Clueless Newbie Told To Practice Pen Turning

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pauly99

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Joined
Oct 27, 2012
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96
Location
Montgomery, IL
I guess we all have things that we are good at and hobbies that we pick up and are in the learning phase. I almost have all of my tools (waiting on the chuck jaws for drilling on the lathe) and I'm excited about starting to turn pens. Super excited. I'm sure there are many opinions on the best ways to sharpen tools, best kits to buy as a beginner, etc... For now I've got a simple question. I just finished building a bird feeder and was hoping to practice turning with the cedar wood that I have left over. I cut the wood down to size, did my best to drill in the center handholding a drill, and put it on the pen mandrel. The best that I can do with a rough gouge is to chip at the wood (running about 3500 rpm).

Is it possible that the wood is just too soft, that maybe the rough gouge is not sharp enough (using an 8" Grizzly wet grinder), or a combination of the two? I probably have about 4 slimline kits ready to turn and a good block of poplar (maybe 18"x5") but until I get the chuck jaws I don't want to start throwing away blanks that I will most likely not hand drill correctly.
 
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Yeah. All the rough gouge was doing was chipping the wood away. I guess when someone told me to start grabbing scraps of wood, cut them to size, and then start practicing, they should have said to exclude the soft woods. Guess my brain didn't pick up on that until I was going about the process.
 
What kind of kits do you have? Slimlines? PM me an address, I'll send you a box of blanks to play with... I'll even send a few pre-drilled that you can play on while waiting for the chuck.

A few people gave me blanks to get going - paying it back.
 
Thanks Rob. You go above and beyond! Just sent ya a PM. I purchased some slimline kits because from reading around a bit it seemed to be the place to start. My chuck has been ordered but it is from one of those places (folks may be familiar with) that takes about 5 business days before they even box up the order. I've got the shakes (and I'm 47 years old) because I'm so looking forward to getting started.
 
I've got an idea of where that might be... Check out Craft Supplies USA - order by 4pm EST, and ships the same day for in stock items (Also $7 shipping for < $150, free for > $150).

Edit - I forgot a couple items on an order I placed Sunday, called them this AM hoping to add on to it. She couldn't but very quickly offered to do a separate order with no shipping charge. Great people to deal with!!
 
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The "slow shippers" do have some good deals on scroll chucks, though!! Probably worth waiting for!!

Enjoy!!
Ed
 
Whoever told you any wood is too soft to turn is not a turner at all. Cedar can be turned. There are a ton of videos on utube and some here in the library that will get you started. From what you described in your opening statement 2 things maybe of a problem. The tool is not sharp enough or sharpened at the correct angle and second you may not presenting the tool properly to the wood. Certain tools are better suited for different materials. Before you attempt using a lathe please find some videos and learn some safety precautions and learn how a tool is presented to the object being turned. Yes pens are somewhat simple but basics are still necessary. Maybe a turning class at a local Woodcraft or turning club will help. Now if you have been turning then please disregard everything I said:)
 
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Thank you for all of the tips. It is the videos that got me into this. I'm hoping to begin with pen turning and then work on some other things along the way. I rehabbed properties for about 5 years and learned everything from drywall, plumbing, laying wood floors, to cutting 1" tile in half from watching videos. Can't beat the internet! And darn well I made sure to get a face shield for turning pens.

I'm starting with the slimline only because that is what an ex pen turner (sold all of her equipment) told me where to start. So I bought the single 7mm drill bit and trimmer whereas maybe I should have thought ahead and picked up some package deals. I'm not quite sure what is pulling me to get into turning pens... maybe it is seeing some of my friends creations.

Thanks for the tip about Crafts Supplies USA. As I'm new to this and just starting to read through the threads, I'm learning where other folks recommend buying materials.

There is a Woodcraft store about 20 miles away and I've made it there the last 3 weeks to talk to the staff and a manager. When I mentioned that I was attempting to turn some cedar blanks that I created from some scrap material, I was pretty much told in a nice way that I was crazy. They also recommended that I use carbide tip tools, even though my friend (now about 2300 miles away) said that I would do fine with HSS and a wet grinder. I guess that there are probably varying opinions in how to turn pens and what tools to use. I found the same thing when I rehabbed properties.
 
Have you considered using the Easy Wood Tools? Great for beginners who want instant success without the arduous hours of the learning curve associated with traditional tools. No sharpening, no angles, no bevels, no nothing. Just hold the tool level and you'll be turning like a pro in no time. Check out their site. Hope this helps make things a little easier.
 
Pauly99, good luck on your pen turning adventure. Sharp tools is a very important factor.

As far as cedar goes, I love making pens from cedar. Keep your speed up, sharp tools, don't get in a hurry and use a light touch. Red Cedar is beautiful wood.

I started with pecan (lot of trees here) and walnut and peach.

Remember, sharp tools. Keep practicing.

Ray
 
Kooster, the Easy Wood Tools or something very similar was just recommended to me last weekend when I was in Woodcraft. Since I already had what many consider to be decent HSS chisels, gouges, and skews, I opted instead to spend my money on a Tormek multi jig. I would like immediate gratification but at the same time I don't mind learning how to sharpen the tools, albeit it may be a steeeeeeeeeeep learning curve. Of course I will allow myself the option of the Easy Wood Tools if I get too aggravated but if I start handing over my paycheck for a few of these tools, my wife might have me living in a cardboard box.
 
Get yourself a pack or 2 of spare tubes, if you are not happy with what you turned, don't put it on a kit. You will save some $ and its probably a good habit to make sure the fit is good BEFORE you press it together. I have a pile of slims that I messed up (too small, bad finish, ect) but pressed in anyway. Just somthing I wish I'd known about when I started.
 
I still consider myself a beginner even though I have been turning pens for months and had some great successes so don't get too put off too quickly.

The only advise I can offer is if you learn on Easytools its difficult to go from those to 'regular' tools. Its easier to go from 'regular' tools to Easytools.

Learn the techniques involved with gouges and skews first.

Slimlines are no easier than any other pens - in fact they can be fiddly little buggers but they are cheap so better to make errors on those than going for a Majestic for example.

Cedar is nice and if its free practise on that - better than practising on something you bought. I have practised on anything that I can pick up off the floor in the woods.
 
I turn Cedar and make pens, pencils, bowls and other things. You must has sharp tools and ride the bevel of the tool properly and it will turn nicely. I agree that learning on turning tools is important. I have used both and I prefer HSS turning tools since I can grind them different ways for different purposes. I think that putting wood on your lathe and turning is a great idea. I practice on 2x2 pine pieces and I learned to use a skew by practicing on LARGE carrots until I could make thin peelings. I was told to practice this way by Russ Fairfield, who was an amazing pen turner. Do it and you will learn a lot.
 
Thank you for all of the advice. I think my issue is that the roughing gouge did not get sharpened to the point of being able to cut much more that butter. I have 8 HSS tools and went through each of them in an attempt to get them sharp. Now when I sharpened the parting tool and got the burr off on the leather wheel, it was sharp. Same with some of the other skews. The gouge's... not so much.

I watched some more videos last night to both get the hand of how to use the Tormek jig and how to hold the tools when turning. I may end up picking up an Easy Wood Pen Turning Tool if I'm stuck in getting the roughing gouge sharpened to where I need to be. However I don't give up easily and understand if others can get it done right (even if it takes a bunch of practive), I should be able to figure out a way.
 
You should have no problem turning cedar. When one uses a roughing gouge on square stock, the tool will jump around if you don't take light cuts and hold the tool at the correct angle. Once you get the sharp edges turned off the tool should cut without jumping around.
 
A Great Big Thanks To LagniappeRob

Hope I'm not out of line here. When I started this thread I was simply inquiring about my misfortune with trying to turn cedar/practice on cedar. The bottom line was that Usain Bolt would have to take a running start at a block of butter with my roughing gouge in order to pierce or most likely bounce off it. Well I've learned some things along the way about sharpening the roughing gouge and looking at such items as an Easy Wood Tools Easy Pen Turner if need be.

So back to hoping that I'm not out of line. One of the first couple of folks who asked how I was started was Rob LagniappeRob out of New Orleans. He mentioned something about sending out some blanks and pre-drilled one's while I awaited a chuck in the mail to get started. I just sent this over to Rob in PM.

WOW. Holy cow is all I can say!!! I told my wife that I had met someone online a couple of days ago through the penturners forum and that this gentleman was going to send me a few blanks with hopefully one pre-drilled so that I could get started in figuring out this pen turning thing.

Absolutely incredible. I picked up the box and thought... why is this thing so heavy? Well I opened up the box and oh man! About 50 times more than I ever could have imagined and even with as little as I know, there are so many beautiful pieces of wood, acrylics, and more that I'm not even sure where to start (but I will get started this weekend). Thank you also for sending me your card too. The completed pen with the case is beautiful and it is great to see an example of your work. I actually haven't been through all of the pieces yet (I'm taking some pics) but I see the ebony, gold dust, Holy Land Olive Wood, soft maple, jatoba, rainbow tulip poplar, red flame box elder, hickory, mahogany, honduran rosewood (gorgeous) and so much more!!! I literally mean so much more. Kid in a candy store here. My wife just got home and she loves the color in the acrylics. Wants a complete one now. LOL.

With the kits and tubes that you've included, I have everything I need to get going. No excuses. Thanks also for the foam for using CA in the finishing. I am absolutely jazzed and can't thank you enough. You've reminded me that paying it forward or just plain helping out folks who are new to something and who show some enthusiasm is a great way to put that extra spark/desire behind a beginning hobbyist. I can't thank you enough.

Thanks to the fine folks in this forum for lending a helping hand with a few questions (there will be more). And a special thanks to Rob in New Orleans who went above and beyond and flipped backwards to get a clueless newbie started in this awesome looking hobby.
 
Joe S. said:
Get yourself a pack or 2 of spare tubes, if you are not happy with what you turned, don't put it on a kit. You will save some $ and its probably a good habit to make sure the fit is good BEFORE you press it together. I have a pile of slims that I messed up (too small, bad finish, ect) but pressed in anyway. Just somthing I wish I'd known about when I started.
Click to expand...

Joe, get a set of Harbor Freight punches (pen disassembly tools) and knock it apart. I often check my fit by pressing parts together and then knock them out I I don't like what I see (feel) :)

While I would attack cedar with a nice sharp skew chisel, I still wouldn't want to be without my Woodchuck Pen Pro! One of the best purchases I have made!
 
IMHO turning the softer woods (cedar, fir, pine, etc) are fantastic practice and teaching tools.
The cost is low enough that it doesn't hurt when one (or a lot more) gets torn up. If you can learn to turn soft woods, turning the harder more exotic (and more expensive) stuff is way easier.

Turning the softwoods teaches very quickly about tool sharpening, proper presentation to the work, preventing tear out and chips, etc.

Learn to turn the cheap stuff, it makes turning the nicer stuff so much more fun.

This is the same reason slimlines are often the preferred beginner pen, low cost and lots of "Teachable Moments" . If you can turn a decent slimline or 7mm euro/designed (with the tenon), you can pretty much turn any kind of pen.
 
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