Wanted Disabled Veteran Looking For Assistance Beginning Pen Turning Journey

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rmiller

rmiller

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
Messages
21
Location
Wyoming, IL
Hello Everyone,

My name is Rodney and I am a disabled veteran of the US Air Force. I suffer from a severe back injury, depression, anxiety, and PTSD, as well as some other issues. Now, not all of these injuries happened during my military service. I also lost my wife in 2015. She was a tremendous help with all of my injuries more than anyone could ever imagine and was a true Godsend and as well as a tremendous loss.

I have been turning wood for approximately the last four years in order to deal with my depression and PTSD among other things, and it has done wonders. However, I have mostly turned only wooden bowls. I am currently looking forward to beginning to turn pens in order to try and generate a little income. However, my shop is a 12x12 shed with no power, so I have to wait until warmer weather so I can run a 100' extension cord for power in order to begin my pen turning journey.

What I am requesting is for any and all assistance you folks might be able to provide me in order to get started turning pens. Since I have been turning bowls for the past few years, I have all the tools and equipment needed. And with my Christmas money this year, I purchased a pen turning starter kit from Craft Supplies. However, it only came with five South American wooden blanks along with five Slimline pen kits. So if there are any supplies such as pen kits and accessories or pen blanks or just anything you feel you might be willing to donate which would help me along my journey, it would be greatly appreciated. I would be very interested in attempting to turn some acrylic or something similar.

I realize I am asking for assistance some will be unwilling or unable to provide, but anything which may help me along my journey would be very graciously accepted. If you are not able to assist me with anything, I completely understand and it will by no means change my attitude towards you as an individual or group in any way.

Thank you in advance for any and all of your assistance,

Rodney
 
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G

gbpens

Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
821
Location
Homer Glen, IL
Always time to help a fellow vet! If you would give us a mailing address some of us can send whatever we can. I know I have a bunch of blanks to share. Gene
 
rmiller

rmiller

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
Messages
21
Location
Wyoming, IL
Hey there everyone,

I appreciate the responses. Here is my address;

Rodney Miller
604 N. Main Ave
Wyoming, IL 61491-1028

Thanks again,

Rodney
 
robutacion

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
rmiller said:
Hey there everyone,

I appreciate the responses. Here is my address;

Rodney Miller
604 N. Main Ave
Wyoming, IL 61491-1028

Thanks again,

Rodney
Click to expand...

G'day Rodney,

First of all, welcome to the IAP family and the way from South Australia.

I can only imagine how much the loss of your wife has made things so much difficult for you and your condition, however, there is always hope and sunshine and that can come in many forms so, don't feel bad about asking for assistance, among this big family someone will come forward to give you a hand, some as you know may be sceptical about posts such as yours, unfortunately, there have been folks that try/tried to take advantage of the IAP community and generosity and it always "hurt" when we find out we have been scanned so, take that in consideration when you make your mind about the IAP as a big family.

I'm in Australia which means that shipping can be a bastard if there one thing that I'm not short of is wood as you may find out in time, I like to help folks in need and I tend to believe your request is genuine so I would like to offer you one out of two choices, one is I give you an AU$50.00 voucher for you to claim at my web-store the issue is that the voucher amount does not cover any shipping so, you will be asked to cover your own shipping cost.

The second option is, I pick a bunch of blanks for you and ship them to you free of charge, the offer is a 1kg parcel full of raw wood blanks from my "stables", you can see what the 98 wood species I offer most from around here are on the web-store under "Timbers List" on the top of the main page.

Anyway, let me know which option you prefer...!

Cheers
George
 
wood128

wood128

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
1,533
Location
Cocoa Beach, Fl, USA.
Hi Rodney,
Always glad to help an Air Force vet. Are you getting any help from the VA ?
You might consider setting up a small workspace in your house for a small lathe and vac. to turn the pens.
I will send a box of supplies. Take care and you are in my prayers.
Joe
 
rmiller

rmiller

Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2015
Messages
21
Location
Wyoming, IL
wood128 said:
Hi Rodney,
Always glad to help an Air Force vet. Are you getting any help from the VA ?
You might consider setting up a small workspace in your house for a small lathe and vac. to turn the pens.
I will send a box of supplies. Take care and you are in my prayers.
Joe
Click to expand...

Hello Joe,

Currently, I do not receice any assistance from the VA, but I am in the process of filing the necessary paperwork in order to try and receive what I can. As far as setting up a small workspace in the house goes, unfortunately, that would be impossible. You see, when my wife passed away in 2015, I lost everything. I was living in AZ at the time and due to this, I had to move back home with my parents in IL. And that was when I lost everything. My home, my pets, my friends, and everything else you can think of. You see, my wife was from TX and never wanted to purchase a house in AZ, so we always rented. We also never had any kids. So those were about the only things I could not lose just because I never had them to begin with. But I did lose everything else.

So I now live with my parents again. It is a little difficult at times, but at least I do have a place to stay and I am with family again. But, they would never allow a workspace for pen turning be set up in their house. So I just have to wait until warmer weather so I can go out to my 12x12 shed. One day, I hope to run electricity out to it. But until then, I will just continue with the extension cord in warmer weaather.

Thank you for the prayers Joe as well as the box of supplies. They will be greatly appreciated. I promise I will put the supplies to the best use possible, and maybe one day I can return the favor or pay it forward.

Thanks again,

Rodney
 
Willee

Willee

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2007
Messages
365
Location
Corpus CHristi Texas
Hi Rodney ... Thank you for defending America and I am truly sorry for your losses.
If you ever want to take a vacation in a warmer climate come on down to Corpus Christi Texas.
I got a room for you.

Sending you some stuff.
William Lee 361-563-1303
 
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