Reply by TheDane

Stumpy—Yes! I have turned about 60 pens in the past 6 months … 50 for the Freedom Pens Project, and another 10 or so for gifts.

Q: Do you use mini turning tools or your regular ones?
A: Regular tools … the mini tools are pricey and I think you can you do just as well with regular tools.

Q: Give me an basic list of the tools I need. (Chisels, pen press, mandrels, etc.)
A: Spindle roughing gouge, detail spindle gouge, skew, mandrel & bushings. Pen press is nice, but you can assemble with other tools in the shop like your vise. Grizzly has a reasonable priced pen press … that’s the one I bought.

Q: Where do you buy your kits?
A: Mostly from Penn State Industries, some from Rockler.

Q: What is your favorite material?
A: Brazilian Rosewood (because it was FREE), and cherry.

Q: How do you finish them?
A: Mostly use O.B.’s Shine Juice … a home brew I learned about from Eddie Castelin ( http://eddiecastelin.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/docs/shinejuice.54184110.pdf )

I made my own drilling jig …

—Gerry

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"