How did you get your start in pen turning?

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Bowl Slinger

Bowl Slinger

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Just curious as to what made each of us decide to get into the addiction of pen turning.
My story is: I am a diesel tech by trade but have always been into turning wood every since HS wood shop 28 years ago. 2 years ago my wife came into the shop and said that she wanted me too make a mechanical pencil for my daughter. I replied "are you loosing it? I dont turn those little things, Im a bowl slinger!" Hench thats where I got my handle from. I made the pencil and honestly have been hooked since then.
So what is your story?
 
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I was laid off from a job early in 2008 as an IT Support role doing a jack of all trades kind of approach. After about 2 years being out of work I was wanting to pursue another interest possibly. I've always wanted to do something with my hands, create and use wood. So in 2009 for months I started researching Woodworking seeing what I could get into with the limited tools I had. One day I stumbled into some videos on Youtube that shown Pen making. I've always liked pens every since I was young. Seeing the process it really appeared to me as a good way to get into using tools, an excuse to get more tools plus create pens. In February 2010 I took a Pen Turning class at the Columbus Woodcraft, a month later I bought a Jet Mini lathe. Things just progressed from there. Doing it for fun, the idea of trying to sell didn't come till later in the year. Few years later still doing it, not selling much but still have the desire to create pens as often as possible. Now I am employed doing Technical Help Desk support but still enjoy making pens and eventually want to shift careers full time into woodworking, pen making etc if it can happen.

Larry
 
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In junior high we were required to take shop classes and one of them was wood shop. I hated the noise and the dust and really wondered how I was going to survive. A few days into the course the instructor said it was time to show us how to use the lathe. Within that day, I became hooked on the lathe. We were required to make screwdriver handles, because in metal shop, we would make the screwdriver. I loved making the screwdriver handles and became so good that the others in the class paid me to make theirs! I was so hooked that I sent away for catalogs to find where I could buy my own lathe. At that time, the cost of the lathe was too high for a junior high student and my father had no interest in woodworking at the time. So after trying to find other people in the area who had a lathe, or attempt to get a used one, I gave up.

Years (and years) later, my dad took a class at Woodcraft on how to make kitchen cabinets. (he had suddenly developed an interest in woodworking) He was so excited and urged me to visit Woodcraft, as they had "all kinds of lathes in there." I went out one afternoon and talked to a guy who was a pen making fanatic. He talked me into signing up for the class in beginning pen making.

I took the class, and while my turning skills had declined markedly over the invervening period, I loved making my two Slimline pens. I spent hours looking at them and showing everyone in my family. Now, I have a brother, sister-in-law, nephew and two neices making pens! Its great fun, whether you sell them, give them away, or just collect a bunch as your own personal favorites.
 
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Well first I created the Internet. Then when I got bored with that I created Wood Working, or was it the other way around.

Actually and dear friend of my Father in law had asked me for years to come to his house and learn to turn a pen. Being that I didn't have anywhere to keep tools nor do the work, I refused for a long time. After finally adding on to my house I went to his house and watched him turn a pen and he let me hold a tool also. That was March of 2011 and now have more tools than I thought I ever would and looking for the next great deal on a lathe(I have 2 already) Makes me wish I had went years ago and took up pen turning.

Phil
 
After I got into wookdworking (all flatwork), I started making Christmas gifts for friends and family. After several years, I started running out of ideas of what to make. Then I saw an ad in one of the woodworking mags for penturning parts and supplies. So I got a lathe and made a bunch of pens to give away. Since then, my table saw has become just another flat surface on which to place things.
 
I was making a delivery at one of my stops on the route and needed a signature, while waiting for the pastor of this church to sign my invoice, i noticed that he had some really neat stuff on his desk, they happened to be a bowl and a goblet. I vaguely remember him having a pen but i never put much thought into it. Well, when i inquired about where he got them, he said he turned them on his lathe, and then invited me to the next local woodturning meeting. That was in April of 2008 and it took all the way until September of that year before i met Don Ward (its_virgil) who opened that doorway into the pen world! He has been a great teacher and friend over the years. I owe all of my talent to the good Lord above, looking back now, it was all part of HIS plan! thanks for letting me share my story
 
One of the first tools I ever used was my Dad's woodlathe. It had been his dad's before him. It originally was in an old mill and ran by the old flat belts from an overhead shaft that was powered by water. It consisted of some big cast ends (legs) with pockets into which large wooden timbers fit to form the bed. It had big heavy cast iron wheels for locking the tailstock and tool rests in place. Parts of it were a bit makeshift, but that was as much our lack of knowing what was available for centers,etc, at the time. I was about 10 when I first played with that lathe. Years later we replaced the timbers with 12 foot long ones in order to turn a couple of columns for a porch here in town.
When I moved out the very first power tool purchase I made was a Sears lathe.
The local lumber yard where my Dad and I did all our business would send all their specialty requests for spindle turning to me. I got so I hated doing it!
That lathe set in my basement mostly unused for many years. Then a few years ago I had a chance to by an old Rockwell/Delta reeves drive lathe that had been in our local high school. (it's a shame they seem to have phased out Industrial Arts everywhere). I converted that lathe from a 3 phase to single phase and purchased a Talon chuck.
It wasn't until I got cut back at work to 4 days a week one Winter that I decided I needed a hobby to pass the extra time I suddenly had.
I was very fortunate in a way that my first order from CSUSA was delayed for what seemed like weeks because during that time I discovered the IAP. Between the people here and some woodturning friends on the rec.woodturning newsgroup I got very good advice on tools and aproach.
Soon I was making lots of pens, the first ones every bit as ugly and underturned as you can imagine, but I was hooked!
At some point I gradually got a little better and had enough sales to friends and friends co-workers that I was able to purchase a second lathe and move my turning area inside where the cold Winters didn't slow me down. I was, and still am, addicted! :smile:
 
Way back in the early 1990's my dad bought a shopsmith and started turning pens. That convinced me to buy my first lathe (a craftsman) and start turning pens for my self and friends. I turned almost exclusively slimlines for about 5 years. Then graduated to some American Flat Tops. Stopped turning about 7 years ago. Picked it up again this summer when my son asked me to make him another pen. A lot has changed in the pen turning world in the past 7 years (of course some of that might be due to internet access.)
 
I had been collecting tools planning to take up woodworking when I retired. The year before I retired while visiting my daughter my son in law's uncle made me a pen and I really enjoyed watching him make it. By the next time we went to visit my son in law had bought a lathe and started making pens. I went with him to Woodcraft to pick up supplies and decided to buy a couple of kits and try it myself. Needless to say the next month I bought a lathe and after being retired five years I am in two different woodturning clubs,have three lathes, and woodturning is the only woodworking I am doing.
 
Walked into a Woodcraft store looking for some fancy wood to use for knife scales, ended up giving them my e-mail address and got a pen turning class e-mail.

Needed more scale wood anyway so I went to it -the pen turning class- as well and got hooked on pen making.
 
Back in 1996 I went to work at a specialty hardwood sawmill. The boss wanted to find ways to use small pieces of wood that would otherwise go to waste. I did some research and pens seemed like a logical item to make. I sent for a few catalogs, bit the bullet and ordered a Sherline lathe and most of the other items I felt I needed. Looking back, those first pens weren't much to look at (but I wish I had kept a couple) but when put in the Gift Shop they sold quite well. I was hooked and tuned more and nicer pens over time. It was a nice extra income too. But, since I worked for the lumbermill, I could only sell pens made from their wood (underwater salvaged old growth hardwood). Not too bad a problem since I had access to some beautiful wood but always was a little jealous of all the exotics and acrylics I would see on the pen forums.

Now that I'm no longer working at the mill I have been able to expand into other types of materials for pens. I have purchased all the goodies to do my own casting but haven't started yet but hope to soon.

Been a fun ride -- hope to be able to keep it up.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin
 
I went to a local wood shop to work on a pine wood derby car with the den. My son picked up a pre-drilled black resin pen blank and asked me what it was. I had no idea, so asked.

One thing led to another, and I now have a lathe, a bandsaw, a grinder, a belt sander, three pressure pots, a pen tube insertion tool and one hell of a mess in the garage that will never be clean again. Actually, turning pens makes a mess, but when I started pouring resin we lost the garage completely. What a disaster:biggrin:.
 
Last Feb. 2012 a blacksmith friend of mine traded me a metal lathe. I had seen damascus pens that sold at knife shows for big bucks and though I would do that because I made my own damascus. I figured I would start with wood to learn the basics of pen making. After much trial and error being self taught I produced a few pens. I found this site and my ability grew by leaops and bounds as I was able to gain insite and wisdom from many in this group of fine folks. I did learn to cast alumlite blanks and worthless wood
I am still making wood pens haven't ventured into turniing damascus yet.
 
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During the Summer of 2008 I brought my dad home to help me build my woodshop (aka the Ark) just for general woodworking, at that time I had only in my mind working in furniture, so I December 2008 I went to the Ottawa wood show and at William Woodrite booth I've seen a lathe and said, that might be a good addition to my shop, so I bought one and a starter kit for making pens, at High school I did metal turning, but at least in this case I would be able to make table or chair legs. I was totally wrong, I started to make bowls and platters but I was a little bit shy to try the pen kits, I don't know why, but after I've tried my first one (a sierra) I never stopped and pens became my main production and bowls and platters secondary . ahh BTW since I got my first lathe, I only did one set of chair legs and that's it
 
I'm a pen tramp. Not being able afford the pocket bling I longed for I decided I would make my own. I would love to build furniture, boxes and small cabinets but I just don't have the time right now. Pens are pretty quick.
 
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I've been turning bowls for a couple of years but had no interest in pens. Then I purhcased a new - second hand lathe PM3520A. The seller included lots of goodies including pen blanks, mandrels, tube trimmer etc. That was in the summer - now I have over 100 pens under my belt and countless 'orders' from friends and family for Christmas presents.
 
Worked with a friend several years ago that turned pens. I thought they were cool and thought it was something I wanted to do when I retired. In 2010 I received a good bonus at work and thought I would give this a try. Been turning pens ever sense.

Joe
 
I was a cabinet maker by trade. A friend in the company where I worked turned bowls and some other cool things. I looked it up on the internet to see what was needed to turn and came across pens and loads of other cool stuff.
 
It all started when I want to make a set of custom grips for a handgun. I started looking around for exotic woods. I stumbled across the IAP classified adds. I think that was around 2008. The site became one of my regular stops to shop for wood. Every time I logged in, I saw these fabulous pens, and I started reads a post here & there and one thing led to another. What started as a hobby making gun grips ( I think I made 5 sets of grips) has evolved to pen making. Once my lathe turned on, I haven't made a set of grips since.
 
I fell in love with woodworking when I took wood shop in high school. Especially the lathe. Made furniture for the house off and on for 30 years using rudimentary tools and LOML bought me a cheap wood lathe for my birthday back in 2003. Our youngest son had made pens for the both of us while in junior high several years earlier and she knew I wanted to get into it. Discovered that nobody made any attachments that would fit the off threads, so I sold that lathe and bought another. Didn't take long for me to upgrade again, and then again. I love turning! Anything! Found IAP early in 2005 and the rest, as they say, is history.
 
I have been collecting pens for many years. One day I bought a hand made Majestic roller ball. I asked the seller if he would make me a matching fountain pen. He stringed me along for about a year and I thought to myself "how difficult can this be" I have two metal lathes and milling machines in my work shop at home. I ordered a few kits from a local supplier and started turning pens on my metal lathe. I am still happily turning.
 
Took early retirement and about 18 months ago decided I needed a bit of a hobby to keep me from doing the things that needed doing to the house and garden. Had very fond memories of making bowls and platters at school so spent £50 on an old Coronet lathe on Ebay and made some bowls......and didn;t really enjoy it. Whilst looking for inspiration saw a few videos on youtube of pen making. Bought a few kits and that was it....hook line and sinker!
 
I used to make a lot of military shadow boxes. One time I was asked to make a shadow box in the shape of a ships helm. Well the shadow box needed spindles for handles and I did not have a lathe at the time. So I bought a lathe and soon figured out I needed lots of practice to make the spindles I needed. I found another way to make the needed spindles (Router) because I just was not very good with lathe just yet. I eventually figured I should look up some more videos or something so I could learn to use the lathe and I discovered pen turning. I was soon hooked on the instant gratification of pen making.
 
My Grandfather owned an office supply store for 50 years, and when he passed, I came across a box of vintage NOS pens, and got into collecting and using them. I also have been wetshaving for about 10 years, and wanted to make my own brushes.
While I was researching badger brush knots, I saw several sites for penmaking supplies, and thought I would like to do that and I stewed on the idea for a couple of years.
I know one of the members here from another forum, and he sold me his old lathe last month, and I've been hooked ever since.
 
Several years ago at my wifes family reunion her uncle brought in a handful of plain twist pens. He said they were easy to make and gave me a couple of cataloges to get me started. After my first one I was hooked. I do taxidermy and have tropical fish for a few of my other hobbies. Once I saw the snake skin blanks the fever went wild. I was able to combine several hobbies into one so the penturning is going crazy.
 
My mother had given me a wood pen for a birthday in the early 90s. I decided that I wanted to have a pen made from every species of tree in the world. Well, the refill leaked and messed up my car's interior so I put the pen in a bag and forgot about it.

About eight years ago I met a guy at church who made pens and my old dreams of making pens revived. I found a local woodturning club with a pen turning demo, visited it and they said if I joined the club for $20, I could borrow a lathe and chuck. I signed up and took a lathe home. My church friend showed me some things and loaned me a couple of tools.

I found this site and another pen site and asked for mentors. Billy (alamocdc) volunteered and invited me to his shop - I was there for almost eight hours (I had NO idea it was that long) and made my first pen! (And Mrs. Billy even fed me!)

Another member - Alan - hosted me, too, and shared his knowledge and a good part of his Saturday.

With the help of those three true gentlemen, Troy, Billy and Alan, I used my borrowed lathe and tools and sold enough pens to buy my own Jet 1014. Since then, the Jet has become a buffer, got a Delta and now a metal lathe - with plans to make my own parts. I now have dozens of friends around the world who live here at the IAP. What an interesting six years!
 
I took woodworking class in school when I was in Jr.High. Made a foot stool and turned some spindles for it. Also made a lamp and a book rack. And small cabinet. My mom still has my foot stool I made. Shop classes were my best courses in school. Then years ago I order a P.S.I. catalog and thought I would like to make pens but didn't really have the money. About 4 years ago I bought small H.F. lathe on e-bay for about $40.00 I know it costed more money to ship it then the lathe. Had for about year before I made a pen. Now I'm hooked and loving yet.:biggrin::biggrin:
 
I went to a craft show with my wife and came across a vendor selling wooden pens. I really liked them, but not the price. Not being new to a lathe, I told my wife I could make one. I later found an ad in Wood magazine and called Penn State for a catalog. This was pre-Internet and email, so learning was on my own.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
 
After blowing my back out in spring of 08, LOML said "Get a hobby." I've loved working with wood all my life and really enjoyed turning back in high school (a lifetime ago). We bought a HF lathe from one of her friends, the large cheap one and I started bowls and platters. Joined a few woodturning sites and kept seeing this guy from Canada posting sierras. I thought, "who wants to make pens, what's it take 20 minutes". Well, a small shop fox lathe and a few pens later, I knew you can make a pen in 20 minutes but you sure can't sell it. Upgraded to a Jet 1014vs a short time later and haven't looked back.
 
Im a teacher and saw some kids with pens they had made in shop class. I was always interested in using a lathe (watched a guy make toys for hours at the Kerville arts and crafts festival wheni was a kid) but never had the opportunity so i went and asked the shop teacher if i could make a pen. He tossed me a funline kit and gave me a real quick tutorial. I was in his room two or three afternoons the next few weeks. I bought my first lathe not too long after that and now my garage will probably never see a car again!
 
I was a software engineer until 2007, then I moved to Japan and taught English until 2009. Upon my return, I decided I could no longer work for someone else, and took up woodworking so I could make furniture and stuff for the house, and thought maybe I could make a business of it, too. I started penturning as something to do while waiting for glue on "real" projects to dry.

I was on a pretty tight budget, and it became apparent that pens were a good project because you can make really nice pens without investing all that much in materials. Don't laugh! Although you can certainly buy really expensive kits and blanks, a more typical "high end" pen might have $30-40 in materials, a medium size bookshelf might require $200 in wood.

So I shifted my business concept to pens. My father is a silversmith, so I spent some time with him learning about metal work and set up my own silver studio to make pen parts.
 
The reason I got into pen turning?

I've been a woodworker for some 40+ years. (Wannabe mostly) Have made everything from patio decks to cabinets, probably nothing I haven't at least tried to make out of wood. But the real reason?

Nearly 40 years working in RETAIL as my main job or profession.:angry:

Had to find something better! Making money for the MAN :mad: and NOT ME! Being on commish. for the last 30 of those years, ups/downs, but that another very long story!

Taught myself to turn from a Barry Gross DVD borrowed from the local library. The first turned pen (Before I bought my first used a lathe!) was at the Woodworking Show in Indy three years ago this coming January 21st. (As I got done turning and asked him how to put this thing together, the CUSA rep. looked at me and stated: You've NEVER turned a pen before? That's better than I can turn!) Loved every minute since. When there's a "down turn" of selling pens I just think of what job I came from.

The worst day of pen turning if far better than a commission paying job. :biggrin:
 
I was out of work for a while, and needed Christmas gifts. I was getting by buying and selling tools, but couldn't afford to buy a bunch of presents. I set up my SS as a lathe, and turned a bunch of slimlines and keychains. I had a ball turning them, and everybody love the ugly things. :-) Of course, they were things of beauty to me too, at the time. I was instantly hooked. I started down the business path right before I went back to work, and the business aspect went on the back burner.
 
My dad was a lifelong woodworker. He made nearly 100 pieces of early American reproduction furniture that I know of. He turned a little on a homemade lathe, which I still have. He died at 68 in 1989 and while cleaning out his shop I found a box of hardwood scraps which I later realized were perfectly sized for pen blanks. I'm not sure if he had it in mind to make pens -- that was just on the leading edge of the general availability of kits. Those "scraps" seemed too good to throw away, so I kept them. In early 1996 I saw an ad for pen kits - I think it was Hut or Berea, and something clicked when I remembered that box of blank-sized scraps. I ordered some kits and the original Russ Fairfield DVD, and made my first pen, a walnut slimline, around Christmas 1996.
 
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I took three years of shop in highschool and was addicted to woodworking. In my early 20's I started building up a shop and spent about fifteen years making small tables, benches, hope chests, scroll saw and intarsia projects. My wife, being a pen addict, would drag me to every stationary isle in every store we entered, looking for something different. I made a comment that many people make pens, which she replied "then you need to try it". To get an idea of what was involved, I bought a Penn State dvd off ebay on how to make pens. That Christmas she bought me a mini lathe and accessories. Its been "full steam ahead" since then and she is still my best customer.
 
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