MrsPTownSubbie
Member
There's lots of new entries to our blog for Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering on May 2&3, in Glen Allen, Virginia. You can read them all for yourself at Mid-Atlantic Penturners Gathering 2014 - Our Blog but I thought I would share a few here.
April 14, 2014: Meet our Guest Panel - Alan Shaw (ashaw)
Alan Shaw
Alan Shaw (ashaw) has been interested in fountain pens since third grade. He started collecting pens but was later forced to sell his collection when his job was out sourced in 2001. He started learning the art of pen making in 2002. In 2006 Shaw Pens started selling his pens at one retail location and then expended to several other locations along the East Coast. As of 2014 Shaw Pens has 32 retail locations plus a number of corporate accounts. Shaw Pens has been featured in both Stylus and Pen World a number of times. Shaw Pens has also been written up in the Philadelphia Business Journal and a number of national and international newspapers. In addition to making custom pens Alan has also been designing pens and pencils for PSI.
Alan will be a guest on our "Marketing your Pens" Discussion panel on Friday night. Please visit Shaw Pens for more information.
April 13, 2014: Meet our Demonstrator - Brett Ransom (hard hat)
Brett Ransom
Brett Ransom (hard hat) will be demonstrating anodizing with Bruce Robbins. Here are a few words he had to say about how he got interested in penturning, "I have been turning pens for just over three years now. I didn't really know what I was getting into when this all started. I had just bought a table saw and went into Woodcraft for some materials when I saw lathes and pen kits and all kinds of beautiful blanks. I just had to do that! The obsession hit and my attention to detail really made it fun. As I love a new challenge, my wonderful wife bought me a metal lathe and then I set up for anodizing aluminum. The focus of my pen turning is challenging myself to do something I've not done before." You can see examples of Brett's work in our Photo Album.
Brett will also be moderating our contests this year. Specific rules and more details can be found on our main page, so keep this in mind when planning your next project!
March 26, 2014: Meet our Vendor - Jonathon Brooks (Brooks803)
Jonathon Brooks
Jonathon Brooks (aka Brooks803) has been turning pens since 2009. His creativity quickly led him to try casting his own pen material. Since then he has developed his own unique style of pen blank and has turned casting into his full time job. He uses both Polyester Resin and Alumilite to cater to the kit and custom pen makers of the world.
This year he will be one of our vendors and will have a plethora of blanks for sale. You can also find his work at www.exoticblanks.com/Brook-s-Blanks/.
April 14, 2014: Meet our Guest Panel - Alan Shaw (ashaw)
Alan Shaw
Alan Shaw (ashaw) has been interested in fountain pens since third grade. He started collecting pens but was later forced to sell his collection when his job was out sourced in 2001. He started learning the art of pen making in 2002. In 2006 Shaw Pens started selling his pens at one retail location and then expended to several other locations along the East Coast. As of 2014 Shaw Pens has 32 retail locations plus a number of corporate accounts. Shaw Pens has been featured in both Stylus and Pen World a number of times. Shaw Pens has also been written up in the Philadelphia Business Journal and a number of national and international newspapers. In addition to making custom pens Alan has also been designing pens and pencils for PSI.
Alan will be a guest on our "Marketing your Pens" Discussion panel on Friday night. Please visit Shaw Pens for more information.
April 13, 2014: Meet our Demonstrator - Brett Ransom (hard hat)
Brett Ransom
Brett Ransom (hard hat) will be demonstrating anodizing with Bruce Robbins. Here are a few words he had to say about how he got interested in penturning, "I have been turning pens for just over three years now. I didn't really know what I was getting into when this all started. I had just bought a table saw and went into Woodcraft for some materials when I saw lathes and pen kits and all kinds of beautiful blanks. I just had to do that! The obsession hit and my attention to detail really made it fun. As I love a new challenge, my wonderful wife bought me a metal lathe and then I set up for anodizing aluminum. The focus of my pen turning is challenging myself to do something I've not done before." You can see examples of Brett's work in our Photo Album.
Brett will also be moderating our contests this year. Specific rules and more details can be found on our main page, so keep this in mind when planning your next project!
March 26, 2014: Meet our Vendor - Jonathon Brooks (Brooks803)
Jonathon Brooks
Jonathon Brooks (aka Brooks803) has been turning pens since 2009. His creativity quickly led him to try casting his own pen material. Since then he has developed his own unique style of pen blank and has turned casting into his full time job. He uses both Polyester Resin and Alumilite to cater to the kit and custom pen makers of the world.
This year he will be one of our vendors and will have a plethora of blanks for sale. You can also find his work at www.exoticblanks.com/Brook-s-Blanks/.