Pen Kit Instructions - Whose is Best?

[Scott]

Which company's instructions are the best? Please also post your opinion below with reasons!

Scott.

 

[Scott]

I like the Penn State instructions the best. They are very thorough, well illustrated, and easy to understand. I also like the fact that they are posted on their web page. I am (unbelievably) bad about keeping the instructions for the kits I buy. So It's nice to be able to just go and print out a new copy whenever I need it!

Now, I do like the newer instructions from Craft Supplies, but their older ones are not good.

I think it's a good idea to keep a library of kit instructions here. Maybe I'll start contacting the companies to get permission! And of course we can write our own instructions, too!

Scott.

 

[Rick Prevett]

I agree about Penn State's newer vs. older instructions. The new ones are very good.

My problem is that theirs are the only ones I've really ever seen, and those are copies from the net, as Scott said above. I've yet to even see instructions from Hut, Berea, etc. I would think it would be in the pen kit makers best interest to make their instructions not only informative, but available. I know I've shied (sp?) away from some kits for just that reason. I like the look of the pen, but how the heck do I make it?[!] I'm not going to spend, what, 7-12 bucks for a kit that I can't complete.

rick
/ends minor rant

 

[Daniel]

Penn State, Again. they are neat. look more professionally done, Each set of instructions looks like it was written specifically for that pen kit, their is a list of the parts so If you are missing anythign you know it.
and I have only had one time that I was miss lead and that was as much my fault as the instructions.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I must admit that I use Berea kits nearly exclusively, but think their instructions stink (especially when you got that kit the first time and have to figure it out). Woodcraft uses mostly Berea kits and has much better instructions. Also, the instructions for the few gentlemen pens I made from Craftsupplies are pretty good. No experience with PSI, though.

Rudy

 

[jeff]

Hut instructions are pretty good. Much better than Berea for the Berea kits they resell. Sometimes I wonder if the people writing the instructions have (a) ever built the kit, and (b) ever used a word processor. About half the Hut instructions I've seen have the part descriptions mis-registered from the picture. So you have to mentally slide all the words to the right to get things to line up.

The Berea kits have these useless part numbers like WCO-145-IPG-1 for the gold cigar pen. That number does not show up at all on the instruction sheet. Why can't it say "Gold Cigar" on the bag and the instruction sheet?

CSUSA is good about putting their instructions on the Web and I find them pretty good. Hut is decent, but they don't have them on the web (that I've found), but you get a copy with every kit. I like Berea kits best, but Rudy is right, their instructions stink!

 

[tipusnr]

My favorites are the 7mm slimline kits from Rockler, mainly because I can get them locally on two-for-one sales which keeps the price down.

I don't think they make their own kits though as they are so similar to the ones I got from PSI.

I think I got the question wrong. The instructions I use are from Woodcraft though I can apply them to kits from just about anywhere.

 

[dw]

I use CSUSA and Berea kits. I like the CSUSA instructions the best. All the kit makers could help us (and themselves) immensely, if they would just mike out the diameters on all of their parts, from nibs to bushings to tubes. That wpuld remove about 90% of the uncertainty that confronts anyone just getting into this, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[melchioe]

I have to say the CSUSA instructions are the best of the ones I make. They are getting more consistent, but sometimes they depart from their format for some kits. I agree with DW that they should all put diameters in the instructions. ONce in a while I have several bushing sets on my workbench at once, and knowing the diameters would allow me to put them back in the same parts bin correctly (I'm building a diameter table, but it'd be nice to just have it right away.)

The kits i get from both Rockler and Woodcraft have some of the most unreadable instructions (inconsistent part names, combining pen and pencil assembly instructions in the same step, no instructions on what order the bushings go on the mandrel, etc.), and I agree that some of the instruction writers need to learn how to type, and also turn a few pens...
-e-

 

[leenollie]

Hello everyone,

I've worked primarily with Woodcraft kits, since ther is a store here in town. I've downloaded all the instructions for the pens I make, or am planning to make once I get the bushings and kits, an have them in a three-ring binder. That way they are in one place where I can get to them. I've also worked with some kits I got from woodpenpro.com, but I don't know what manufacturer they are from, so I fall back to the instructions I have. They seem to work all right.

Lee Biggers
THe ever curious pen turner []

 

[Kurt Aebi]

I Actually like Russ' pen instructions the best, but he wasn't listed.

I voted for the Penn State Industries instructions, but Craft Supplies are real close to the same and Berea's aren't too bad. But PSI's are the most detailed, so they got my vote.

I just wish that the kits were a little less expensive, so that I could afford to get good at this craft.