I do not fully understand other people's responses here. We don't know what the beginner pen turner already has, so it is hard to know what they need. Here is a pretty good write-up of the minimum tools that a beginning pen turner needs to get started:
https://www.woodworkingtalk.com/thr...t-needed-for-pen-turning.215309/#post-2076831
RESPONDING DIRECTLY TO YOUR ORIGINAL POST. The first link that your beginner pen turner
requested includes:
- Pen mandrel with mandrel saver - This holds the pen blanks on the lathe so you can shape the pen blanks into a pen shape. The mandrel saver is a better way to hold the pen blanks in place as you turn them. (Some mandrels use a small brass nut with slimline bushings as spacers to hold the blank(s) in place, an inferior method.)
- Bushings for slimline pens - you use them to match the end diameters of the pen blanks so they match a slimline type pen kit when it is time to assemble the pen.
- Barrel trimmer set - You use this to "square up" the end of the pen blank and match the internal pen tube size. If the blank is not square, then there may be a gap between the metal pen kit parts and your finished pen blank after assembly. The four shafts and the brass tube are used to fit the five most common pen kit sizes.
- 7mm Drill bit. Pictured but not mentioned in the listing, but someone says it is included, in the Q and A.
What your beginner pen turner requested above is some of the tooling that a beginner needs to get started turning pens. Here is what is missing:
- A holder or some method to drill a hole through the pen blank(s). Many people use a drill press and a holder that keeps the pen blank perfectly vertical. (I drill on my lathe, but drilling on the lathe requires additional accessories. which can add up in price.)
- Glue for gluing the brass tubes inside the pen blanks. CA glue (superglue) can work for beginners who want to get started turning without waiting. Most pen turners prefer epoxy.
- A method to press the pen kit parts into the pen blanks for assembly. There are a variety of ways to do it. I use my lathe with a couple of plastic parts on the head and tail ends of the lathe. Cranking the tailstock on the lathe presses the parts together. You can easily make a home-brew version of it.
- Pen kits and pen blanks, of course.
- Drill bits that match the pen kit. Slimlines use a 7 mm drill. Other kits may require larger drill bits.
- Bushings to match the pen kits. Slimline bushing are good for slimline pens, but they are useful as spacers on pen mandrels, too. Other pen kits require different bushings that match the pen kit. Some pen kit "families" share the same bushing sizes.
- Assorted sandpaper.
- Finish - Friction polishes are easy and popular, but less durable. CA glue is another popular finish - glossy, hard, and durable, but it takes a little practice to get right.
- Optional for CA finishes: A way to polish the finish when you're done. I would recommend a set of Micro-mesh pads. I buy the larger 3x4 inch ones and cut them into three sets.
-> What you ordered (the second link) assumes that the recipient already has the mandrel, barrel trimmer, and all the other lathe accessories I described above, including drilling and assembly tools.
-> None of them are included in that second link that you ordered. Basically, the second link is nothing more than a set of pen kits, matching bushings, and pen blanks. It is something that someone would buy if they already have all the tooling they need to turn pens, but now they want additional kits, bushings, and pen blanks to make additional pens. (NOTE: If you already have the bushings for a given pen kit, you don't need to buy them again.)
That is the source of my confusion - your beginner pen turner requested some basic tooling that someone needs to turn pens. Without the tooling they requested and the other tool parts I mentioned above, your beginning pen turner will not be able to make pens with what you ordered; at least not yet.
