What got you started?

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NotURMailman

NotURMailman

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Just thought it would be interesting to hear what got people started in pen turning.

I had always wanted to try a wood lathe. I had done quite a bit of other types of wood working. I had done just about any type of metal fab. I had never used a wood lathe or even a manual metal lathe. I had only tinkered with CNC metal lathes. And let's face it, that is just 90% arguing with a computer.

I have health issues including spinal issues and circulatory issues. So, being on my feet and doing a lot of bending and crawling around is often difficult if not impossible. My automotive hobbies were becoming an issue and I needed something I could do while seated (I hate TV).

So, I made up my mind I was going to get a wood lathe. Then it dawned on me; I had no idea what I was going to do with it. So I Googled lathe projects and the one that caught my interest the most was pen making. I had previously never considered making a pen, I just love working with wood. Metal helps pay the bills, wood makes me smile!

So, when I left HF with my lathe I went to WoodCraft and bought pen making supplies. And I haven't stopped since. I have too much fun.

So, what got YOU started?
 
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Had never turned before. I wanted to build a round kitchen table with a round center post to hold it up. The local WC guy sold me a lathe big powermatic to turn it with. Well I thought I should practice before I ruined the African mahogany. So some I started with Ann Klein tops and then looked for something else. That was wine bottle stoppers, but I do not drink wine, or strong drink. Some how I found pens and have been stuck there for almost two years. By the way the table has not been turned yet still stuck on pens and pens and pens. Pens are way fun to turn and I keep giving them away. I hope to turn my first two fountain pens prior to Christmas. We will see. The table is a shadow box type. My wife and I purchased a carpet in India with jewels gold threads and everything, to put in the table top with glass over it. Well pretty soon will be my third trip back since we bought the carpet. I hope to turn the base soon. I will just honk it is a big pen.
Tom
 
I have been doing hobby woodworking since high school. I got a lathe about 4 years ago - a used Craftsman. Turned 3-4 cups and a couple of small bowls and blew out the bearings - swmbo said why don't you get a new one? two days later Woodcraft was loading a box (Nova DVR XP) in my truck. I started spinning out bowls - lot of fun and a great lathe! My son was coming home to visit and kept saying why don't you make me a pen? I kept denying for about 3 months - finally got a kit from Rockler with basic stuff to start and turn 4-5 pens - that was about 2 years and 200 pens ago! I made a pen for him and I don't think I have made anything but pens since then!
 
I used to make shadowboxes for retiring military. I made one shaped like a ships helm form an old ship of sail and needed spindles for the handles on eight sides. I bought a lathe and soon found out I needed more practice to get that to work. I figured out another way to do it without the lathe. Soon I decided that I need to learn to use the lathe or get rid of it. A little goggling led me to pens and I have never looked back. That was five years ago.
 
I have long been interested in pens, and in the late 90s my friend and I started collecting vintage fountain pens. We have been going to the LA pen show every year for probably the past 15 years. After a few years of going to the show, we began to talk about making pens. Then about four years ago I met another person who made pens and he was nice enough to help me make my first pen. I loved it. So then I took a couple classes at the local Woodcraft and I have been hooked ever since.

Chris
 
I was at a Homiers traveling tool sale one year and bought a mini lathe for about 60 bucks and wanted to mess with turning. Ten I got laid off and my wife and I figured it would be a good time to build our dinning room table top so we ended up at woodcraft and saw all the different pen kits. And after talking to all the guys there on what was needed to fit my little MT1 lathe, we got the stuff and some kits to start. I had sold enough to supplement my unemployment plus put some away to upgrade to a jet 1014 lathe untill I got called back to work. That was around 12-13 years ago with about 7 years of no turning while going through chemo. Then my dear sweet wife started selling them again and pushed me back into turning again, and I'm glad she did, because I've gotten into segmenting and adding aluminum and once your mind starts thinking, there's no stopping it.
 
While I was at Lowes I saw the demo on the Shopsmith Mark V. The guy made a pen using a bolt and some nuts as a mandral. When I bought the SS it came with a 2x2. I didn't have any tools yet so I asked on the SS forum if anyone had any extras. Needless to say I got two replies. After practicing on the big piece I went to WC, got a mandral and a couple of kits. I googled pen turning and came to IAP. I have only been turning for about 3 years.
 
I grew up with wood and woodwork - accidently used red teak (which my grandfather hoarded to make his floats, straight edges and trowels with) for a toy rifle when I was 5... got a moerse hiding for that one! Did my first lathe project in high school being a twisted spiral lamp 1.5 meters high and fell in love with a lathe. Later during my studies had to spend time in the Appy shop and did 'n couple of projects on a metal lathe - just not the same... Lost my job Septemeber last year and went to fetch the lathe I bought my father to turn pool cues with... he wasnt using it anymore and I had to come up with a plan to earn some income... Did some bowls, goblets, torches, lamps, table legs and chair legs when I noticed acrylic blocks in the woodwork shop. Pulled on the drawer handle and there were PENS! Got me self a kit and turned the first wooden pen... probably some Rooipitjie from the firewood pile... the end blew out, but a friend (new school teacher) stood watching and asked me to finish it seeing that he wants it - I had to practice in anyway. Finished it with beeswax and till today he is still writing with it... Got a job again starring 1st of March and needed a nice pen to sign my contract with , so I made me a crushed green acrylic with gold finish Comfort... very thick and elaborate... first acrylic... still got it even when its very bulky, but I'm still turning and most of my colleagues get their acceptance certificates, orders and SLA's signed with some of my pens they got for a birthday or something - some 100 pens later!
 
A friend of mine on here had take the class at WC with his dad. He then made me a pen as well as my wife. Then a few months later with some basic instruction from him I decided to take the plunge. Between him, IAP, and online stuff, my skill and knowledge has really grown over the 2+ years. I still remember that I used to be so afraid of acrylic and resin blanks. It wasn't too often I could complete one with out it breaking. That is why my pens used to be fatter or have large humps on them. I was afraid if I turned them down B2B they would explode.

It's also nice turning, because my dad's side of the family all are carpenters mostly. So me being a computer geek, he and I didn't have any skills in common. This gives him and I something else to talk about too. So I guess all of that got me started. Originally got going on my grandpa's 1920's lathe, now I use a Jet 1014 lathe.
 
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Turned a table in high school in the 50s. After retiring from the Navy and a couple of back surgeries I purchased a used SS about 17 yrs ago. About 5 yrs ago I saw an ad from PSI for pen starter kid. I've turned 100 pens for Freedom pens and 60 Purple heart pens for Bethesda and Walter Reed Hospitals. Given away too many to count and sold a few but still look forward to going to the garage every day. I bought a Jet 1014VS a while back.
Have a nice day
PW
 
I bought a cheap lathe ($105)and then joined the local wood turning club, about a year later, one of the members was showing how to make pens. My cheapy lathe didn't have the facilities to make pens and some one was selling theirs so I bought it ($1500), it came with a router and attachment,copy setup, indexing and a built in grinder, the rest is history after 200 pen (105 just before last Christmas). I'm now into casting Banksia Nuts in clear resins with opal chips, pens with tapered woods like pool cues etc.
Kryn
 
I was asked leave shop class in 7th grade because according to the shop teacher, "I was a danger to myself and others and he would not be responsible." That started a lifetime of hating anything to do with wood, building, woodworking etc. Then about 5 years ago, one of my best friends handed me a beautiful wooden writing pen and said it was mine. I loved it, and decided right then and there, I had to learn how to make one of those things.

Now I didn't have a single woodworking tool in my home, but I used to visit a neighbor that had a Shopsmith for turning bowls and such. That lathe fascinated me and I secretly wanted one, but my pride would never allow me to admit it out loud....then along came that darned pen.

I finally told my wife I wanted a little bitty lathe like Jim had and I would make her a pen; which she laughed at by the way, but she gave in and I got a very cheap Pioneer mini-lathe which I still have by the way.

After making a ton of toothpicks, reading a lot of articles, and watching a bootlegged (did I say that?) video on pen making, I got it figured out and was in love. In short order, I added a tablesaw, bandsaw, drill press, jointer and planer. The friend who gave me the pen finally got a chance to see my "workshop" and stated that it took him 20 years to accumulate that many tools that I purchased in less than a year. He was also somewhat amazed that I had all those items in a space in my basement that measured 8'x15'.

Now I'm hooked, but unfortunately, while taking care of my mom last year after some real medical emergency issues, our water heater's bottom gave way and water ran in my basement for about a week during last winter. Most of my tools, wood and supplies were ruined and insurance, thank goodness, finally got done helping me get everything back up and running just a couple of months ago.

So from that dangerous 7th grader, I've become a dangerous sexy senior citizen who absolutely loves wood, woodworking and lots of sawdust.

Oh by the way, Thanks Steve Neubauer for giving me that sweet looking wooden pen!

Rick (mtgrizzly52)
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I had been involved in woodworking (flatwork) for several years and I always made Christmas gifts for friends and family. While searching for ideas for gifts, I saw an ad for pen components. I got a 'lathe' and made several pens for Christmas (2004). Shortly after that Christmas, I bought a real lathe, a Jet 1014. That first 'lathe' was the Jet pen lathe - what a POS.
 
I had owned a Taig 4" metal lathe since the mid 80s that I used when I was racing slot cars. One day, sometime around the year 2000, I was online looking around at machining sites and one of them very briefly mentioned "pen turning". I had no idea what it even was, but it sounded interesting so I did a search on the term and it looked really interesting. I already had the Taig lathe and figured I would order a mandrel and a couple of kits and give it a try. I think I spent about $30 initially. I had never turned wood, but knew I could "cheat" and turn a pen in metal mode using the carriage. I gave the first pen I ever made to my then wife, who sort of blew it off until I told her that I MADE that. Then she went crazy over it and I've been turning off and on ever since. I just recently repurposed my old Taig for doing slot car stuff again, but bought a nice used Delt Midi off of Craigslist. So I can't cheat anymore! I've sold quite a few pens, but given away a lot more and that's fine with me. One think pen turning has taught me, if you're making something to sell, you have to keep track of every penny you spend to make it.......materials, supplies, electricity, everything. As well as exactly how much time you spend on it. But, if you're making something to give away, you don't have to worry about any of that. Funny ain't it?
 
About six years ago I was in Atlanta visiting my dad. We went to a Rockler store and he saw the display of pens. He was fascinated and kept asking me questions about them. That Christmas I bought a starter kit from PSI and gave it to him. He was living in an assisted living home and they had an extra room in the maintenance shop area and they let the men have a workshop. There was a small table saw, drill press, planer and now my Dad's lathe. We made a bunch of pens and went to a few craft shows and sold them. My nieces called Dad Poppy and so Poppy's pens was started. Dad died two years ago and the lathe came to my house. It sat in my basement for about a year. I just didn't have it in me to use it. Then my neighbors son bought a 300 Win Mag rifle and asked me to help him sight it in for hunting season. He let me keep the brass and I decided to make them into pens. I got back into it and have had a very good Christmas season this year.
 
I've always been pretty handy, and have done what I call entry level woodworking. No major furniture, just some small things and some garage cabinets. Several years ago, I bought a set of really nice gun grips for my pistol. They were amboyna burl. Before I bought them, I had no idea what amboyna was, and really didn't know much about burls other than they were prettier than regular wood.

Well, after buying those grips, I thought that I would try to make a set myself. I started with some maple from HD & proceeded to make a few practice sets. After I thought I was good enough, I started looking around to try & find some "Nice" wood. So a google search led me to the IAP site. I joined just to buy wood from the many sellers back then. It became my goto site to buy wood. And of course, each time I logged in, there was a fantastic pen on the front page. That got me to thinking about maybe making a pen or two in addition to gun grips.

I made my 1st pen in Feb 2011. I haven't made a set of gun grips since.
 
I started making fishing lures and wanted to make large Jitter Bugs, Zara Spooks, and Poppers for Muskie fishing. I found a used jet 10x14 for $100. I was looking for different projects; after making more lures than I could ever use … tripped over a class at a local Woodcraft on pen making and got 'hooked'.
 
Retirement

When I retired, my brother-in-law -- an organ builder -- suggested I occupy my spare time by doing some woodworking. My wife then saw the local Woodcraft store while out shopping. Shortly after that, I bought my first lathe (Rikon mini)and took a basic woodturning class at Woodcraft followed by a pen turning class. I really enjoyed the pen class and went home and knocked out a few after searching YouTube for additional tips. Bought another lathe (Jet 1642) and more tools than I really need.

Since that time I have turned about 150 pens, taken a few more classes and am enjoying my little hobby.
 
Went to a wood shop with my son to cut out his boy scout pinewood derby car.

What's this?
Pen blank.
What?
Pen blank. Here, look.
Oh.

And now I have nowhere inside to park a car and no money.
 
I was a pen collector since I was in 3rd grade. Back in 2001 my job was outsourced overseas. I sold my collection so that I could pay off all my bills. In 2002 I wanted pens again but my salary could not justify that hobby. So I learned how to turn pens. I 2006 we made this into a full time profession. Never stopped looking back.
 
I have been a wood worker since I was a little kid with my dad - I now have some grandbabies and for my granddaughters I want to make a large dollhouse from scratch to include everything that is in it. So I figured I needed a lathe and when doing the research saw pens that had been made and was hooked. Many pens later I have increased my skill level with the lathe and with turning everything from wood, acrylics and trustone I figure I have more options for the doll house... Some day I will have to start the doll house.
 
I had bought a multi-purpose tool (a Smithy SuperShop - sorta like a ShopSmith) because i wanted something I could turn with. I made a few things, and then for Christmas 2005 my wife bought me two pen kits. I couldn't even turn them on the SuperShop because the headstock couldn't get close enough to the tailstock to capture the mandrel. In June 2006 I cobbled together an auxiliary tailstock, and made my first two pens.

I just made my 700th pen a few weeks ago, and the fun continues. The past couple years I have making more bowls, but I still make and sell quite a few pens every year.
 
I took a couple of woodworking courses at the base hobby shop and played with the lathe and other "toys" before retiring. I bought a Delta Midi-lathe with the extended bed and was making walking canes, hiking staffs, candle sticks, and other small items. I happed to visit a Woodcraft store one day and they were demonstrating pen-turning - what the heck, I'll give it a try. I only make pens to give away but I sell my other items because that is what people come to me for.
 
A few years back I went to visit family at my brother's place in Florida over Thanksgiving. He showed us some pens he had made and had a bunch of kits from WC. My first pen was a European. I made so many pens that week/weekend - I was a man possessed. I had to go to WC and buy a bunch of kits to replace his stock.

When I came home I started plotting how I would get enough money to get everything I needed. I had recently been in a cycling accident and had decided not to ride anymore, so I sold all of my cycling and triathlon gear and I was off and running with a mini lathe, band saw, drill press and the basic tools. From there it was a giant money sucking hobby that I have loved all along. My mini lathe is now dedicated to a buffing system and I use a Mustard Monster (Powermatic). The woodshop is my favorite place to be around the house.

I went to my brother's for Thanksgiving this year and helped a couple of my nephews make some pens.
This will be the first year I've made a profit after opening an online store and finding a niche.
A week doesn't go by (well sometimes) when I'm not sketching down some new way of trying to figure something out.

Great thread! Thanks for starting it!
 
I could not afford a fancy pen. And I wanted one. Maybe I should have bought the darn pen. It would have saved me money.:biggrin:
 
I had a couple of logs from a redwood tree my father-in-law planted at his new home in 1965. I wanted to make something from the logs for our immediate family members...20 of us. I saw a guy at the Texas State Fair selling wooden pens and inquired as to the charge for 20 pens from the redwood logs. "Dang", I said, "for that price I could buy a lathe and make them myself." Came home, got on the internet, found a class at Woodcraft in Dallas and the rest is history, as they say. The Texas fair is in October and I had those 20 pens made for Christmas of that year. I saw mine in my pen case the other night and wow...it is bad!:biggrin:
Do a good turn daily!
Don
 
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I had a REAL bad accident at work in 2004 that broke just about every bone on the left side of my body and now I need crutches to walk. I was pretty active before the accident and now I was staring at the TV all day and going CRAZY!!!
I was just playing around on the web and stumbled onto this website, it looked interesting and it was something I could do sitting down. I bought a lathe, I already had a shop, and as they say...the rest is history!:biggrin:
 
I was in an art gallery in Texas and saw a mesquite bowl that I thought was exquisite and told the wife I wished I knew how to do that.... she told my son I wanted a lathe for Christmas (not what I said at all), but he bought me a Ridgid lathe from Home Depot and some pen kits... BTW, you can't turn a bowl on a Ridgid if the blank is the least bit out of balance.... the lathe will just leave the shop.... but we started turning pens Christmas day and haven't stopped since.... but have graduated to bowls and pepper mills also.... wood turning is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.:smile::smile:
 
I got back into WW '03 when swmbo "suggested" we do some MINOR remodeling. (There just aint no such thing) There were some pine sort'a round things around the stairway and all the rest of the trim in the house was to be Red Oak, so they just would not match. A friend found me an antique Rockwell-Delta lathe for $125. It was in need of some TLC, so after new bearings, belt, disassembly and cleaning, it was off to turn some spendals(sp). When the wife's Grandmother asked us to remove the old plum tree from her backyard, we saved the wood and a few years later after her death, we decided to make a pen and pencil set for all the grand kids and her daughter. Still having a great time when time allows. Oh, yes, the minor remodel is still a work in progress. :redface::rolleyes:
 
My wife asked me to go buy some Bics .... Figured I'd save some money and make 'em myself! :rolleyes: :smile: :biggrin:

Actually, I learned to turn around age 12 on an old lathe that had been my grandfathers. It originally was in an old mill and had the flat belt but had been converted to an electric motor.
So the first stationary power tool I purchased new was a lathe. For many years the local lumber yard would call me if they needed a spindle matched ... I got so I didn't enjoy it!
So my lathe set virtually unused for many years. Then I got a chance to buy a better one when they closed he IA program in the local school district. So I decided I needed to find something that was FUN to turn! I have always liked a nice pen and had purchased one from another turner a few years before, so I decided to give it a try. My initial order for tools, mandrel, barrel trimmer etc, was delayed for several weeks. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I discovered this site and had a chance to learn from the some of the very talented and generous people here!
My wife did get the first pen I ever made .... Until it accidentally got mixed back in with the others and I traded it for some wood! :eek::smile::biggrin:
 
I wanted to turn "Magic wands" for members of a local magic club. I had done woodworking and built some apparatus for various magic tricks. I had never turned before so I decided to learn pens first and that would give me the basics for a wand. That was 2 years ago and I have yet to make a wand :biggrin:
 
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