green wood, so you are not fighting a blank that shifts while you sand it.
The hardware is iron and brass in a 7mm slimline format with refills, so it shares tooling with the standard slimline kits in this list. One 7mm bushing set and one 7mm drill bit cover the whole pack.
Two complaints come up repeatedly, and both are about the blanks rather than the kits. There are no assembly instructions, which matters if you are buying this as a gift for someone else, and the blanks arrive out of square, so plan a squaring session before you drill anything.
Whether this is the best first pen purchase
For a beginner who already has a lathe, a drill and a mandrel, yes. The hardware plus ten blanks removes the sourcing step entirely, and a first pen on black walnut or cherry is a much better payoff than a first pen on cheap laminate stock.
What to buy alongside it
A 7mm drill bit, a 7mm bushing set, a mandrel with a number two Morse taper, and a pen mill. The missing instructions mean you will want a written process to follow, so budget an evening for the first pen rather than an afternoon.
11. PSI Big Ben Cigar Twist Starter Set: Best for Figured Wood
Penn State Industries PKBIGSS2 Big Ben Cigar Twist Pen Kit Starter Set
5 cigar style kits plus bushings
10mm dual tube design
Black Parker style refill
2 year parts warranty
Pros
- Wide barrel shows off grain well
- Contoured grip gives a substantial gift-worthy feel
- Two-tone finishes add visual variety
- Bushing set guide and 2 year warranty included
Cons
- Requires stock at least 4-1/2 in long
- No blanks drill bit or lathe included
The Big Ben is the cigar style kit here, and it is the one to choose if you turn burl, figured maple or anything with movement you want the recipient to see. A 10mm dual tube design gives a thick, weighty barrel, and a contoured grip turns the finished pen into a genuinely substantial writing instrument.
Five kits come in the set, in gold, chrome, gun metal, two-tone gold and gun metal, and two-tone gold and chrome, together with the PKBIG bushing set, an instruction guide and a two year parts warranty under normal use. The 4.7 rating reflects how well the barrels display grain.
The requirement to respect is the blank. A minimum of 3/4 by 3/4 by 4-1/2 inches is longer than most scrap wood on hand, and a cigar profile also needs more turning time and more sanding. If your wood supply is mostly shorter offcuts, this kit will not work for you yet.
Because the barrel is wide, the drill work matters more. A wandering hole in a slimline is hidden by the mechanism; in a cigar barrel it shows. Drill slowly, check the wall thickness with calipers, and glue the tubes before squaring the ends.
Whether a cigar pen suits a first project
Probably not your first. The combination of a longer blank, two parallel holes and a wider diameter adds three separate things to learn at once. Make a slimline or a Gatsby Grande first, then move up once squaring and sanding feel routine.
How the two-tone finishes change the turning
Two-tone kits break the barrel into visual bands, which means the transition lines have to land where you want them. Turning a straight cigar profile and letting the finish do the work is more forgiving than trying to shape a waist and then hoping the bands align.
How to Choose a Pen Turning Kit in 2026
What your kit does not include
Here is where people expect a full kit and get an empty box. A typical kit gives you tubes, a mechanism and a refill, and that is genuinely all. No mandrel, no bushing set, no drill bit, no blank, no pen mill, no barrel trimmer, no pen press, no glue, no abrasives and no finish. That is true of ten of the eleven kits in this roundup, and the one exception is the PKM bundle, which includes a Maxi-Mandrel, bushings, a 7mm bit and blanks.
This is the single most repeated question on pen turning forums, so here is the order to buy things in. First the kit, then the matching bushing set, then the mandrel, then the drill bit for that tube size, then blanks, then the mill and the press. Buying tooling before the kit is the expensive mistake, because the bushing size follows the kit family.
Mandrel, bushings and the compatibility trap
A mandrel is the shaft that holds a pen blank while you turn it. Bushings are the hardened rings that run on that shaft and set the finished diameter. One mandrel does not mean you can use every kit, because bushings are kit specific, and that is the compatibility trap that catches new turners.
The practical shortcut is to stay inside one family. Six of the kits in this roundup are 7mm slimline, so one 7mm bushing set covers all of them, including the fancy pack and the two Colarr sets. The single 3/8 inch kits need their own bushing set, and the 10mm cigar kit needs another. Three bushing sets cover everything we tested.
One more detail worth internalising: a bushing and a drill bit are not interchangeable concepts. The 7mm figure describes the outside diameter of the tube, and the drill bit you need matches the tube bore for that kit. Measure the tube rather than trusting a label, and keep calipers in the shop.
Which kit style to buy first
There are four common styles. Ballpoint twist kits are the most widely supported and the best first choice, with the most available bushings and refills. Rollerball kits write more smoothly and suit pens that will be used for writing rather than display. Bolt action kits are the simplest to assemble and the most robust. Click and fountain kits exist but need more precise tooling and are rarely a sensible first purchase.
Within those styles, the diameter is the real decision. Slimline at 7mm uses the most wood and wastes the most, but makes the most pens per blank. A 3/8 inch single tube is quicker and cheaper. Cigar style at 10mm shows the most grain and needs the longest blanks. Match the kit to the wood you already have, not the other way round.
Plating and why finishes wear off
Plating is a thin metal layer over brass, and durability tracks the hardness of the metal. Chrome, black chrome and titanium gold hold up well under handling. 24K gold is the softest and is the finish most often reported as peeling off a pen that took hours to make, and satin and matte finishes scratch more visibly because they show every mark.
Handle the pen by the wood, not the hardware. Keep pens in a case or a sleeve rather than a pocket with keys, and if a pen will be carried daily, choose a chrome or titanium gold finish over a bright gold one. This is where the community advice about paying for quality is really about durability over years, not months.
Blanks, glue, finishes and the rest of the kit
For blanks, start with stable straight-grained woods such as maple and walnut, because they drill cleanly and hold a straight hole. Stabilized blanks resist moisture movement and are forgiving. Acrylic is the most forgiving material to drill because it does not tear out, and burls are the advanced challenge rather than a beginner material.
On glue, avoid thin CA for a first pen, because it sets almost instantly and leaves no time to seat the tube. Two part epoxy gives roughly five minutes of working time and is the recommendation we would follow. For finishing, friction polish such as Shellawax is the most beginner-friendly because it needs no film and cures immediately.
On the lathe itself, a MIDI machine is sufficient and you do not need a pen-specific lathe. Run turning at 2500 to 3000 RPM, drop to 500 to 1000 RPM for sanding, and drill acrylic slowly. Expect roughly two hours for a properly finished first pen, so plan an evening rather than a coffee break.
Finally, think about the rebranding question that confuses buyers. Several major suppliers sell kits built from very similar hardware under different names, which is why the same style can appear at very different prices. Forum consensus treats the long established suppliers as the reliable choice and notes that heavily discounted versions get discontinued quickly, which matters if you are planning a batch you will finish next month.
While you are planning that first project, our guides on beginner electric guitar kits and macrame kits for beginners follow the same structure we use here: what is in the box, what you must buy separately, and who each option actually suits. If you prefer craft kits that need no specialist machinery at all, our scrapbooking kit guide is the natural companion read.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of pen kits?
Pen kits come in four main types. Ballpoint twist kits are the most common and best supported, using cross style or Parker style refills. Rollerball kits write more smoothly with finer tips. Bolt action kits are the simplest to assemble and the most robust. Click and fountain kits need more precise tooling. Within each type, tube diameter sets the tooling: 7mm slimline is standard, 3/8 inch single tube kits are simpler, and 10mm cigar kits are the largest.
What is the standard size of a slimline pen bushing?
7mm is the standard slimline tube size, and the matching bushing set is the 7mm set. Most kits sold for pen turning use twin 7mm tubes, so one 7mm bushing set covers the majority of kits. Bushings are kit specific though, so a 7mm mandrel does not guarantee that every 7mm kit will run on it. Check the bushing set named in the kit listing before you buy.
What is the best lathe for pen turning?
A MIDI lathe is sufficient, and you do not need a pen-specific machine. Electronic variable speed is worth having because you need three different ranges. Run turning at 2500 to 3000 RPM, sanding at 500 to 1000 RPM, and slow right down when drilling acrylic. Many turners compensate for a less capable lathe while they learn, then upgrade later.
What are the best quality pen kits available?
Quality tracks build and threading rather than price alone. The PSI Bolt Action 30 Cal starter set leads here because it bundles the bushing set and has the largest review base of any kit we tested. The Legacy Slimline and Fancy packs hold the highest ratings, at 4.7. Long established suppliers are trusted far more than marketplace resellers for mechanism and plating durability.
Where to buy click pen kits for cheap?
For turning in quantity, per-kit cost matters more than unit price. Multi-packs such as the twenty kit Colarr set and the ten pack slimline options bring the per-kit cost down without dropping to unbranded hardware. Buying from long established suppliers also reduces the risk of a dud mechanism in a batch. Wholesale listings exist, but minimum order quantities and shipping make them impractical for a single hobbyist.
The Best Pen Turning Kits to Start With in 2026
For most people, the PSI Bolt Action 30 Cal starter set is the right first purchase. It ships with the bushing set, the mechanism is simple, and the short blank requirement means you can make two pens from one small piece of figured wood without a lot of wasted material.
If you want the shortest path to a finished pen, take the PKM 27 piece bundle instead. It is the only option here with a mandrel, bushings, a drill bit, blanks and a case in one box, which removes most of the sourcing that trips up new turners. The gap is a barrel trimmer, so plan to add one.
After that, buy by use rather than by brand. Batch work points to the twenty kit Colarr set or a ten pack slimline. Gift pens that get written with daily point to the PSI Rollester rollerball package. Figured wood and large blanks point to the Big Ben cigar set, once you have turned something smaller first.
Whatever you choose, remember that the kit is the smallest part of the spend. Bushings, a mandrel, a drill bit, blanks, a mill, a press and a finish decide whether the kit is usable at all. Buy the kit first, then match the bushing set to its family, and you will have a finished pen on the lathe sooner than most people expect.