Pen Turners' Swap #2 #11: Last stop on the tour!

I’m anxiously awaiting my stop on round three. Gonna put a couple blanks in there that none of you have seen!

There is a local fellow selling hundreds of pen kits and blanks at a probably yard sale this weekend. I might have to see what I can nab from there to put in also.

So far he wants to sell as a package yet, but he has too much to dump at those prices.

-- No good deed goes unpunished!

Sounds great, I’m ready for round three.

-- Every cloud has a silver lining

I CANT WAIT…congrat’s to all the jocks that got to take part in the 2nd round…

arw01—-what prices is he asking??? maybe you can buy the lot and sell some to me :)

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

He was still around $500 yesterday for the lot. I think it’s about 20% off. Not enough to entice me, because woodcraft prices are double what you can get the same kits for from other online retailers if you know who makes what and what they call them.

-- No good deed goes unpunished!

Yes, I got the box and had a chance to look at it a bit. I will be trading up some blanks. I will be adding some nice Olive crotch, Jumbo Tulip Wood, Peruvian Walnut, Purple heart, and who knows what else. There was not much in the way of pens or kits left, but a ton of blanks. I still need to figure out how to post pictures, but will do the best I can in the morning. I should be able to get the box on it’s way back to Tim before work tomorrow.

-- Sure Dear, I can make that for you. Lemme just run out and get a tool I need for that.

Ok here it goes. Her is what I received in the mail.

Once I pulled it open, I found

Because everything was in kinda a mess, I tried to get everything organized. Here are the kits

The Pens

And what I was waiting for, the blanks

-- Sure Dear, I can make that for you. Lemme just run out and get a tool I need for that.

I will post what I took out and put in shortly, but now it’s time to sleep. I only get a couple hours sleep when I get home from work then have to get up to take my son to school (we live out of district, so no free bus service for us). Then I usually catch a few more hours when I get home, but I wanted to post this first. Good night everyone.

-- Sure Dear, I can make that for you. Lemme just run out and get a tool I need for that.

Awesome, thanks! Lots to dream about while your sleeping!!! ;-)

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

Here it is…What I removed

and what I added

-- Sure Dear, I can make that for you. Lemme just run out and get a tool I need for that.

wow…looks great rb!!!!!! I am sooo excited…but glad I will have time to make some pens before it gets back out to the WESt coast again….

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

Looks like a great swap – now I’M next in line! WOO-HOO!!! ;-)

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I hope that we do this again. It is a real good thing that we have here with the swap. I already have some nice blanks set a side for this.

-- Something that goes unnoticed will never be remembered.

There seems to be a real emphasis on pen blanks (a good thing!) and not as much on finished pens. Any thoughts on splitting it and have a swap for blanks, and a seperate swap for finished product?

I was hoping to see more finished pens myself as I am still a beginner and was hoping to see some of the other style pens for weight and feel. As for the split, might not be a bad idea. I just mailed the box and it was 16 lbs, so shipping was a bit more than anticipated. Or even limiting the box size to a large flat rate box.

-- Sure Dear, I can make that for you. Lemme just run out and get a tool I need for that.

Well, we can let the masses decide about the split…

Would the folks that are taking part in Round 3 like to split completed pens from the blanks?
We could also do one box of blanks and one for kits and finished pens???

RB – We were supposed to keep that to the large flat rate box but the generosity of the LJ’s busted the seams! I might suggest in Round 3 that if you put in so much that it’s too much for the box then take some more out until it fits.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

Tim: I cut some blanks from #391.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Tim: When we started this in Tour #1. You started feeding the blank pot and through it’s travels is has multiplied. We started taking one or two blanks

As for me I put in a lot of blanks expecting that everyone take some of them as a gift and not expecting them to multiply the gift.

it may be getting to the point now where 8 to 10 blanks need to be taken so that we can all get a real different set of woods. and then only put back 6 or 7.

Just a thought.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Thanks Karson, I agree. I think some folks have some really great stuff to offer and love seeing that in the box. Perhaps in Round 3 we can encourage folks to be a little more aggressive in what they take – with no obligation to put back the same amounts, at least as far as the blanks are concerned.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

As a hopefull round 3 fellow, I would vote to make it fit in the large flatrate box. If you have too much to fit, then take more out.

I have some blanks from Mexico I’m through in, and a couple of a local wood I will bet NO one has see in a pen blank. I only have a couple of those special ones, but perhaps I can make a road trip before the box comes and get some more of it.

I like to see made pens in person as well. Want to make up a corn cob pen, but been too cheap to buy an $8.00 blank to learn on.

-- No good deed goes unpunished!

It was great of Karson, as well as many others, to add so many nice blanks. I have to admit it’s hard to take rather than just add in more and send it along. I tell all of our employees and my kids for that matter “there are givers and takers in this world… always strive to be a giver”.
I enjoyed this swap very much and am sorry to say I was obviously the weak link due to a bunch of unexpected travel.
What a great group of folks!!!
If you all decide to let me back in next time, I think I’ll work to have my stuff ready before I ever receive the swap box… As heavy as the box was, it left me as a priority overnight shipment…guilt is a funny thing…
I promised Tim I would make a pen and send it to him…never too late.

-- Thank God for sawdust... Ron. Gilroy, CA

what about a swap for blanks…and then from the blanks make pens that can go into an auction or fundriaser? just a thought…or maybe switch as usual—-but by the time it gets back to Tim…he can sort through the items and have a big stash for a future fundraiser…siince he (tim) started this…maybe you can think of a cause…or we do something that funds woodworking programs in schools?

I do like the idea of pens and blanks…I have been on for nearly two years and it would be really neat to have some artwork from my heros…ALL OF YOU ARE MY HEROS…

ok my 2 cents…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

yeah, I say it’s up to us to keep everything fitting in the flat rate box. isnt’ it great what 5 pens, 5 blanks and 5 kits begat? I too like seeing the pens, I may or may not swap one, and I like seeing the different kits out there first hand without having to buy one and the bushings first… though confess I’m more interested in blanks, and getting new and interesting things not readily available, or not available for the mere cost of postage. (akin to 2 or three blanks, never mind the gas and 3 hour roundtrip to my local woodcraft.)

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

As a prospective Round #3 person, I say keep the pens and blanks together and make them fit in the designated box. I’m looking forward to seeing both the raw material and the finished pens, especially how some of you jocks put details on your pens, finishes, etc. Just one man’s opinion, and worth what you paid for it.

-- Every cloud has a silver lining

I would like that too, lets keep it together and limited to a large flat rate. Next time I hope to have some pens made for the trade. The kits may not be fancy as my selection is limited, but I will try to make up for it by making a unique pen from unique woods.

-- Sure Dear, I can make that for you. Lemme just run out and get a tool I need for that.

Sounds good. The plan is to keep it as it stands – pens, blanks and kits in the flat rate box – I like it that way myself…

HEY CANADIAN LUMBERJOCKS!!!
We’d like to get you guys in the trade here. We have ONE Canadian pen turner in line for right now. If we can get more folks involved then at tleast we could let it move around in Canada for a while. One thing to keep in mind is the shipping involved – it can get expensive but if you can cover the shipping then you should be able to recover the cost in the great blanks you’ll get. If you’d like to get in (Canadian or other) please send me a PM.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I GOT IT!!! Pics and the final blog entry to follow tomorrow, but the box is back in Georgia! ;-)

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA