Hi from the East Coast of Australia

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VisionGonz

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2025
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1
Location
NSW Australia
My name is Israel, I live in a small surfing village on the East Coast of Australia (roughly halfway between Sydney & Brisbane) and I'm doing a midlife career change to become a woodwork teacher (with a couple extra teachings areas).

I've joined this forum to learn about making pens, which is one of my first assessments in my first woodworking subject. I've already learned so much just reading through the resources on this site. It's quite amazing!

I'm not sure if I'll invest in my own lathe yet, or just rely on the ones at the schools I will likely work at.

Great to be here, and thanks for the welcome 😃🙏
 
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Welcome! A school that still offers woodworking classes - no longer an option here in my part of the US, so I wish you great success. I do a lot of teaching of basic penmaking to kids through various organizations and with my local turning club. Over the years of doing this, may I give you a few hints for success? I teach every age from 6th grade-ish to my most recent class which was all adults. Pick an easy pen to turn, something like a Sierra style or the Liberty from McKenzie Penworks if you have the funds. Try not to use a pen that requires a transmission to be pushed in. A single tube is the easiest to prepare and turn. Start with turning between centers vs a mandrel - less equipment and less failures. I suggest using round, negative rake carbide tools as a starter tool - they are sold as finishing tools, but work perfectly fine for all steps of penmaking and they are the least aggressive preventing failures. I prefer resin blanks, but either wood or resin will work if you teach them to turn gently. I suggest using either a flexible CA (LIke Mercury) or a harder more durable finish like GluBoost for a good permanent finish, but a simple friction finish polish will get you done but will not be as durable, and I would think your students will want their pens to last. Lastly, be sure to have spare blanks and parts available - chances are you will need a second blank for at least one student during a class and you'll want them to be able to complete the class instead of going home with a broken pen. Good luck!!

Kevin
 
Welcome, Israel.
I lived in NSW for 12 years and spent some time with my sister in Elanora QLD.
Don't miss the mozzies,sandflies, spiders, snakes sea lice etc
 
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