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Flyfishbc

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Messages
13
Location
British Columbia Canada
Hello from northern BC Canada. Just joined the site yesterday. Looks interesting. I ordered a lathe yesterday, I'm pretty stoked to get turning. Where do all you fellow Canucks get pen turning supplies? I work in a lumber yard so can get exotic hardwoods pretty easily but the pen stuff?? Thanks all , looking forward to learning from you all.
 
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1080Wayne

Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2006
Messages
3,340
Location
Brownfield, Alberta, Canada.
Welcome to the forum . Best Canadian suppliers are probably Lee Valley and William Wood-Write Ltd . No need to go exotic unless you really want to . Any of your local species will produce beautiful wood , just a matter of learning where to look . The general rule is , the crappier it looks on the outside , the more character it has inside . Stressful living conditions induce character .

Spalted or burl big leaf maple and burl Yellow-Cedar can be very nice , but so can old growth fir or hemlock with tight growth rings in a different way . Practice using cross cuts . The wreck rate will be higher , but the results are usually worth it .
 
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DrD

Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2019
Messages
1,104
Location
Columbus, Mississippi
Hello. and Welcome! 1080Wayne is right about cross cuts. Once you get the knack/technique of turning cross cut blanks, your success rate will go up and your blank explosion rate will go down. Makes for a beautiful pen.
 

Flyfishbc

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
Messages
13
Location
British Columbia Canada
Options are limited here. Got a craftex cx813 . Haven't used a lathe since high school. Many years, should be fun to learn again. Not much for hardwood in this part of the country, mostly pine, spruce, hemlock , poplar and a bit of birch. I'm not fussy, will try it all.
 

magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,913
Location
Canada
Hi There !!! . Welcome to IAP !!!

Best source in Canada for pen supplies is www.penblanks.ca ( aka William Wood-Write ). . Used to be Lee Valley but they haven't kept up to date

Of course, if you don't mind paying the shipping, US vendor is better still. . I recommend BearToothWoods.com for us guys on the west coast.
 
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