How'd ya learn to turn

[WriteON]

Moderators…hope I'm posting in the right area. Sorry if this subject has been covered before. Thanks, Frank

I'm taking a lathe break for cup of conversation. Don't you enjoy when people ask you how you got started. With me it was a pure accident or meant to be…not sure. I went into PSI one day looking for a lathe stand for a Taig pool cue lathe. When I told my pen making buddy I was there he tells me he is finished with his spindle lathe…do I want it for pool cue repair. I tell him I can't use it for my application. He tells me to take the lathe and make pens. I give him a look. So I go onto YouTube…watch a few pen turning videos…decide I can follow the steps. I give him $125 for his stuff….cost about $1000 to support it (dust collector, tools,bench, misc, etc). I turn my first pen and ask myself what heck did I just get involved with. There is nothing normal about putting a pointed chisel against a turning object. I was ok after the second turning. I'm really enjoying turning pens. It's fun and creative. I'm spending money like a drunkin sailor but that's ok. Spending on a hobby rocks. I have not sold a thing so far. I give stuff away or charge the cost of parts. I have no idea where this this going and I'm not concerned. I enjoy having my own homemade collection for now. I'll figure it out in time. Most likely it'll tie in with some charity or fund raiser. Anyway how did you get influenced to turn. Let's hear some real stories. Your TURN.

 

[ed4copies]

I was given a lesson as a birthday present.

In the first 20 minutes, working WITH a partner, I was able to break the handle on a 3/8" gouge, attempting to follow the instructions and turn a bowl. (5")

The instructor informed me that I was the first student he ever had that broke a tool, so I could tell I had an unusual talent. Unfortunately, Momma always said you can't quit something until you have shown you CAN do it. I'm still trying to show that!!
(But it keeps my hands busy---before turning one hand was always lifting alcohol for immediate ingestion----turning is healthier!!)

 

[walshjp17]

When I was getting ready to retire (for the second time :tongue my BIL, an organ builder, suggested I get into woodworking as a hobby to keep me out of my wife's hair. Shortly after that, my wife discovered the local Woodcraft store and suggested I go there to see what they offered. I went ....

 

[CabinetMaker]

I'm still learning. Trial and error on scrap wood. But I enjoy it!

 

[Smitty37]

I first saw wood pens at a craft show, about 6 or 7 months later I bought one as a Birthday gift. I talked a little to the turner and he said it wasn't too hard. Then in 2005 we moved to our current house where we have a great walkout basement with a ton of space. I got a lot of wood working tolls and made furniture but after a bit we had all we needed - remembered the pens and went looking for information. Found PSI bought their smallest lathe and a starter set and I was off.

 

[WriteON]

I'm still learning. Trial and error on scrap wood. But I enjoy it!

What encouraged you to buy the equipment and start.

 

[plano_harry]

Boy Scout Winter Camp. Several Dallas area woodturners brought 15 Jet lathes to our winter camp and taught the boys to make about 1,000 pens over 3-4 days. The boys were bringing them back to camp to show me and I thought, I can do that. So I paid my $5 and turned my first pen. Gave it to my wife as a birthday present when I got home. She loved it and I was hooked. I see it every Sunday and it is still my favorite pen! I love the shape and have copied it several times since.

I started looking at lathes and happened to mention to my woodworking buddy that I had made a pen and was thinking about getting a lathe. He said "Tom has (my son's pediatrician) got a Jet mini that is just sitting in my shop gathering dust. (doctors have a hard time spending all their money) So I went out and bought the extra things I needed, put them in a tackle box and started hauling my pen hobby back and forth to my friend's shop. 2-3 months of that and being away from my family in the evenings caused me to bite the bullet and get my own gear. The good part is -- I learned the things I did not want and bought all different stuff for myself: variable speed Delta, high quality pen vise, quality live center and collet chuck. That was just the beginning of the expenses...

 

[Cmiles1985]

I was doing little woodworking projects here and there, then I got a bonus for being such a stellar employee :biggrin: With my beloved company, bonuses are gift cards. So, I chose Amazon since you can get ANYTHING (almost) there. I bought a drill press, a pen turning starter pack and some stuff for LOML. I found an old PSI lathe on CL, and got busy building a table for it and rearranging my garage. It all went downhill from there!!!

 

[low_48]

When my Dad passed away in 1985, my Mother gave me a wood lathe. It was a sympathy gift, I won't go into the story of what my little brother got. I had a rough time at the start, using the horrible carbon steel tools that came with the Delta lathe, not knowing how to sharpen, and using kiln dried hardwoods. I had so much trouble, I parked it in a corner. Then a friend suggested we go to a regional AAW symposium in St. Louis. I was reborn after watching how those guys turned, what tools they used, and how they turned green wood for bowls and and vessels. I refined my skills in 1998 when I got to spend a weekend with John Jordan on expense account from my job at Woodworkers Journal. That weekend was free, but I ordered a Oneway 2436 from John shortly after. Wasn't free after all! I haven't looked back. A recent highlight of my turnings, was a one man art show at a local gallery. Lots of enjoyment in that 29 year journey!

 

[Rockytime]

I started a couple of months ago. I discovered the hobby by accident while surfing U-Tube. It looked interesting. I found a Record Power lathe made in the UK. It is a great little lathe, built like a brick outhouse and very accurate but alas it is a M1. It's biggest limitation is only three spindle speeds. I can live with the belt change but the speed limitation is bad. Also the M1 is a slight disadvantage. Otherwise it is very suitable. I started turning slime line (clever eh?) pens with a bunch of walnut blanks kindly furnished by Clark Miles. The slim lines are cheap and and give me lots to practice on. I am a metal turner so I understand turning on center. A little more difficult on a M1 lathe. Since I will not be turning bowls as I don't eat lots of soup and I dislike salads there will be no bowl turning. I don't make furniture as we have a house full of it. Sooo, I think there is a Rikon lathe in my near future. I will use the Record Power for a buffing system. I had a vented buffing system for my clock work but gave it to a friend. Who'd a thought I would again need it? My shop is very small in the garage so my machinery is limited. This web site is awesome and thanks to the moderators and all who participate on it.

 

[bkersten]

Yours sounds like mine also- Record,blue, mt1, 24" bed. Got it in 1992, and its still going with the same motor & belt also. But like you said it has the limitations in relation to whats on them now.

 

[dartman]

I learned by watching you tube videos and hands on with a lot of practice.

 

[jj9ball]

A friend of mine helped me put trim in my basement. I kinda enjoyed all the cutting and measuring. So then he showed me a little light woodworking for a project he was doing. I went and bought a tablesaw and a router and made some cabinets. Same friend also makes pool cues on his metal lathe. He said you should really try a lathe you might like turning. He was right. Its now 7 years later and I have 2 wood lathes, 1 metal lathe, and I also have started making pool cues as well as kitless pens. Its really wierd how the hobby just takes over...

 

[KBs Pensnmore]

How I got started, was that I was in a severe state of depression, my partner asked what I would like to do and I said try wood turning. I bought a GMC lathe, for $102 and a $35 set of chisels, made a few bowls and was hooked.
Joined the local wood turning club, a few months later, one of the members showed how to turn a pen, well that was that, my lathe was donated to the local day centre where I help out and bought an other lathe from a member who was moving into a retirement home (no room for anything) and never looked back.
Kryn

 

[Whaler]

High School wood shop in 1952.

 

[Russknan]

I had done a variety of flat work and DIY home repair things for years. Had various tools, including a 1980s Shopsmith which I inherited. Over time, I collected various scraps of wood, which I found useful in small projects. Saved them in a plastic milk crate. More time, more scraps. The pile got higher, then spilled over onto the floor. The floor pile got larger. Did I mention that the pile of scraps was right under the electrical panel? Had to have some electrical work done, and the electrician told me he couldn't work without my moving all that "crap". So I did. Of course, I didn't throw them out. When he was done, I didn't just want to reestablish the random pile. So I decided to make a "scrap bin". Used 2x2s to make a skeleton, and clad it with plywood. Started to get into it. Then came the design changes. Made 3 compartments One for long pieces, one for dowels, and one for short pieces. Put casters on. Extended the top of the frame so that there would be a handle to make it easier to pull around. Realized that the 2x2 handle would be a lot more comfortable, if it were round. Thought about how I had a Shopsmith, and could round a spindle on it. Hadn't turned anything since doing a particularly ugly bowl in 8th grade Shop class in the early 1960s. I had such a blast rounding over that piece of 2x2 (with a skew, no less, after watching something on YouTube) that I really wanted to turn more. Figured that I shouldn't try turning bowls without instruction. Something about the possibility of a large chunk of wood coming off and hitting me in the head helped with that decision. Did a little more reading, and settled on pens. Learned a lot from IAP. Found the Shopsmith limiting, in terms of ease and convenience (no banjo, etc.) Joined a local woodturning club and bought a used Nova DVR from another member. Then chisels, chuck, and a ton of other items to support my "habit." Got into casting. If I could live two lifetimes, I probably wouldn't live long enough to turn all the blanks I've accumulated. But, gee, that one would make a beautiful pen! Maybe I'll get a few . . . Russ

 

[mchech]

High School wood shop in 1966. We were required to make projects using each piece of equipment in the shop. I made a walnut bowl which I still have. My second lathe project was a baseball bat. It took 2 attempts to complete because the first one exploded. Failure was not an option in those days so I carefully completed my 40" war club baseball bat for a passing grade. I was so afraid of another event that I think I sanded that club to shape. 30 years later I added a small Fisch lathe to my wood shop. Made a few pens and bottle stoppers before I upgraded to a Jet 1221 and dedicated the Fisch to blank drilling duty. Now I am looking at a full sized Jet 1642 or even a Powermatic 3520b to feed my need for wood shavings though baseball bats are not on my menu.

 

[jsmithmarcus]

I saw some pen that a coworker had turned. I ordered the free DVD from PSI and then went on to order a lathe and starter set from them. I used the DVD, Youtube and a few books to learn. The rest is history. I was hooked after that.:biggrin:

 

[Sandsini]

I was online looking for a nice handle for my razor when I stumbled on the Etsy page for a guy that made some nice ones (it could be someone here, I don't remember who it was), I wanted to see what else he made and was surprised to see pens. I have always had an appreciation for well crafted things and I particularly like pens, so I thought that sounded like the kind of thing I have been looking to do. I watched Youtube videos, found this site and about a month later I was turning pens.

My wife had been out of work for a few months (she's back at it now) so I took the budget route and picked up a HF lathe and band saw. I drill and press on the lathe and my minimal equipment just fits into my garage with the two cars in it. Thanks to this site and a host of Youtube videos, I felt comfortable diving in and making mistakes and the occasional pens right away.

I have turned just about twenty pens so far yet currently have orders for 6 custom pens right now. I couldn't be happier!

 

[CabinetMaker]

I'm still learning. Trial and error on scrap wood. But I enjoy it!

What encouraged you to buy the equipment and start.

I have always been attracted to wood working. When I got into middle school, about 8th grade if I recall, I took a semester of wood shop. We could choose our own project and all I knew or sure was that my project would include something turned on the lathe. So I built a coffee table that my Mom uses to this day.

I loved the lathe. I finally reached a point in life where I could actually afford the lathe and some tools so I bought one. I don't remember where I saw my first turned pen. My first project to get familiar with lathe tools was a pen turning class at Rocklers. And I have been hooked ever since.

 

[Krash]

I turned my first pen in February 2014. My son was getting married and my brother-in-law had shown us his hobby of turning pens. My son decided to turn a bunch to give as presents for the groomsmen. He ended up doing all the gifts for the bridesmaids also. While he was learning and turning, I decided to try it also. I loved it and went searching online for information when I stumbled on IAP. I immediately saw Mike Schmitt's segmented beauties and wanted to do that so off I went into experimentation mode to learn his technique's. I am definitely energized by segmenting and by finding the beauty hidden in wood. I have yet to sell a pen but may place some in a local shop just to get them off my dresser!

Thanks to IAP and all its awesome community for embracing and encouraging newbies like me! :biggrin:

 

[panamag8or]

I wanted to make my own shaving brush, so I watched videos and joined here, two years before I ever got a lathe. I had a buddy that was selling his old lathe, and he brought it down one day.

I had never touched a lathe before, and hardly ever seen one. After he turned a quick snowman to show me where all the buttons and such were, he left me to my own devices... 15 minutes later, I had a pen. Guess I had a knack for it.

Funny thing is, two years later, and I still haven't made that shaving brush. :biggrin:

 

[avbill]

the very first time was wood-shop freshmen year in high school. the teacher Mr Germany taught me.

 

[mtassie]

My brother(Finatic) was always the crafty and patience one, from his rod building to fishing plugs to pens always top quality. He taught me how to turn and from that day on it's been a expensive habit, thanks bro!

 

[Leatherman1998]

When I was 11 (5 years ago) my parents got an old Wilton 8x16 mini lathe at a garage sale. I don't remember who ordered a psi catalog but I saw the pens and what you can make so for Christmas a year or so later they got me a starter kit. I learned from the DVD that psi has for free, trial and error, and after I found them Capt Eddie Castelin and Carl Jacobson on YouTube.

 

[Chuck Key]

High School shop class in 1965.

 

[Justin H]

Well...

My son gave me a hand-turned pen that he had made in wood-shop the Christmas before last. I was fascinated. So, I started reading, doing research and making lists.

I've now moved the cars out of the 2-car garage and have a full woodshop. The vast majority of it gathers dust, but I love turning. When things go right, the results are fantastic. When they go wrong... I tend to put the chisels down for weeks at a time. I really, REALLY hate wasting materials.

I've got pieces of segmented blanks sitting on my bench right now that I'm scared to glue together for fear they'll fall apart or shatter when I drill them... lol I eventually get over it, just takes me time.

 

[sbell111]

My wife taught me.

 

[raar25]

8th grade my wood shop teacher let me stay after and help him build the furniture for his house. I bought my first lathe that year with my paper route money (still using the same work bench). 40 years later I needed to make a present for my sons teacher and had heard about pen making so I decided to try it. Needless to say I was instantly hooked and have been doing it for 3 years now.

 

[Boz]

About ten years ago I was doing woodworking as a hobby making jewelry boxes and other small pieces of furniture. I was visiting my Dad and we went to a Rockler store so I could get something I needed. He saw the display of pens and kits and asked if we could do this. I said we could if we had a lathe. He kept talking about the pens so for Christmas that year I bought him a lathe and a pen starter kit from PSI. We learned together and made pens and sold them at craft shows. When he died I took the lathe to my house where I put it in the basement. It took about a year before I could bring myself to fire it up and make some more pens. I have tried quite a few new things and sell or give away what I make to friends and others who find out about me by word of mouth. I still have a dozen pens that we made together that I will never sell and they will be given to my family when I am gone.

 

[firewhatfire]

A persistent old man.

He was a friend of my Father in Law. He always showed up with a cool pen in his pocket. As I admired them he always told me to come and turn my own. It only took him 19 years to convince me. Looking at this thread and thinking about the answer for this question has made me remember what caused me to do in the beginning(it made me smile)

Well 3 years and 5 months later I am scheduled to be interviewed by my local paper for my pen turning. I have won a couple of awards on this fine site since then and always amazed to know how far my pens have traveled in that time and who has them in their pockets.

I think I will call him and tell him thanks.

Phil

 

[WriteON]

A persistent old man.

He was a friend of my Father in Law. He always showed up with a cool pen in his pocket. As I admired them he always told me to come and turn my own. It only took him 19 years to convince me. Looking at this thread and thinking about the answer for this question has made me remember what caused me to do in the beginning(it made me smile)

Well 3 years and 5 months later I am scheduled to be interviewed by my local paper for my pen turning. I have won a couple of awards on this fine site since then and always amazed to know how far my pens have traveled in that time and who has them in their pockets.

I think I will call him and tell him thanks.

Phil

Nice story. Congrats on the awards. Please post your interview when it gets published.

 

[plantman]

I have been a model maker for as long as I can remember. Plastic building blocks, Lincoln Logs, scrap wood from building sites, model car, plane, and boat kits in plastic, wood, and metal. scratch built models and customizing kits. When in high school wood shop I had a great teacher that taught me how to run all the machines there. By my sophmore year I was given the title shop forman, and was allowed to teach other kids how to run and use the machines safely. I started making scale houses later in life and found at that time if you wanted something ornate for the interior you needed to turn it yourself, many times out of brass or some other metal or wood. I switched to making clocks, and also found that if I wanted a piller a certain length or deign, I had to do it myself on my Shop Smith lathe. One day, in one of my woodworking magazines, I saw an ad about making wooden pens and the kits you could buy in order to do just that. I sent for the info and bought some kits. There was no IAP at that time, nor anyone else in the woodworking guild I belonged to turning pens other than drilling out a piece of wood and putting in a Bic point and refill. Those were some ugly pens back in the days. You had to give them away, because nobody would buy them !! I stopped hobby woodworkig for a while when I was building my house, some furniture, and landscaping my yard. After I retired 10 years ago I needed something to fill in my nites and winters. With all the new kits, blanks, CA, and books on pen turning, I thought I would give it a try again. Several years ago I came across IAP !!! What a Godsend !! Jim S

 

[scjohnson243]

About ten years ago I was doing woodworking as a hobby making jewelry boxes and other small pieces of furniture. I was visiting my Dad and we went to a Rockler store so I could get something I needed. He saw the display of pens and kits and asked if we could do this. I said we could if we had a lathe. He kept talking about the pens so for Christmas that year I bought him a lathe and a pen starter kit from PSI. We learned together and made pens and sold them at craft shows. When he died I took the lathe to my house where I put it in the basement. It took about a year before I could bring myself to fire it up and make some more pens. I have tried quite a few new things and sell or give away what I make to friends and others who find out about me by word of mouth. I still have a dozen pens that we made together that I will never sell and they will be given to my family when I am gone.

That is an awesome story.

 

[Wingdoctor]

I did a little turning in HS Shop Classes, 1960-1963. Fast forward to 1998 and I decided I wanted a small wood lathe, so I bought a General Maxi Lathe. Worked good for what it could handle but I wanted more. In a couple of months my wife and I went to the Woodworks store in Columbus and looked at a larger Jet. Then the store owner showed me the Powermatic 3520B sitting next to it. It looked very nice, and my wife says "I'll buy it for you." Wow!! I have it and love it, and her! We've been married since 1966, and the 3520B will be with me as long as I am in the shop. I basically taught myself to turn by looking at Richard Raffan videos, and making mistakes on my own. I still do not call myself an expert, but I get done what I start.
Do a good turn daily.

 

[Cwalker935]

While on a vacation of a lifetime in Hawaii, I saw a guy selling pens in the lobby of our hotel and it was love at first sight- the pens not the guy. I paid dearly for a mechanical pencil made from segmented koa and italian blue acrylic (I have not been able to find a acrylic blank to match that one). After we got home, I kept the pencil in its box beside my lazy boy and would take it out of the box and admire it from time to time (just to admire never to use). I eventually decided that I wanted to make one to actually use and started researching pen making on line, bought a lathe and starter kit, watched the video that came with the starter kit, and jumped in head first"

 

[miket in stl]

My love affair with woodworking started when I entered the 7th grade (1966). In the interest of full disclosure, my first woodworking projects were so bad that I know my parents threw them out, when I moved out on my own. In 9th grade my skills improved and I learned how to use the lathe.

I decided to try engineering school at the University of Missouri, but that lasted for just one year. Between the calculus, physics and chemistry, it was very apparent that I wouldn't make it through the program. So I decided to transfer to the college of Education and get my teaching degree in Industrial Arts. I graduated, but never taught, except for several adult education classes.

Fast forward to a couple years ago, when I attended a woodworking show in St. Louis. I was very captivated by the pen turning demonstrations and the bug bit me. Within a year after the show, I purchased a Delta Midi Lathe and started to make pens. I have sold a couple (literally) pens, but I have given a bunch away. The first pens I made were slim lines. I used the inexpensive kits with blanks from scrap walnut from my shop. The first ones had issues, but all of my co-workers were happy to get on of my "practice" pens. I made at least 10 pens before I started to use better kits and wood blanks. I've recently turned a couple of acrylic blanks, but I prefer wood. I hord all this wood in my basement. I have about 35 different "exotic" woods that I can pick from.

Mike

 

[sbwertz]

About 35 years ago I was working in a college theater scene shop, and we were building a set for a play that required a staircase going up to a balcony all across the back of the stage. We already had a staircase, made from pre-turned spindles from home depot. Unfortunately, HD didn't make them any more. Over in a corner of the shop sat a brand new wood lathe that had never even been turned on because no one knew how to use it.

I checked a book out from the library, they bought me a box of chisels, and I turned 22 matching stair spindles from pine 2x2 lumber. (I didn't even know I was supposed to sharpen the chisels...I just used them straight out of the box.)

I was hooked, but it was 30 years (after we retired and converted the carport to a workshop) before I got my first lathe. I've been turning almost five years now and still love it.

 

[denniszoomy]

I turned my first pen and pencil set in 2006 when i retired out of the Air Force. My daughter was wanting to go to college so as a retirement gift from me to her I went to the Hobby shop on base and got a quick tutorial on how to make them. It was not until 2012 That I sat through a demo at a Woodcraft with my best friend and got hooked on wanting to make them. A month later we signed up for a class at woodcraft and have been spending money left and right it seems on new tools and supplies ever since. Would not have traded it for the world. Thanks John for the addiction.

 

[arevee]

I got started at a wood show in sommerset nj. turned my first pen there for free.I was making cabinets and furniture at the time as a hobby. PSI show room is located in the same building as MLCS wood working tools. I was always there buying router bits and such. I always admired the pens on display and finally about a year or so ago I bit the bullet and bought on of there starter kits. I still do the furniture abd cabinets but I really enjoy making a nice pen.