New from Springfield, Mo

[EdwardMH]

Hello, I am a Disabled Veteran looking for something to occupy my free time and decide I wanted to try and learn wood working. After a trip to the Grizzly Tent sale and $6,000 later I thought I had everything I would want to learn (Have hope of making a spare $500 a month profit after expenses and supplies) with the woodshop to pay for Vactions and such. I just got back from the Midwest Scroll Saw and Woodworking Trade show in Dubuque, IA. Where I had hoped to learn more on using my new Dewalt 788 Scroll Saw. I got talked into turning my own pen and having never touched a Lathe before was nervous.

I do not think I did too bad for my first pen and did 90% of the work myself.

Now I think I want to do more pens but no idea where to start, who makes the best / most affordable pen kits, get table top Lathe or full sized to use for other future stuff as my skills improve, what other items do I need to get started, learn and grow my abilities.

Any help will be welcomed.

 

[OZturner]

Welcome Edward, from Sydney Australia.
Brian.

 

[leehljp]

Welcome Edward! I am in Ozark at the moment visiting my daughter. Been to your Grizzly many many times. I also bought a DW 788 about 18 months ago at Grizzly, along with lathe, bandsaw, thickness sander and more over several years.

Enjoy the pen turning. Most people come to this forum, spend 2 to 5 years and drop out. One key to continue this madness is to branch out into other areas of woodworking as your are doing. I have been around wood working and saw mills since I was a kid in the early 50's. Love the smell of wood!

You did a great job on your first pen. Enjoy it and the next one and the next too!

 

[Jim15]

Welcome Edward. Great looking pen. Thank you for your service to our country. There is a great amount of information in our library here on the site.

 

[Burb]

Hello neighbor from Republic, MO. (I actually think we may have messaged back & forth on a Facebook group.) That pen looks great!:star:

I'd be glad to help you out. I've made a few hundred pens, and while I'm no expert, I'm not too bad either.

There are several great resources on this site, but also near you. In Monett is www.woodnwhimsies.com. They are a Penn State Industries dealer and typically sell items for much less than what PSI sells them for. Their slimline kits are under $2/ea. Tim was instrumental in giving me my first 3 lessons when I was interested in turning, and he did it for free. He is a tremendous resource!!! In Aurora is www.ClassicNib.com. Once you get your feet wet, Niels & Debbie carry great supplies and are great people to deal with.

I would also encourage you to check out the local wood turning club. The Woodturners of Southwest Missouri (Woodturners of Southwest Missouri) meet the 4th Saturday of every month in Springfield. We have approx. 125 active members, and there are about 6-8 of us that do mainly pens. The club offers a free mentoring program that will match you up with an experienced turner to teach you what you'd like to learn (bowls, spindles, vessels, etc.). The only requirement to be part of the mentoring program is to be a club member and an AAW member. This is for insurance & liability reasons. Our next meeting is this Saturday at the Library Center on S. Campbell near Academy Sports. I suggest getting there about 9:30, but it doesn't actually start until 10:00.

Let us know if you have any questions. I look forward to seeing you progress in both woodworking and woodturning.

Mark

 

[tomtedesco]

Welcome from Colorado, thanks for your service. Semper Fi!

 

[Ligget]

Welcome to the IAP Edward, from Scotland!

 

[Boz]

Welcome from St. Louis. Pens can be adictive. Especially when you sell one.

 

[magpens]

Hi Edward !! . Welcome to IAP !!!!

 

[rholiday]

Welcome from South Carolina.

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Welcome! Sounds like you jump into your hobbies like I do. With that scroll saw, be sure to check out the segmenting section of the forum. You'll be making pens that'll knock folks socks off in no time! Plus if you need to "burn" the credit cards after that trip to Grizzly, they make great dividers for segments on pens. :biggrin:

Oh and Grizzly makes a nice little 2.5 gallon paint pot to cast your own blanks, ya know, while you're picking up new hobbies.

 

[EdwardMH]

Sound like I found yet another expensive hobby.

 

[Burb]

Sound like I found yet another expensive hobby.

You have no idea...LOL. But it's still fun!!

 

[EdwardMH]

I have a dream of using my wood shop to make $500-$800 extra a month AFTER expenses but I have lots to learn and years to learn it. So much for dreams LOL But maybe I can at least manage a few gifts for friends and family. I currently have a Grizzly Band saw, Drill Press, small 110v Dust collector and spiral cutter jointer, Dewalt 788 Scroll saw, Dewalt Planer, router and table, 75 gallon air compressor.

Looking at what Lathe to get, so far it SEEMS like the Penn State Industries Advanced Pen Making Starter Set with Turncrafter Commander 12 in. Variable Speed Midi Lathe is my best bang for the buck although I wish it had better turning tools.

https://www.pennstateind.com/store/KWL-12SSA.html

 

[Burb]

I think that PSI deal is kind of pricey for what you're getting. For lathes, check out Grizzly as well. They have the 10" x 18" Variable-Speed Wood Lathe and the 12" x 18" Variable-Speed Wood Lathe. Personally, I would only buy a variable speed but thats just me. Also keep an eye on the area Craigslist. There's usually a decent deal on it, though I haven't seen one in the last few days. My boss actually got a like new Jet 10x14 on a stand for about $250.

As for the extra items in the PSI purchase, most of those items could be bought cheaper than PSI at Wood-N-Whimsies. And if you're willing to drive to Monett you can save shipping. Heck, I'm in Monett about every other week and I'd be glad to pick them up for you and then meet somewhere near Republic/Brookline. I do this quite often for 2 friends who live in Springfield.

My biggest advice is to be slow to jump in buying stuff and get with someone who work with you on what you need and the basics of turning. Most of us have lots of stuff we bought that we didn't actually need. Checkout the local turning club at this Saturday's meeting. I think you'll enjoy it. We've got a guest speaker from St Louis who's doing a class on Creating Celtic Knots.

 

[ExcaliburCraftworks]

As Mark aka "Burb" has already stated. We welcome you to stop by or call with any questions you may have. When we met Burb he stated he would never produce an expensive pen - that has changed as he often stops by for advice (and supplies). While we proudly focus on fountain pens, we still carry the supplies needed for traditional kits and for the advanced turners some limited kitless supplies. If your free just stop by Aurora (1/2 block west of the post office) and welcome to the IAP!!

 

[EdwardMH]

Well if Burb is doing pens in my area, I should not do this so I do not take potential sales from him, but it sure was fun turning my first pen. I was looking at Grizzly trying to decide between their Grizzly T25920 - 12" x 18" Variable-Speed Wood Lathe $340 or the larger (to grow into and beyond pen turning) their Grizzly G0462 - Wood Lathe With Digital Readout $650 If I could get everything else that came in the PSI kit reasonably.

A few changes I would prefer are the tools be carbide type, add a pen mandrel saver, Pen Disassembly Punch Set, best pen press, sanding and polishing items, and the equivalent or better of the 40 pen sets that came with the PSI kit. I am unsure about best tool for blank squaring, or what else I need.

If I did this do I need both the #1 & #2 mandrel or just #2

Did I mention this all is overwhelming lol.

 

[Burb]

Well if Burb is doing pens in my area, I should not do this so I do not take potential sales from him, but it sure was fun turning my first pen.

Don't let that stop you. All I ask is if you sell locally, please price accordingly. Selling pens below reasonable value lowers their perceived value across the board. I actually created another local "competitor" as I got a friend into turning a year or so ago when he was severely injured and needed something he could do while sitting. He's sold more items in the last 3-months than I have

I was looking at Grizzly trying to decide between their Grizzly T25920 - 12" x 18" Variable-Speed Wood Lathe $340 or the larger (to grow into and beyond pen turning) their Grizzly G0462 - Wood Lathe With Digital Readout $650 If I could get everything else that came in the PSI kit reasonably.

If you want to go towards a larger "full-size" lathe to grow into large items like bowls, then the PSI Turncrafter is out. There are many other options than Grizzly, but for the $$ I'm a huge fan. Plus being in Springfield, shipping is usually $0 which helps a lot.

A few changes I would prefer are the tools be carbide type, add a pen mandrel saver, Pen Disassembly Punch Set, best pen press, sanding and polishing items, and the equivalent or better of the 40 pen sets that came with the PSI kit. I am unsure about best tool for blank squaring, or what else I need.

Did I mention this all is overwhelming lol.

One more reason I'd suggest researching this and talking with people before you go too far and start spending $$. I'd be more than happy to meet with you and discuss items. You're welcome to come to my shop anytime that works. Just let me know. I can show you what I started with, what I've learned, and more importantly, what I;d do different if I had it to do over again.

If I did this do I need both the #1 & #2 mandrel or just #2

Most wood lathes are MT2. However, until you get a lathe, I wouldn't get anything so that you can beside you get the right size.

 

[thepenfriend]

Hello Edward! From a fellow Missourian! I see you made your first pen! Welcome to the addiction... You also found the best site for information, advice, pictures...etc for anything you want to know about pen turning.
So... I wish you continued success and thank you for your service!
BTW... very nice looking pen..looks like you are a natural.

 

[EdwardMH]

Thank you.

As Mark aka "Burb" has already stated. We welcome you to stop by or call with any questions you may have. When we met Burb he stated he would never produce an expensive pen - that has changed as he often stops by for advice (and supplies). While we proudly focus on fountain pens, we still carry the supplies needed for traditional kits and for the advanced turners some limited kitless supplies. If your free just stop by Aurora (1/2 block west of the post office) and welcome to the IAP!!

 

[Woodchipper]

Welcome to the forum. My wife keeps asking when I'm going to get a cheap hobby. This is a lot of fun. I enjoy turning in general. Making some Pens for Troops, Christmas gift pens and a bee hive that the wife has already found a place to put it. I told her she gets to dust it.

 

[EdwardMH]

Well I am now the proud owner of a new Grizzly T25920 - 12" x 18" Variable-Speed Wood Lathe. Still in the box at this time as I am still fidgeting with putting the Band saw together. I have most of what I need to start turning though if I posted a List of what I bought I am certain I will be told I got the wrong things LOL.