Hello from Tara, Ontario... (the original Tara-ist)

[BobbyD]

After lurking in the background for several months; reading, watching, learning... I've come to the conclusion that it's a bit more expensive a hobby than I first thought. I bought my mini-lathe on sale at Canadian Tire a few years back for somewhere over $100, and put it in storage in hopes of making pens after I retire. That day hasn't come yet, but my wife got me a couple of pen kits for Christmas past, so I finally unboxed the lathe. I realized then I didn't have nearly half the stuff I would need, so I got more goodies.... 7mm pen mandrel, mandrel saver, dedicated pen chuck, pen press, set of carbide tools, set of bits, micro-mesh, CA, EEE polish, more kits, more blanks, dust collection system, the list just goes on and on and on.... not to mention a corner-cutting jig I made for acrylics and brittle blanks...

I have learned a lot through the wisdom of the members here in a relative short period of time, thank you all.

I would love to get into stabilizing my blanks (have some spalted wild apple wood I've scrounged up), and casting as well. I am aware of the differences and necessity of having a vacuum pump and chamber for stabilizing, as well as a pressure pot for casting. I think the vacuum pump and pot will be my next haul, and any suggestions would be welcome. (I won't be offended, and I won't go stomping off mad...) I've been looking on Amazon at the Kozyvacu TA350 pump, with the Ablaze mini 1.5 quart chamber pot. Any thoughts before I place an order? Seems like reviews have been fairly decent (not just on Amazon, but on independent sites as well). Obviously I would like to keep the price down, but don't want to throw my money away on junk either...

I'll try to post some pictures of pens I've made so far.... to date I've made between 30 and 40 pens. Some have sold, others were gifts, some (like my first half dozen) I'm keeping for posterity...

Critiques are welcome... from every aspect... turning, finishing, photography, etc... I'm already aware of flaws in some of these like fittings, etc. Hoping to improve my skills as time goes by...

Thanks for adding me on board,
Bob

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Bob. Good looking pens.

 

[Curly]

Home of -Ra Boom-De-Ay too. Or should I say Eh?

Welcome to the forum.

 

[KMCloonan]

Nice looking pens.

 

[tomtedesco]

Welcome, great pens.

 

[Alan Morrison]

Welcome to the forum, Bob.
good looking pens.
Alan

 

[darrin1200]

Welcome aboard Bobby
I thought I recognized that village name. In my earlier years, I grew up in Shallow Lake. I played a few ball games in Tara.
That is a nice grouping of pens. You are developing your skills quite well.

William WoodWrite is carrying the TurnTex chamber. He also carries cactus juice.

You can also check kijiji and your local facebook marketplace for a vacuum pump. I picked up a JB pump, a few years ago, pretty cheap. It was from an appliance repair guy that was retiring.

 

[BobbyD]

Welcome aboard Bobby
I thought I recognized that village name. In my earlier years, I grew up in Shallow Lake. I played a few ball games in Tara.
That is a nice grouping of pens. You are developing your skills quite well.

William WoodWrite is carrying the TurnTex chamber. He also carries cactus juice.

You can also check kijiji and your local facebook marketplace for a vacuum pump. I picked up a JB pump, a few years ago, pretty cheap. It was from an appliance repair guy that was retiring.

Thanks, Darrin,

I never even thought of checking KiJiJi.

I figured I'd get the Cactus Juice from William Woodwrite, seems to be fastest shipment/deliveries due to location and comparable price to bringing it across the border when considering shipping and duties based on currency exchange.

Small world for sure... I lived in Shallow Lake for a few years myself. Met my wife there, got married there in the preacher's house... Larry Marshall, had a small white house on the road going to ball diamond/mink ranch behind Ed Allen's store.

I remember finding an old broken wooden skid in a warehouse, salvaged the 4x4 rail off it, and turned it into a baseball bat on a 4ft lathe I had at that time. Got my Marples chisels from Alvy Barfoot's Hardware Store. The bat turned out to be a beautiful Bird's Eye Maple, and probably weighed 5 lbs! Didn't take much to drive a ball over the fence with it...

 

[darrin1200]

Thanks, Darrin,

I never even thought of checking KiJiJi.

I figured I'd get the Cactus Juice from William Woodwrite, seems to be fastest shipment/deliveries due to location and comparable price to bringing it across the border when considering shipping and duties based on currency exchange.

Small world for sure... I lived in Shallow Lake for a few years myself. Met my wife there, got married there in the preacher's house... Larry Marshall, had a small white house on the road going to ball diamond/mink ranch behind Ed Allen's store.

I remember finding an old broken wooden skid in a warehouse, salvaged the 4x4 rail off it, and turned it into a baseball bat on a 4ft lathe I had at that time. Got my Marples chisels from Alvy Barfoot's Hardware Store. The bat turned out to be a beautiful Bird's Eye Maple, and probably weighed 5 lbs! Didn't take much to drive a ball over the fence with it...

It is a small world. I walked that road many a time, to play ball on that very field. And to go jump in the lake. I also spent a lot of allowance change in Ed's store. I have to admit, we weren't always the nicest kids to Ed and his brother, his name was Mark I think.

I lived back on Main St., up the dead end portion. Back then, there were only 5 houses and a trailerhome. When did you live there, we left in about '74. I still have family in the area though.

 

[BobbyD]

Moved into Shallow Lake in the spring of '76, met a girl that stole my heart. Married her in October of same year, thinking I'd get it back. To this day, she still has it.. stubborn, won't give it up.... lol

Things have changed a lot since then... Ed's store dramatically modernized, Loretta's Restaurant no longer, the times are a changin....

Can't help but wondering how the picking would be for wood as a candidate for stabilizing in the bush down by Copper Kettle...