Hello from Pioneer Valley, MA

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vferdman

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
263
Location
Western Massachusetts
Hello and thanks for this amazing resource. I am completely new to pen turing and turning on a lathe in general. I've been making shaving brushes using my drill press for a while and getting good results, but I hit a brick wall of possibilities on that set up and I knew if I wanted to continue I needed a lathe and some turning skills. So last weekend was a "no sales tax" weekend in Massachusetts and my lovely wife bought me a Jet 1014 mini lathe (I was away from home on a motorcycle trip - what a wife!). I am learning the ropes of spindle turning and my love for fountain pens (and other obsolete, single function devices like watches, music players, wired telephones, etc.) combined with the spindle turning caused me to discover pen making using a lathe. This is an amazing field and I am really looking forward to turning my first pen. I bought a kit at Woodcraft that contains the mandrel, drill bits, bushings and 5 pen kits (4 pens and 1 pencil, actually). I will practice on dimensional poplar or something like that before hitting the kits because I really am a beginner and doing more you tube watching than turning at this point. However, I did create my first shaving brush on the lathe and will post pictures of it if there is interest (I realize it's off topic at a pen forum).

Thanks again and I look forward to learning the art of pen making.
 
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Charlie_W

Charlie_W

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Nov 16, 2011
Messages
5,918
Location
Sterling, VA USA
And welcome from Virginia! Welcome to penturning! Yes, there are lots of You tube videos to watch. Also, you will find tons of info in the IAP library! Watch videos on turning showing how to use different tools.
If you can get hooked up with a woodturning club in your area, that will help. You should find some penturners there as well.

Good luck and post some pics when you can!
 
Edgar

Edgar

New Member Advocate
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Feb 6, 2013
Messages
6,900
Location
Alvin, TX 77511
Welcome from Texas.

I would highly recommend getting a mandrel saver for your tailstock. It will hp keep from bending the pen mandrel shaft.

Looking forward to seeing some of your work.
Edgar
 
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turncrazy43

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
1,104
Location
Marietta, GA
Welcome to the addiction. Ditto on the mandrel saver. Get yourself a chuck to hold your material in the head stock. Keep watching and reading on this forum. If there is an IAP chapter in your area you would be well advised to join them and meet some fellow turners.
______________________________________________
Everyday I'm vertical is a great day
 
plano_harry

plano_harry

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Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Messages
1,959
Location
Plano, TX 75093
Hi Vladimir! Welcome to IAP from Texas! We have a special place for shaving brushes - post it in "Other things We Make". There is more reading on this site than in all the pen making books combined (although I enjoy those as well). Get good with the search function and you can find dozens or hundreds of answers to practically any question, instantly. The library is a huge resource as well.
 
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Real

Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
134
Location
West Springfield, MA
Welcome aboard. I am also from Western Mass. Next time you are the West Springfield Woodcraft, ask for Steve Rice. Ask him when the next New England chapter meeting is? We haven't had one in a while. Lots of good penturners in the group and they are great source of info.

Real Mercier
 
V

vferdman

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
263
Location
Western Massachusetts
Real said:
Welcome aboard. I am also from Western Mass. Next time you are the West Springfield Woodcraft, ask for Steve Rice. Ask him when the next New England chapter meeting is? We haven't had one in a while. Lots of good penturners in the group and they are great source of info.

Real Mercier
Click to expand...

Steve Rice was the one who sold me the lathe I just bought over the no-tax weekend. I got their floor model Jet 1014. Talked with Steve a bit and he also sold me the pen making starter kit with 5 pen kits, a mandrel and some 7mm bushings. I have not tried a pen yet since I am busy trying to learn the lathe and make some shaving brushes, but I will turn a pen very soon. Can't wait...
 
kaydubya

kaydubya

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
Messages
29
Location
Dunedin, New Zealand
Welcome, Vladimir
Like you, I'm new to turning - just a few weeks down the track. And yes, I've become a YouTube freak too!. On that topic, if you haven't already found Mike Waldt's channel, search and find him because he has produced a wonderful beginners' series and he has such a relaxed and engaging manner. I have a lathe which I think is probably identical to yours but with a different badge. I think the model is MC1018. So, warm greetings from the other side of the world. I have sent you a friend request as it seems appropriate to follow each others' fortunes given what we have in common.
Kind regards
Keith
 
toddlajoie

toddlajoie

Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2010
Messages
1,728
Location
Feeding Hills MA
vferdman said:
Talked with Steve a bit ...
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that!!!:eek: Hopefully the experience did not sour you on Pen Turners!!!:biggrin:

In all seriousness tho, Steve (and Real, and several others that you may run into in the W. Springfield Woodcraft) are great guys and excellent resources to advance your turning.

Also, Welcome, from Agawam MA...
 
V

vferdman

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2014
Messages
263
Location
Western Massachusetts
toddlajoie said:
vferdman said:
Talked with Steve a bit ...
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear that!!!:eek: Hopefully the experience did not sour you on Pen Turners!!!:biggrin:

In all seriousness tho, Steve (and Real, and several others that you may run into in the W. Springfield Woodcraft) are great guys and excellent resources to advance your turning.

Also, Welcome, from Agawam MA...
Click to expand...

Naw, Steve seems very nice and gave me some tips on using a fingernail gouge I had problems with. I ended up back there to return an item, but came out $50 lighter anyway :) Bought some European pen kits with appropriate bushings and some acrylic blanks for when I get better and make a pen to gift to my sister for her belated b-day present.

I am a bit shy about posting a picture of my first pen, but it actually came out okay. Nothing spectacular, but okay. I will post it in the appropriate forum (BTW, where would that be?).
 
S

stonepecker

Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2012
Messages
4,382
Location
central Minnesota
Welcome from Minnesota.
"Show off your pens!" would be the right place to post any pen you make.
And don't be aftraid to post them. We all are at different levels of expierence. You will see some fantastic pens in there and it is one way we all get our "fix".

Enjoy the IAP.
 
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