new guy from socal

[Turnin_Thingz710]

hows it going everyone.. im 100% new to pen making and lathe tuning in general.. ive used a glass lathe before when i used to blow glass but no serious time behind the glass lathe.. i sold my whole glass shop when my first daughter was born.. i miss the glass but i think this will be fun.. i really want to make my own acrylic blanks, i used to make my own glass color lined tubing and solid as well.. so i think i can have a lot of fun pouring my own blanks.. talked to a few people on FB and i ended up ordering the Turncrafter commander 12" lathe so i cant wait for that to get here.. Also my glass shop was in the garage before.. and summers sucked having to be in there and finish orders when its 120 outside and hotter in the garage... SO.. i got the wife to let me set up shop in the spare bedroom lol stoked for AC in the summer.. gonna set the shop up super clean.. proper dust collection and all that.. i want to get a 3 or 4 fingered chuck for the lathe.. ill be doing handles more then pens, but i figured its all the same.. only thing i need for the final ok from the wife is to clean out the spare bedroom.. that was the catch lol.. so im starting that so i can build a bench or buy one... not sure.. either way i hope to learn as much as i can on here.. i taught myself glass blowing by youtube vids and talking to people so i think i should really like this.. looks like theres a lot of info already all over this forum.. glad to be a part of it!

 

[mark james]

Welcome to IAP from Ohio. Enjoy the ride and have fun!

 

[studioseven]

Welcome Matt from Wisconsin. I have the opposite weather conditions than you.... unheated basement usually around 50 degrees in the winter. Nice place to spend the summers though.

Seven

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Matt.

 

[magpens]

Hi Matt !! . Warm welcome to IAP !! .

 

[tomtedesco]

Welcome from Colorado.

 

[Lew]

Wecome from the Hill Country in Texas. You'll enjoy this site immensely. There is so much to learn and all the people here are very helpful. Enjoy

 

[jttheclockman]

Welcome from the other side of the country here in NJ. I am sure you will develop even more of a bug when you get started. It can be a rabbit hole but it will be fun. We are here to answer questions and hope you stick around and when get started like to see some of your work. Both glass and also pen items.

One thing I never could wrap my head around and there are a few people who do the same as you, and that is take a spare bedroom in the house and make it a work shop. Yes lathe work can be limited in space but adding other shop tools and dust within the house would get me kicked out for sure. I work out of a basement shop but sure would have been nice to have an out building designed for a huge workshop. I would have enjoyed that over my time working with hobbies. Gotten a little too past my prime for all that now so the basement is where I will finish my years out. But good luck to you as you travel this path.

 

[Alan Morrison]

Welcome to the forum, Matt.

 

[wolf creek knives]

Welcome Matt, from Montana. You're about ready to enter into a wonderful and fun hobby.

 

[howsitwork]

Welcome Matt.

A workshop in the house might be a great idea with ready coffee access, (maybe served to you or is that pushing it too far .)
But you'll need really good dust extraction and cleaning regimes or deep trouble awaits !

Have fun I'm itching to try glass blowing and , once this pandemic blows out , fancy doing a course up at The national glass centre in Sunderland.

 

[Amanap]

Welcome from Florida. Have fun and I look forward to seeing what you turn or cast.

 

[Turnin_Thingz710]

Welcome from the other side of the country here in NJ. I am sure you will develop even more of a bug when you get started. It can be a rabbit hole but it will be fun. We are here to answer questions and hope you stick around and when get started like to see some of your work. Both glass and also pen items.

One thing I never could wrap my head around and there are a few people who do the same as you, and that is take a spare bedroom in the house and make it a work shop. Yes lathe work can be limited in space but adding other shop tools and dust within the house would get me kicked out for sure. I work out of a basement shop but sure would have been nice to have an out building designed for a huge workshop. I would have enjoyed that over my time working with hobbies. Gotten a little too past my prime for all that now so the basement is where I will finish my years out. But good luck to you as you travel this path.

Well i dont think the wife fully grasps whats coming, sooo i could get kicked out quick haha.. ill blame it on the kids first though.. but figured id give it a shot lol cause like i said.. socal summers suck it will be 100* at 12am in the garage, if i can get away from that it will be a lot more comfortable.. dust collection will be number 1 for sure.. ill set something up sucking it right off the back of the lathe and out the window (ill set the dust collection unit outback for less noise), and will see how it goes from there lol..

thanks for all the welcomes everyone! soaking in all the knowledge i can.. lathe shows up thursday, best way to learn is trial and error so im excited to get started... although i havent cleaned out the room yet lol.. maybe sunday.. got some carbide tools on the way.. gotta get all the sand paper and polish still.. and buy some blanks till i get all the pouring stuff..