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How long did you turn pens before FINDING IAP?

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plano_harry

plano_harry

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How much pen turning experience did you have before finding IAP? (taking out the lurking factor)

I always enjoy reading the intro posts from new turners that want to learn from us "experts". I believe that a high percentage of the experts came here with no experience (probably doesn't apply to those who really ARE experts :biggrin:)

I don't believe this question has been asked recently, if ever - I did a search before I hit the submit button, so as not to embarrass myself :rolleyes:
 
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I turned 2 pens (within 2 days) then Googled pen making (I didn't know they were "turned"). After discovering IAP, I informed my friend who introduced me to pen turning. He turned over 60 pens and had never heard of IAP.
 
Sometime in 2006 I got a call from my cousin telling me, he needed me to buy a lathe and, start making pens for him. Specifically those darn PSI "Sculptured" pens with a tenon. He had wood from an Elm tree, that, was uprooted by a storm. This tree was said to have been planted by President Truman.

Anyway, I got my lathe start up kit from PSI that, included a free video on penturning. For a couple of years, I turned nothing but, those pens. On New Years eve, I started searching pen turning on the web and found IAP. Greatest pen making move had made, up to that point.
 
I was on the Wood turning site and saw some guy from Alberta Canada, (wonder who that was) showing off pens. I was doing bowls and such and thought " who wants to make pens, what's it take, 30 minutes?" I had to try it and was sold. I found you can make a pen in such a short time but early on you aren't going to sell it.
 
I saw some turned pens (didn't know they were turned), l later bought one and asked the turner how he made them, he said that he bought the hardware and turned the barrels on a lathe.
Still later, I decided I wanted to do that so I bought a lathe and a 'starter set' with the video cd from PSI and started turning. Then to support my turning after discovering that people did not rush to my door to buy finished pens - I found that buying (slimline) kits in large numbers and selling them in packages of 10 could be a money maker. I did this, and one day a couple of my customers told me I should join the IAP, that my prices and business practices would probably get me some customers there so I did that. I think that was in 2009 and I probably started turning in late 2006 or early 2007 so I have not been at it all that long.
 
I was turning for a couple of months,then joined the Yahoo! group,"Turning and Talking',where I learned a lot from the guys there.Someone there steered me here to the IAP,and from there I had to re-learn a lot of stuff....especially since about that time I was struggling with my ca finish,and out of round pens.

I was,and am still impressed with all the friendly knowledge shared here.These days I'm more of a spectator instead of turning,but still enjoy reading all the posts!

Long live the IAP!!!

Steve
 
Turned my first pen at Boy Scout camp and when i got home, I got on google and started searching -- I didn't even know where to get kits! So I found IAP between pen #1 and #2. First month I read everything in the library, then the library started growing when Wayne started promoting it, now there are several things I haven't read! the search function is fantastic. I think I have only had 2 or 3 questions that I could not find an answer for.
 
I turned a pen at a woodworking show about 3 years before. I post something on scrollsawer forum about a lathe for making pens. Someone gave me a link to IAP and the is history. I found a new home and an awesome group of family members.
 
I started turning pens about 8 months before I found IAP. This has been a great site for help, learning and sharing.
 
I was restoring shopsmiths back in the early 2000's, and I stumbled across PSI when I was searching for Shopsmith accessories. I reached a plateau where I felt I wasn't getting any better turning, so I bought an actual lathe to use instead of a Shopsmith. I'll never use a Shopsmith again for turning. Then late last year I stumbled upon this website. This place is great.
 
I learned about pen turning via You Tube. I'm into metal turning and happened on a pen turning video. I got hooked on the idea about three months ago. I started buying the needed equipment and turned my first pen a little over a month ago. so far I have turned four pens and have started another. Time is somewhat limited but I now have everything I need so I should be turning a lot more now. My lathe is mt1 so a new lathe is in the near future.
 
kingkeyman said:
I was restoring shopsmiths back in the early 2000's, and I stumbled across PSI when I was searching for Shopsmith accessories. I reached a plateau where I felt I wasn't getting any better turning, so I bought an actual lathe to use instead of a Shopsmith. I'll never use a Shopsmith again for turning. Then late last year I stumbled upon this website. This place is great.
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That surprises me a little, although I never turned on a Shopsmith, I did go to a lot of Demos when they held them in stores, and they always seemed to emphasize the lathe feature.
 
I found the IAP when I was searching the internet trying to find out if snakewood cracked easily or if I just had bad luck with my two blanks (that was a bad day). I got my answer and saw an ivory pen with metal bands on the front page. I thought it was interesting but I just moved on. I found the site again later looking for something else and saw the ivory pen again. I thought it was worth joining. I was right! :biggrin:
 
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I was into bowls and other things until my mate George (Robutacion) suggested that I join the IAP. I had no intention of making pens, wasn't interested in the slightest, until THAT day. Had a lot of fun since, and I reckon if I counted my pen blanks there would be close to 500, maybe even more.
OH DEAR!!!!!!!
Bob.
 
After retiring, my BIL suggested I take up woodworking. SWMBO found the local Woodcraft store. I went in, found out they had classes, took a basic lathe class, bought a Rikon Mini and started turning bowls.

A few weeks later I took a pen turning class, made a WS II from BOW and was hooked, as they say. I joined the Yahoo! Penturners Group, but was really looking for more information than the occasional post so I Googled pen turning; guess which site appeared at the top of the list?:biggrin:
 
Smitty37 said:
I find it interesting that almost 70% seem to have found IAP in a year or less....and how many were regular visitors here even before they started turning.
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Yes, pretty much what I was suspecting. A lot of us have primarily learned pen turning right here. Probably reinforces the importance of the library. Haven't seen that wealth of knowledge on other forums! My local chapter was a bonus!
 
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