Hello from Arkansas

[BMAYES]

Hello fellow turners, I have been turning pens and other small items off and on for about 7 years. I am self taught and turn on a Jet Mini. When i visit sites like this I realize just how much I don't know. As a DAV I use my turning time as a sort of therapy. As I'm sure most of you know, once you get in the zone everything else just seems to fade away. I have considered trying a craft show or local street market to see if my pens are professional looking enough to sell. I look forward talking with other turners.
Until then,
Bruce.

 

[rholiday]

Welcome from South Carolina.

 

[OZturner]

Welcome Bruce, from Sydney, Australia.
Thank you for your Service.
Brian.

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Bruce.

 

[edman2]

Welcome from central Arkansas! We have a local central Arkansas IAP chapter. Check it out in the Local Chapters forum.

 

[magpens]

Hi Bruce !! . Welcome to IAP !!

 

[Ligget]

Welcome to the IAP, from Scotland!

 

[Gary Beasley]

Welcome from Georgia from a former Arkie. Your area has a good supply of interesting local woods to play with, my favorite is pecan. You can get good stuff just by picking up dead branches under the trees.

 

[tomtedesco]

Welcome from Colorado.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hello fellow turners, I have been turning pens and other small items off and on for about 7 years. I am self taught and turn on a Jet Mini. When i visit sites like this I realize just how much I don't know. As a DAV I use my turning time as a sort of therapy. As I'm sure most of you know, once you get in the zone everything else just seems to fade away. I have considered trying a craft show or local street market to see if my pens are professional looking enough to sell. I look forward talking with other turners.
Until then,
Bruce.

Hello Bruce. I note you live in central Arkansas. I live in north-central part of the state. I also see that you are a DAV. You might be interested to know there is a great pen turning program at the long term rehab facility in the VA hospital at North Little Rock. The woodturning club near me started the project for vets who live there. One of the members even designed and made some stands that allow for use of the lathes from a wheel chair. Due to conflicts with the meeting dates I am no longer a member of that club but have stabilized many hundreds of blanks for them to take to the hospital for this project. Coincidentally, I was admitted to the long term rehab in late 2016 after some very serious spinal cord surgery. While there i had a chance to observe the vets and the pen turning project. To say this is a successful undertaking would be an understatement. Most of the vets in that unit will never live anywhere else. This gives them something useful to do and makes them feel less trapped in their environment. I suggest and urge you to go visit the unit and, perhaps, do some mentoring for those just beginning learning turning. I guarantee you will find it a rewarding experience that will benefit both the shut-in vets and yourself. Let me know, privately if you wish, if you decide to make the visit.