Newbie

[Lucky2]

Hello everyone, and thank you for allowing me to join your group. Jeff thank you for the welcoming message, and for the tips on how to best use this site. I am a new turner, and I have never turned a pen, actually the only item other then a stick of wood that I turned round, is a small cup that I hollowed out with a forstner bit. And I don't feel all that accomplished from doing that seeing as how I used the bit to cheat with. I hadn't given much thought to the idea of turning pens, simply due to the fact that they wouldn't sell in the area that I live in. But I've reconsidered turning pens because I can turn them in the warmth of my basement workshop on my smaller lathe, and not in the larger workshop which is way to cold at this time of year. Don't get me wrong, I never thought that there was anything wrong with turning pens, but I was more interested in turning larger items, plus I didn't want to spend the money it takes to get set-up to turn pens. I have since changed my mind and now have almost everything that I need to get started, the only things that I don't yet have are a few pen kits.lol I was fortunate to purchase most everything that is needed, from another turner that was getting out of turning due to vision problems. I should have my pen kits within the next few days and then I hope to be able to get started. I'm sorry for such a long intro, but once I get started I seem to have trouble stopping.
Len

 

[thewishman]

Welcome from Ohio! Hope your new kits are nice ones and that you enjoy making them.

 

[Lucky2]

Chris, I hope they're nice ones also, otherwise I'm out a couple of hundred bucks. But seeing as how this is the first time that I've ever bought any, I didn't know the best places to make such purchases. So I ordered from two different suppliers, one in Canada and the other in the U.S.
Len

 

[firewhatfire]

come on in and stay a spell. It starts with just a few pen kits, then its off the deep end. It is a fun little hobby that you end up with a finished product almost everytime you start one. As far as selling them, you never know who will want one.


Phil

 

[Lucky2]

Phil, the reason I was looking to sell them, is because I always was able to sell the other work that I used to make for a little extra cash, and I figured if I'm not going to be doing this type of work instead, I'd want the same amount of money if not more. I like to have my hobbies to pay for themselves, as it can get to be very expensive to start something new. If the hobby pays for its self and pays for some extra tools, or just gives you a few dollars in your pocket then you will remain interested in that hobby for some time. And as for your people wanting one, I've found that as long as they can get it for free they want one, but when you ask them to part with a few bucks, they loose most if not all interest in owing it.
Len

 

[rherrell]

Welcome!

 

[SDB777]

Welcome aboard.


Scott

 

[ironman123]

Welcome to the forum from Central Texas.

Ray

 

[Justturnin]

As my old Foreman used to say "The warmth is in the Tools, if your cold your not working hard enough"

Welcome from the Houston TX Area. Can't wait to see some work. When it warm show some of you other items in "Other Things We Make"

 

[sumterdad]

Welcome from sc

 

[danrs]

Welcome from NC.

 

[MarkD]

Welcome from PA

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Len.

 

[glen r]

Len, welcome from Alberta, Canada. As far as making money on pens it depends on who you get in contact with. I've been turning for a couple of years and have have given most of my production to family and friends as gifts. Other people seeing these have asked to have a pen turned for themselves or as gifts to their friends so the sales started after about a year of turning. I don't sell allot of pens but am now getting my costs covered. Turning for me is a hobby/passtime so I'm not looking to have labour costs as an income.

 

[Lucky2]

As my old Foreman used to say "The warmth is in the Tools, if your cold your not working hard enough"

Welcome from the Houston TX Area. Can't wait to see some work. When it warm show some of you other items in "Other Things We Make"

That may be so Chris, but I doubt that your old foreman ever worked in the cold canadian winters. I have, and since I've retired I don't do that anymore, especially if it's just to do hobby work.
Len

 

[Lucky2]

Len, welcome from Alberta, Canada. As far as making money on pens it depends on who you get in contact with. I've been turning for a couple of years and have have given most of my production to family and friends as gifts. Other people seeing these have asked to have a pen turned for themselves or as gifts to their friends so the sales started after about a year of turning. I don't sell allot of pens but am now getting my costs covered. Turning for me is a hobby/passtime so I'm not looking to have labour costs as an income.

Glen, I've never expected to make money off of my hobby, I am just looking for something to spend some time on. But if I am going to be making pens for people, I do expect to recoup any money it cost me to make those pens. I don't need any money for my time as it is free, but I don't intend to give away allot of free pens either.
Len

 

[Lucky2]

Glen, what part of Alberta do you live in, and are you starting to get over run by the amount of people from my side of the country yet? There is an aweful lot of them out there, but then again that's the only place in the country that theres any work. When I had to travel to find work in the past, I always went as far north as you can go. Up around Resolute Bay, and it was very cold and the worst part of it all was that there was no daylight for a couple of months at a time. That was a very depressing place to work, but the money was out of this world. Back in 1993 I was making $65.00 an hour clear money, plus the company that I worked for covered all of my expenses right down to a bag of potato chips or cigarettes. That was the only way that you could make any money working up there, everything was so expensive. The last night I was to work there in 93 I went out to purchase a couple of cans of Coca-Cola and a pack of smokes to get me through the night shift, and they cost me $18.00. Just last year the Northern stores were charging around $35.00 for a one pound bottle of cheez-whiz or peanut butter. I still get a call every now and then to see if I want to return and be a supervisor, but I just keep telling them no and thank them for the offer.
Len

 

[ctubbs]

Welcome Len, from far west Kentucky, to the addiction, sometimes referred to as the vortex. 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. You might also want to give this thread a good look. It has some very good info for the beginning pen turner; http://content.penturners.org/librar...en_turning.pdf. Grab some wood, make some shavings and have fun all the while being safe.
Have a look at the series of videos ed4copies has just posted showing how to complete a pen from drill to finish.
Charles

 

[G1Pens]

Welcome from GA

 

[Ligget]

Welcome Len!