Central Texas Pen Noob

[Mike Ogden]

Greetings, everyone!
I've been turning bigger (wood) stuff for several years. A while back, I wondering about possible Christmas gifts for my relatives. They are all pretty religious. Along the way I happened to run across packages of "Genuine Bethlehem Olive Wood Pen Blanks". Hmmm. Why not? So I watched a few dozen pen turning videos and bought some essential and nice-to-have pen turning gear.

I am about a dozen pens into the game now. I started with some blanks I made from a mesquite tree I trimmed and processed. Then I turned a few commercial wood blanks. I like it! I'm now into my third acrylic(?) pen. I think after I get through the acrylics I'll stick with wood.

I'm looking for a source of high quality kits. I've used Legacy kits so far. Some of them are pretty good (in my estimation) and some are really quite marginal (as in the fit is not bery snug).

Anyhow, I'm sure I'll be asking noob questions and getting inspiration from some of the pro-types around.

Cheers!

 

[d_bondi]

Welcome Mike!!

 

[Alan Morrison]

Welcome to the forum, Mike.
You can post photographs if you would like, as we would like to see them.

I use kits from Beaufort Ink in the main. They are excellent kits and are available in the US.

Alan

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Mike.

 

[Fuzzy63]

Welcome Mike, You can look at Exotic Blanks or Penn State for good quality pens and blanks.

 

[d_bondi]

Welcome Mike, You can look at Exotic Blanks or Penn State for good quality pens and blanks.

I agree with Gary re. Exotic Blanks and Penn State.
I have not been as happy with the quality of the kits from Woodcraft and Rockler.

 

[derekdd]

Welcome aboard, Mike.

As others have said, I pretty much just buy from Exotic Blanks and Penn State.

 

[its_virgil]

I agree with Gary re. Exotic Blanks and Penn State.
I have not been as happy with the quality of the kits from Woodcraft and Rockler.

Woodcraft and Rockler sell the same kits as Exotic Blanks for the most part: Berea Hardwoods Kits or kits from PSI. Many (most) vendors sell lits from either Berea Hardwoods or PSI. Some rebrand them and some do not. Any reseller of Berea or PSI kits will be less expensive than Woodcraft or Rockler.

Woodcraft, for example, sell Berea Hardwoods KIts but rebrands them: Wall Street II and III are the Sierra and Sierra Vista from Berea. The Navigator is the Baron from Berea Hardwoods and so on.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[tomtedesco]

Welcome from Colorado.

 

[Woodchipper]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Smokey S]

Welcome Mike from South Texas……….Smokey

 

[MTViper]

Mike, welcome from the Abilene area. Pass through Gatesville to visit my daughter-in-law and her mother in Temple (Son deployed to Saudi). If you need anything from west TX, let me know.

 

[MTViper]

Mike, there's an AAW woodturning club in Waco - Brazos Valley Woodturners. Their website is: https://www.bvwt.org

Steve Kniffen

 

[Sataro]

Welcome from Texas!

 

[Lew]

Always good to see another Texan woodturner

 

[Todd in PA]

Welcome. We'd like to see some photos of what you've done so far.

I've been getting more of my kits directly from Berea this year. They're running sporadic sales where an item is 50% off. You just have to subscribe and watch the emails until the item you want shows up on sale…then stock up.

 

[its_virgil]

Welcome from Wichita falls. Enjoy your time here and check out the library for lots of useful information.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

 

[sorcerertd]

Welcome from NC! I can't add any more to the fine list of recommendations already here.