Bowling Ball

[Bev Polmanteer]

OK, I'm new to this. What's bowling ball. It looks neat and I've never heard of it. Also in the pictures I see many different styles of pen kits. Can you all tell me where you shop for kits please. I only use Penn State's catalog and go through Ryan at penturningz. I would like some different styles. After seeing the pens you all turn, I don't think I'll be posting any!

 

[melogic]

Hello Bev,
I get most of my stuff from PSI as well. However, I use Woodcraft a lot. They have a lot of different pens. If you click here http://tinyurl.com/3rbda you will see the taper pen. It is on sale also. It may not be one to start out on, but I like it alot. HUT is another good place to purchase pen supplies. The best, is Woodcraft. They are a little more expensive but their service is by far the BEST!

 

[PopaBear]

For All the Newbies like me.

I did some research on the different manufactures of the kits that are available form the different suppliers.

There are only 3 manufacturers in the US that make the kits. These are Berea, Pen State, and Craft Supply USA.

Hut, Rockler and some Woodcraft kits come from Berea.
Woodcraft also has some kits from PSI and CSUSA. They also cave a couple from what i understand that are unique to them.

Be careful when orderng the kits and be sure you get the proper bushings and mandrels made by the manufacturer of the kits. They dont always cross between manufacturers. I have found that Bushings for PSI pens probably will not be able to work for pens from Berea/Hut/Rockler where i have gotten my kits.

I have only gotten stuff from PSI once directly and have sine switched to Ryan at Penturningz because he can get kits from anyone and for PSI stuff is cheaper than PSI.

I have also heard that Bill Baumbek can do the same but have not looked into that as yet.

Bev the Bowling Ball you asked about is the stuff Bowling balls are made of. I dont remember off hand where right now but several people have been getting the material and making pens and stuff from it with very nice results.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Bowling ball material was just about a month or so introduced by Pens of Color. It is actually the same material as a bowling ball, but made into pen blanks (about 6 inch long and 3/4" diameter), sure it is easier to handle than to cut blanks from a bowling ball.
One member here has made quite a number of pens and bottle stoppers of it, I think it is YoYoSpin.

Rudy

 

[YoYoSpin]

Right...the POC bowling ball blanks actually measure about 6.6" long and are 1" in diameter. Nice stuff and easy to turn. This "cigar" pen and stopper came from one blank

 

[pecartus]

Ed,

I was looking at your site a little while ago and this is OT for this forum post, but I am curious about the Yo Yo's you have and the statement about no glue, can you explain, and I apologize for posting this question here. BTW, great looking bottle stopper and pen, are you going totally into BB blanks?

 

[YoYoSpin]

Whenever I run across something new, it tends to get all of my attention for a while. But no, the BB stuff is nice, but far from the only material I'll be working with.

Regarding one-piece yoyos, you'll find a 4 page how-to article in issue # 1 of Woodturning Design magazine: http://www.woodturningdesign.com/ . There are several distributor of the magazine who may still have some issue 1's laying around.

 

[pecartus]

Thanks Ed, I will look that up, again I apologize for the OT.

 

[Bev Polmanteer]

Thanks for your information Mark, I just ordered 10 taper kits and bushings, with shipping and all less than 3.50 a pen. Ed, you really do some fantastic stuff! I'll have to get ahold of the POC people again and check out the BB stock! You are all so helpful!!!