G'day

[switt]

Just joined up a few days ago and thought I'd introduce myself. I've been turning for about 7 years, but only got it into my head to try pens a couple of weeks ago. I've got some relatives coming to visit me in Australia in October, so thought pens make with native Australian timber would make a nice present. Finished my first one this weekend, also had my first blowout and my first stuff up:redface:.

The end result is I've ordered another 20 kits. Guess you could say I'm hooked.....

 

[bkersten]

You better do more than 20 at a time.

 

[switt]

I'm trying to be good, am saving up for a new lathe....

 

[Rifleman1776]

G'day y'all as well.
I'll be visiting Australia this December to see my son and his family. They will be living there on a sabbatical for almost a year. Lately, I have been trying to become a member of the Australia Wood Working forum but there is some kind of block that will not let me log in even though the administrator has manually registered me.
Anyhow, welcome. I'll look up Brisbane, if it is within reach, I may contact you for a visit. I may try to buy some wood while there. Glad to have you, enjoy the addiction.
Frank

 

[tim self]

Another Welcome from this side of the world. You're a lucky dog living with all those beautiful woods there.

 

[mbroberg]

Welcome!!

 

[ldb2000]

Welcome to the group steve . Wait till the slimlines aren't good enough any more and you start buying the bigger , better kits .

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Steve.

 

[Mrs Rojo22]

Welcome!

Robin

 

[corian king]

Hello Steve!
Welcome from Va!

 

[Pens By Scott]

Steve,
Welcome to the Addiction!

 

[switt]

Welcome to the group steve . Wait till the slimlines aren't good enough any more and you start buying the bigger , better kits .

Already hit that bump, I'm afraid. Have ordered a handful of Jr Gents and a couple of cigars.

Still a long way to go til I hit the big time, but I can see where this is heading.

 

[ldb2000]

Yep your on the slippery slope to the poor house !!! :biggrin:

 

[Ligget]

Welcome to the IAP!

 

[Fred]

Welcome to the Forum, Steve! Very glad to have another Australian join in the fun! We so need more sources for your beautiful wood.

 

[jocat54]

Welcome Steve.

 

[switt]

G'day y'all as well.
I'll be visiting Australia this December to see my son and his family. They will be living there on a sabbatical for almost a year. Lately, I have been trying to become a member of the Australia Wood Working forum but there is some kind of block that will not let me log in even though the administrator has manually registered me.
Anyhow, welcome. I'll look up Brisbane, if it is within reach, I may contact you for a visit. I may try to buy some wood while there. Glad to have you, enjoy the addiction.
Frank

Hope you can sort out your issues with the Aussie forum, it's really a great place (that's what led me here).

Where will your son be in Oz?

 

[PenMan1]

Welcome Steve! Good to have ya aboard!

 

[rherrell]

Welcome!

 

[broitblat]

Welcome, Steve.

-Barry

 

[CSue]

Welcome Steve.

One of the most important things is to be able to show off your work here on this site. The following is a great info article on "how to" by Jeff:
Uploading Photos – Your album
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=35783

This link will lead you to a great place to keep your eye on things. It's kind of a guide to the who, what, and whatever for of the IAP site.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3

Here is another link - a PDF on the acronyms used here. I am sure you know many but this will help with those you don't.
http://content.penturners.org/articl...9/Acronyms.pdf

 

[robutacion]

G'day switt,

I remember you, there is , your avatar mainly from, my days with the AWWF (Australian Wood Work Forum) before one of the head "honks" decided to baned me, a few years back...! Their loss...!:wink:

Anyway, welcome to this less complicated and more open minded place, you will find this a good place to be...!:biggrin:

I got involved with pens about a couple of years ago or so and that is complementing what I have been doing for years as a bowl turner and local wood supplier. I'm glad that I did, even tough I don't make many pens, I make thousands of pen blanks on top of the other bigger blanks, that has gave me just the right utilization of my salvaged woods, something that I've wanted for a long time.

One of the main "rules" that I now see implemented here, something that I didn't notice much when I joined to IAP, is something that I've carried on from my years with the Aussie forum, something that you most certainly confirm as a fact, and that is, "no pics, it didn't happen...!" so, lets see some of your recent work, please...!:wink:

Good luck...!

Cheers
George

 

[robutacion]

G'day y'all as well.
I'll be visiting Australia this December to see my son and his family. They will be living there on a sabbatical for almost a year. Lately, I have been trying to become a member of the Australia Wood Working forum but there is some kind of block that will not let me log in even though the administrator has manually registered me.
Anyhow, welcome. I'll look up Brisbane, if it is within reach, I may contact you for a visit. I may try to buy some wood while there. Glad to have you, enjoy the addiction.
Frank

Hi Frank,

I just read this post and I curious about what part of Australia you will be visiting...???
I had to Goggle the word "sabbatical" as I had no idea of its meaning, nor I remember to have heard of such word before, nevertheless now that I'm a little better "informed" about its meaning, I wonder if you are coming for a short (doctors) type visit, or you intend to "look" around...???

Just a friendly piece of advice, this is a big place, just from Sydney in the countries south to Darwin up north, is about 3,000 miles, no much need to talk about distances from east to west but if you come near Adelaide in South Australia, come over for a coup of coffee, and I can then show you my "lolly-shop" for timber lovers...!:biggrin:

PS: By-the-way, December is a "hot" :cowboy: month in this country...!

Cheers
George

 

[Constant Laubscher]

Welcome Steve!

 

[phillywood]

welcome and I would like for youto check out this thread and you welcome to participate if youlike to receive any of those balnks the other generous members are offersing at New guys need blanks too,
here http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=63584.

 

[CaptG]

Welcome to the addiction.

 

[switt]

G'day switt,


One of the main "rules" that I now see implemented here, something that I didn't notice much when I joined to IAP, is something that I've carried on from my years with the Aussie forum, something that you most certainly confirm as a fact, and that is, "no pics, it didn't happen...!" so, lets see some of your recent work, please...!:wink:

Good luck...!

Cheers
George

Yes, I remember you as well, wondered where you'd gone. Saw your posting about pear wood the other day and visited your website, looks very interesting. I'm sure I'll be looking for a few of your olive wood blanks in the not too distant future.

I tried to take a couple of pictures of pens the other day, came out very poor quality, so haven't bothered to upload them. May need to upgrade my camera.

 

[robutacion]

Yes, I remember you as well, wondered where you'd gone. Saw your posting about pear wood the other day and visited your website, looks very interesting. I'm sure I'll be looking for a few of your olive wood blanks in the not too distant future.

I tried to take a couple of pictures of pens the other day, came out very poor quality, so haven't bothered to upload them. May need to upgrade my camera.

Hi Steve,

Yeah, well... you know me, with saw dust running in my veins, I'm never very far from wood people...!:wink:

I'm glad you found this place, and any time you need something, you just need to let me know...!

In relation to the Pear tree, as you can see I still like to take a lot of pics of before , during and after of what I do. The wood stories are as real as they have always been with every one of the tree species I have introduced to everyone, regardless which forum I'm at. I maybe do a little less of it in our days but that is another "story"...! I'm getting old and less agile, my big gut, or should I say the drop of my "chest muscles" to my waist line is "considerable" and my 20kg overweight (all in the gut...!) makes it more difficult to see where I put my feet...!:biggrin:

You have no idea how many of us need a better camera, or need know how to use what we got but, is no shame in showing what we manage, at least we all get an idea...!:wink:

Cheers
George

 

[switt]

First pens (excuse the poor photos)

OK, just so you know it really DID happen:biggrin:

Top pen is lace sheoak, a very nice timber to turn. The timber is full of rays, which makes it very prone to splitting, but which really add character.

Bottom pen is an acrylic blank my wife picked out, so I made it for her. Really enjoyed turning it, nice to be able to use a skew and not worry about catches.

The kit for both is sold here as a BT-401, or Mont Blanc.

 

[robutacion]

Hi Steve,

I never doubted you, my friend...!:biggrin:

What's wrong with those pics...? they are no worse than any of mine and/or many others, shown here...! By the way, you should show-off your pens in the appropriate location, and that would be at "Show Off Your Pens!" topic, so that you know...!:wink:

That Lace Sheoak is in many ways identical to some of my local She/Bull-Oak, and interestingly I never notice any tendency for splitting, if anything, it is a very heavy and dense wood that I find a pleasure to work with and takes any finish very well...! There are obviously a few varieties of these species and I would expect them to have slightly different characteristics...!

The acrylic is quite nice too and I'm glad that you are part of the "few" that feel comfortable/confident with a skew...!

Cheers
George

 

[TellicoTurning]

OK, just so you know it really DID happen:biggrin:

Top pen is lace sheoak, a very nice timber to turn. The timber is full of rays, which makes it very prone to splitting, but which really add character.

Bottom pen is an acrylic blank my wife picked out, so I made it for her. Really enjoyed turning it, nice to be able to use a skew and not worry about catches.

The kit for both is sold here as a BT-401, or Mont Blanc.

Welcome to the family.... I see you follow my methods... I always take the wife with me when I go to the local Woodcraft... she'll pick out and let me buy or buy for me more of the pen blanks, both wood and acryllics than I would on my own... I keep most of my money in her wallet.... :biggrin:

 

[johncrane]

Welcome to IAP Steve!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hope you can sort out your issues with the Aussie forum, it's really a great place (that's what led me here).

Where will your son be in Oz?

I did get on the Australian forum, and a good one it is. Still learning the 'language' to a point. Lot of nice, and knowledgable people there. And, like here, a couple hotheads. I'll probably stay with it even after our Aussie adventure is over.
My son will be in Port Macquarie. Looks like a very nice area, lot of beaches and other water related recreation opportunities.

 

[switt]

I did get on the Australian forum, and a good one it is. Still learning the 'language' to a point. Lot of nice, and knowledgable people there. And, like here, a couple hotheads. I'll probably stay with it even after our Aussie adventure is over.
My son will be in Port Macquarie. Looks like a very nice area, lot of beaches and other water related recreation opportunities.

I've been here over 20 years, and I'm STILL learning the language.

As for the hotheads, yes you'll find them everywhere, doesn't matter which country you're in. Important to remember that Aussies tend to say things pretty directly ("not backward in coming forward"). But sometimes it's only meant to provoke a reaction, and not to be taken too seriously.

 

[Mark]

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy the site..

 

[robutacion]

I've been here over 20 years, and I'm STILL learning the language.

As for the hotheads, yes you'll find them everywhere, doesn't matter which country you're in. Important to remember that Aussies tend to say things pretty directly ("not backward in coming forward"). But sometimes it's only meant to provoke a reaction, and not to be taken too seriously.

Yeah... imagine a forum without "hotheads", I call them something else :biggrin: but that's another story...!

I can see that the "hotheads" still around in the Aussie forum, I know them well...!

In the 22 years I've been here, I have been trough some "interesting" processes in learning the language myself and I've always been OK with the "direct approach", I'm like that and I wasn't born Australian but, what I never seemed to "grasp" and or take it well, is when someone says something but they mean something else...! like you said "But sometimes it's only meant to provoke a reaction, and not to be taken too seriously.":foot-in-mouth::wink:

Anyway, Port Macquarie is a nice area but a little too "busy" for me...!

Cheers
George