My sucky (first) pens

Very nice. which lathe do you use?

-- Bert

Harbor Freight of course! The big one. Other than the plastic quick release handles on the toolrest and tail stock which I already replaced with metal ones, this lathe is great.

-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts

I guess there is a test for the suckiness of your work. If you gave the pens to someone, would they treasure them? They sure look like treasures to me! Well done!

-- Learning is like a door. Open it and there are hundreds more on the other side. Thanks for all the lessons!

I have the same lathe and I like it but I did not use it in along time, it is the less used tools in my shop

-- Bert

I think it’s a lot of fun. My wife thinks it’s the greatest thing ever and uses it about 4 hours a day. It’s nice because we get to spend time together in the shop, and I get to buy more tools/wood

-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts

not bad for a first timer. practice makes perfect.

-- www.carvingandturningsbyrick.com, Rick Kruse, Grand Rapids, MI

They are a good start! Trust the bushings. They are ment to be used and abused. I started with a HF special and turned and sold about 100 pens before I upgraded. You don’t need anything expensive to make works of art. Keep with it and the fact that your wife enjoys it as well. You can’t buy that luck. Just kick her off from time to time:) if I can ever help in any way. Let me know! Happy Turning and be safe.

Thanks guys. I bought about 20 more pen blanks today. The 15 I had my wife used (all but these two)! Hopefully this weekend I’ll be able to get some turning time in. I got a pack of blanks at woodcraft – 5lbs for 23$. Some of the bags had a lot of shorties and crap, but I found a good one. So far the bloodwood pencil my wife turned is by far my favorite.

Also I have a HUGE piece of 8/4 Butternut. It had a 5/4 piece I chopped up and it seems like it would be great to turn. Has anyone had any experience turning butternut?

-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts

Joe, how much did you pay for a pen blank?

-- My terrible signature...

Joe

I think you did good for the first time.

On the short pieces of wood glue them inbetween two others and you have almost a segemented pen.
On the butternut it is more of a carving wood and it will ding or show indentations more. Try it with your thumbnail and it will leace a deep dent.

Arlin

-- It is always the right time, to do the right thing. Lovinghandsmemoryboxs.com

I got a starter kit at my local woodcraft. The franchise owner is a big pen turner and loves getting others into it. The kit was about 70$ and contained:

3 slimline pen kits
3 blanks (exotics and pretty nice!, one was that zebrawood)
Whiteside pen mill/reamer
Micromesh pack up to 12,000 grit
A really nice 2MT pen mandrel
7mm drill bit
3/4” bushings
2P10 CA glue
HUT crystal polish
and a few other things I don’t remember. The pen kits pictured are about 3$. Wood prices vary by species

-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts

At my local lumberyard… I can get a pen blank, just the wood, for $1 regardless of spcesis.
Pity I don’t have a lathe…

-- My terrible signature...

Bummer about the butternut. Alexandre, I’ll buy some Burl blanks for a dollar + shipping

-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts

Lumberjoe you have made one big mistake and that is selling your self short. There is nothing wrong with the pens and for a first time you have done well and you should be proud of what you achieved Kind Regards Tamboti
PS post some of your wife’s turnings

-- Africa is not for sissies

Thanks a lot tamboti. I will post some of hers later on

-- http://www.etsy.com/shop/KandJWoodCrafts