Papa Joe
Member
Hello fellow wood turners. My name is Joe, but grandkids have always called me Papa. I'm a74 year old Navy veteran of the Vietnam war living in the great central valley of California (I'll keep my political leanings to my self). I am not yet retired but hope be in the next year or so. I have been interested in wood working for as long as I can remember. No one else in my family is or was a woodworker, so I don't know where my interest came from.
In 1984, my ex-wife bought me a Shopsmith package to make repairs around the house and it came with a basic set of turning tools. Over the years, I have turned a few rolling pins, paper towel holders, etc. Never got into turning very much, but I also turned parts for repairing broken furniture. The last couple of years, I have picked up an interest in turning pens, pepper mills, and such. I also obtained from my neighbor (who is leaving California) a small mini metal lathe. My current wife bought me a Rikon midi lathe. I still have the original Shopsmith tools and have been acquiring other tools. I have a set of carbide tools, Nova chuck, pen mandrel. I'm trying to accumulate most of what I need in anticipation of retirement. I have basically all I need to start pen turning except for finishing supplies. I have yet to turn my first pen but have a few basic kits and some blanks (both wood and some acrylic).
I have watched just about all the videos on Youtube, but am looking forward to this forum for help and education. Maybe I can even contribute a little bit.
Happy turning,
Papa Joe
In 1984, my ex-wife bought me a Shopsmith package to make repairs around the house and it came with a basic set of turning tools. Over the years, I have turned a few rolling pins, paper towel holders, etc. Never got into turning very much, but I also turned parts for repairing broken furniture. The last couple of years, I have picked up an interest in turning pens, pepper mills, and such. I also obtained from my neighbor (who is leaving California) a small mini metal lathe. My current wife bought me a Rikon midi lathe. I still have the original Shopsmith tools and have been acquiring other tools. I have a set of carbide tools, Nova chuck, pen mandrel. I'm trying to accumulate most of what I need in anticipation of retirement. I have basically all I need to start pen turning except for finishing supplies. I have yet to turn my first pen but have a few basic kits and some blanks (both wood and some acrylic).
I have watched just about all the videos on Youtube, but am looking forward to this forum for help and education. Maybe I can even contribute a little bit.
Happy turning,
Papa Joe
