Pen Wizard Questions

[avbill]

Father's Day and my birthday are fairy close together and I have asked for the PW. I have several questions for those who are using the PW



1. Of the turners who have bought the complete set of bits from Beall tool Which bit do you use the most?

2. WHY?

2A For All What bit do you use the most?


The two question are very similar but if you buy the set and only use one or two bits I like to know. If you did no buy the set again what bit are you using the most.

3..What designs do you make the most?

4. Is the learning curve for the PW long or short.?

That's it for now.thanks

Bill Daniels

 

[Bob Hewson]

I have used the square end cutter the most. Primarily for infilling with ca or epoxy with glitter or embossing powders for color. Also for multi-sided work. Most used is the 1/16 and 1/8.

I have not used the ball end mill cutter but would use for non filled apps.

I have not used the large core box bits but Beall says they are great for barley twist.

There is also application for engraving cutters from Dremel for tight cross hatch or checkered applications.

It depends upon what you want to do as to which cutters you would use most. The set is good value vs buying each one on its own, but if you never use it/them it is false economy.

I lean towards spirals or cross-hatches as my favourites, but combining straight and wavey, also works. I would say I am still in the learning process.

The learning curve is not bad, I started by cutting a bunch of maple blanks ( and also used some dowels too, cut to Sierra size and drilled with a 1/4" hole to use as test pieces. I then played around with various gearings, different cutters, different spacing, and different infills. This was my "experimental" phase. No pens were made for some time.

Once I was familiar with the workings of the PW I could then start pens and other items with good wood and glues inserts.

I have made several pens, several toothpick/needle holders and several pill holder kits. I have been tied up on other things for a while and today prepared a half a dozen blanks, turned them and am now ready to have at them with the PW again.

There are a few entries in this forum that I wrote that may fill out these comments.

Bob

 

[mickr]

I think the "learning curve" is longer than it need be..we are all doing the same work over & over..different bits + each pitch....seems silly to me for all of us to be doing it over & over...I think Mr. Beall is a great fella & has made a terrific little product, but golly, he has to have made all the permutations, and he could have recorded as he tested, and just given us line drawings in the manual...just my opinion, and rantings from a sawdust fillled brain

 

[Borg_B_Borg]

I bought my wizard a few weeks ago, but have found no time to play with it. As to recording the various combinations of gears etc. to produce a desired spiral pitch, frequency, amplitude, etc., the information can be derived mathematically without actually turning the pieces, provided one understands how precisely the machine works. It should be fairly simple. This is a project I may tackle once I find time to play with the machine (probably within the next 2 months) and I will post the results. Of course in 2 months' time, JR or someone else will probably have obtained the results by then and will have posted them.

Steve

he has to have made all the permutations, and he could have recorded as he tested, and just given us line drawings in the manual...

 

[jppensplus]

I bought the suggested "kit" of bits----and have used most of them with good effect. However, I've found these bits do not do a very good job of cutting facets. An inexpensive ($5.00+) #115 Dremel end cutter does a much better job of that. Also, I've found the 115 does a great job on acrylics and Alumilite.

jppensplus

 

[mickr]

I bought my wizard a few weeks ago, but have found no time to play with it. As to recording the various combinations of gears etc. to produce a desired spiral pitch, frequency, amplitude, etc., the information can be derived mathematically without actually turning the pieces, provided one understands how precisely the machine works. It should be fairly simple. This is a project I may tackle once I find time to play with the machine (probably within the next 2 months) and I will post the results. Of course in 2 months' time, JR or someone else will probably have obtained the results by then and will have posted them.

Steve

Well, BBB, if it's so mathematically simple to get the idea of what the designs will be before we actually do all the work, I sure would like to see it...Please post it soon, as all of us who have been making a blank with each design and keeping it as reference, would love to be shown your simple method..

 

[leestoresund]

Beall bits

I got my PW a week ago and tried using Dremel bits. Not at all happy with the results.
I bought JR's bits and the difference is like night and day.
I, too, have not yet done a pen. I've played with orphans and dowels. On his DVD JR demos using the lathe to drill the blanks.
That has made the learning curve more palatable. No gluing of blanks to tubes.
For me, I almost need a checklist. Remember to tighten the knob. Make sure the Dremel is running. (A foot switch is a necessity)
A notebook will be handy. For instance, today I found that you can not use a 1/8" bit with 2 hole spacing is you are using the wavy lever thingy.
I am enjoying the heck out of it.
Someday I may be good with it.
Lee

 

[dontheturner]

Beall Pen Wizard.

I wonder, (f you are old enough,) how many of you PW owners, realise that both Trend, in the UK, and Amersaw in the US of A both made a piece of gear, identical in its capabilities, as the PW, but much larger, and using a router? I have one, Shipped from the UK, and I have taken a photograph of it, it does Table legs, chair legs, and is able to do, flutes, spirals,( Twists) - left and right hand, and also Pineapple, on straight sided, and shaped preturned round stock. The Trend, was called A Router Lathe, or Router crafter, and the Amersaw, was called the Woodmaster ( which is the one I possess) Dontheturner.

 

[skiprat]

Don, I could never understand why Trend stopped making those. Perhaps they were a bit 'before their time'
I know a few people with them and I wish I could get one at a reasonable price.

 

[dontheturner]

Don, I could never understand why Trend stopped making those. Perhaps they were a bit 'before their time'
I know a few people with them and I wish I could get one at a reasonable price.

Hi Skiprat, Your thoughts, are then - the same as mine exactly. Years ago - more than I barely, care to remember, a friend of mine, and Architect, retired, and I then did a french polishing course with him, and he then got me to teach him to turn. As he wanted the same lathe that I had, I did some scouring, and found one, at the Shrewsbury Woodturning School UK. Whilst there collecting it, I saw & bought my Woodmaster from them, and paid £100 (which was four weeks wages!) My how time flies! -I reckon 28 years ago! regards dontheturner

 

[leestoresund]

Trend

I have one of those that I inherited from my Dad.
It is more of a smaller precursor version of the Legacy than a larger Pen Wizard.
My Dad made a lot of canes with his. He made a deal with the local Sears when they got shovels with broken handles they just sent back the spade portion and gave him the broken handle.
It is, however, the same principle.

Lee