New to the site

[TexasTaxi]

My name is Kevin, and I live outside Houston, Texas. I am a piping designer by day and a taxidermist by night. I also do a little wood work; building custom pedestals and bases for other taxidermists, all over the United States.

I started turning pens about two years ago, when I was trying to find something to do with all the scraps from my woodshop. I had no idea that it would be the most addicting hobby that I'd ever have.

Looking back, my first pens were horrible and they've come a LONG way, but still could go so much further. I hope to learn from all of you and maybe one day I won't be embarrassed to post some pictures. :redface:

 

[Sam@CSUSA]

Welcome to the group! There are lots of great turners here who are very willing to give any help they can. I'm sure you'll find this site an excellent source of not only skill and technique but camaraderie as well. Cheers!

 

[markgum]

welcome to the fun. Hope to see some of your work soon.

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Kevin.

 

[Longfellow]

Welcome

Welcome from Sunny St. Cloud, Fla. Home of beautiful Florida wood.

 

[bensoelberg]

Welcome! Go ahead and post your pictures, you'll find that this group is really great at giving constructive criticism that will really help you improve. No one will insult you or your pen, if you ask for comments/criticisms they'll just give some advice on improving the fit/finish/form while telling you how great a job you did. Post away!

 

[Mrs Rojo22]

Welcome!

Robin

 

[Monty]

Welcome from the south side of Houston....Pearland to be exact.

 

[Padre]

Welcome from Connecticut. Show us some pics of your work!

 

[G1Pens]

Welcome from Georgia.

 

[renowb]

Welcome from Spring, TX right up the road from you! I grew up in Rosenberg. Graduated from Lamar Cons High, 69.

 

[Ligget]

Welcome to the best site on the internet!

 

[TexasTaxi]

My other passion is bow hunting and I'm addicted to a forum related to that.
If this one, gets as addictive as that one, I'll never get anything done! :redface:

After I got past the phase of trying to make all kinds of goofy shapes, I feel like most of my pens are astetically pleasing. I think my biggest downfall is my finish. I've tried the CA but haven't got the results I was hoping for. Looking for tips on that is actually how I found this forum.

Anyway, here's a few of my pens.





Oh, my photography skills kinda stink too!

The last pen is my first original design. I'm sure someone has done it before, but I'd never seen pictures of one, anywhere. I bought some duck bands off ebay (majority of my buyers are hunters) and incorporated it into the body. Most people think that I opened the band up, but when you do that it'll get really distorted. Instead, I cut the top blank short and turned down the bottom end until the band fit snugly. Then I added another piece of the blank, trued the new end and finished turning the pen. I wasn't too pleased with the overall shape of the pen, but I just wanted to see if my idea would work. I ended up selling the pen within a few hours of posting it.

So, I'm here to be a sponge, and hope that I can contribute some, as well.

 

[el_d]

Welcome Kevin, from Lockhart.

 

[seamus7227]

Hey great Job! Might I make a suggestion if you ever need carbon fiber blanks and want some that are over the top, look up CaptG, He makes the best CF blanks around! Oh and by the way, welcome from up in north Tx in Wichita Falls!

 

[MartinPens]

Welcome from sunny California. A wealth of information on this forum. You have definitely caught the pen turning bug! I especially like the Buckeye Burl in photo #6. you may want to look at the churchill kits from Berea Hardwoods. They sell the Churchill kits with a metal plated nib coupler. The black plastic nib couplers snap or come apart. Just a heads up on that kit. Nice looking pens. Welcome to another addicting forum!!

Martin

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

 

[ctubbs]

Welcome Kevin, from far west Kentucky, to the addiction, sometimes referred to as the vortex. You mention that you have read some of the site, be sure to give the library a good bit of time. The link is at the top of the page. You will find an article called Library Index. This covers tutorials on about anything pen making you can think of. You will also notice that there are articles listed by year. Much good info there as well. When these fail to answer your questions, by all means post it here. I have never seen one go unanswered very long. Grab some wood, make some shavings and have fun all the while being safe.
Charles

 

[rherrell]

Welcome!

 

[GColeman]

That is a great idea on the duck band! I can see that working for some of my pens. Folks are duck hunting crazy around here. I would love to get one from the lanyard of a hunter for a pen. However, I am almost sure that is a death penalty offense.

I wonder if one could be incorporated as a center band?

You say the one you posted came from e-bay? Are they recovered bands?

Good work on the pens. Great idea on the band.

 

[TexasTaxi]

Thanks for the compliments and the warm welcome, everyone!

Coleman, I'm not sure if the bands are recovered or new. I do have a guy that's going to send me one of his "lanyard" bands to make a pen ... so it might not be that bad of a sin! :wink: