Thread: Appreciation

Seconded. I have not shown anything and don't reply very often but have learnt an enormous amount just by watching the masters and seeing thier brilliance. Amos, Big Shed, Gawdelpus, Edblysard and Timberbits just to name a few. I still haven't worked out how to put photo's on but am getting closer. With the knowledge we have access to here, none of us have any excuse. And how everyone is so helpful and sharing is a real credit to you all.
Kim
PS, He who dies with the most pens wins!!!

I belong to a few other "hobby" forums...and 2 pen turner forums.
Oddly, the pen turners, unlike the others, seem to take it as a matter of fact that they should explain how they do what they do, and go to great lengths to help each other out.
On this forum, I have commented on the beauty of a blank, and a few days later, several of them show up in the mail...that dosent happen on most other forums.

I think it is because this hobby attracts a certain type of person, gregarous and open, those who love to take what to most folks looks like scraps and create usable art out of it.
And most of us are so tickled with it when it all works out we have to show it off, and explain how we did it, because even after all these years, I still get a kick out this...even when all I produce is a "plain" wood pen, it still gives me that little rush of excitement and pride at having made something that someone will enjoy and use.

I have noticed we don't compete with each other here, quite the opposite in fact.
When one of us shows a pen, the forum responds with honest input....and if someone shows an interest in the "how do you do that" side of the work, they get more advice and suggestions that I ever see on any other forum.
Like I said, this hobby attracts that certain kind of person...

Course it could be you Aussies are simply Texans on an island...

Well said "edblysard" I spent my working life making things for other people ,most times just a small cog ,in a large wheel hehe, very impersonal indeed, now I am a one man factory not only do I produce the goods .I get to see the looks on the customers faces and their appreciation. With pens there is always more to learn no matter what level you are at ,I have learnt powder coating and this week started on embedded casting ,no limit to materials and plenty of designs of kits,can never be boring . As to the sharing ,without the good folk who care enough about others, to make tutorials and videos for the rest of us to learn from it would sometimes be all just too hard, most folks work alone without tutors so going can be a bit slow ,but always someone ready to step up and share their own learning with the rest of us, no questions asked go unanswered so the support group is always active ,not only with words but deeds as well , I for one am very pleased to have "the addiction " along with the rest of you hehe, cheers ~ John

Originally Posted by edblysard

Course it could be you Aussies are simply Texans on an island...

very well written until that last line

He was doing so well. I think we can overlook it just this time.
Kim

Originally Posted by edblysard

Course it could be you Aussies are simply Texans on an island...

We're on an Island? So where are all the coconuts and palm trees??

Been about a year for me, including the hiatus. Lots of encouragement from the friendly folks here is encouraging me to keep going when real life keeps getting in the way, so thanks to everyone here, my wife can blame you guys, and not me for spending time in the shed

Russell.

It has been here on the main that I have received great help from many people, I remeber earlier days, and Old Dog made a pine cone pen, I was absolutely wrapped with it; without hesitation he responed to a request for mor info with many photos and explanation of Work In Progress! Then Allan at Wallan allowed me to roam in his yard picking up pine cones!, a box arrived from Old Dog with various blanks! Skew never ran out of valuable instructions, Lubbing5Cherubs was always encouraging us, Bdar(Darren) sent me blanks, Dangermouse sent me bullets!!!!!(no wonder he is called DangerMouse) and instructions on what to do with them, and so many others that I should have written down because their names are at the tip of my white hair!!
Then BigShed has Shed so much light on this ignorant wood worker, he must be tired of it because I think he made bullets for me!!,
But , there is so much info that has been passed on, some just subtle little hints on sanding, or finishing etc etc, something you would not have thought about and some incidental remark has helped, I too join in and say thanks to you all, and thanks for encouragement, deeply appreciated, Amos

Originally Posted by MBUMIK

very well written until that last line

Ok, maybe I should have said a really, really, really "BIG" island?
After all, you guys have the worlds longest tangent, (straight line) section of railway in the world, something like 400 miles of pure straight track!

By the way, Texas is an adaption of the Hasini Indian word "Tejas", which means "Friends"....(no, its not a Spanish word)....
So, if any of the forum members ever head this way, let me know...
We will leave the porch light on and the front door unlocked, just come on in when ya get here.

YES I can blame you mob for my addiction as well
I started out just a bloke doing a bit of turning and looking on the web for some ideas
I found this forum and had a peak every now and again at this pen making section thinking what could they be talking about pens are pretty straight forward Then I found out there is more than slimelines out there and I was addicted hook line and sinker.
I have since had to do some extra course's like creative accounting. Secret mail delivery and midnight forum reading so SWMBO did not pick up on my closet pen making addiction. I'm happy to say that I'm out of the closet and proud to be an addict and even SWMBO now show signs of encouragement for my addiction

Thanks a lot you mob

MY introduction to pen turning was by Sam (Simomatra) and have had the bug ever since. I have received so much advice and help on here with everyone so willing to share their knowledge it is amazing. without that help I would have been lost and given up long ago.
Its so great to have all the advice you will ever need right here at your fingertips. The encouragement is fantastic and everyone has all the time in the world to help you out with any questions. There are so many places where some guys wont pass on their knowledge to others and keep what they know to themselves but that certainly does not apply here. Even the gurus of pen turning and woodworking on here, are only too eager to offer advice and give encouragement and for that I am most grateful.
This indeed is a great place to be with great company.
I might add that these comments also apply to all areas of the forum, not just the pen turning section. We have a great forum here and some great people. Thanks to everyone who has given me so much help over the last couple of years or so. Thanks guys and gals.

Originally Posted by munruben

I might add that these comments also apply to all areas of the forum, not just the pen turning section. We have a great forum here and some great people.

I agree - this forum is great, and there really is a spirit of helping each other out, not just showing off nice work. It has helped me to try several different areas of woodwork, achieve OK results and decide which I like. I've kinda settled in the turning sections, but the community spirit is right across this place!

Originally Posted by edblysard

Course it could be you Aussies are simply Texans on an island...

Originally Posted by edblysard

Ok, maybe I should have said a really, really, really "BIG" island?

What? Something is bigger than texas Actually, just checked on Wikipedia - Aus is 11 times the size of Texas . Mind you, there are about 3 million more people living in Texas than Oz...

I like the fact that there are plenty of Americans on the site. It gives us both a change to have a genial whinge about the awesome timbers available on the other side of the pacific!

Cheers,
Dave

How do you get time to hang around other forums?

I have to admit that I like the "no ego" attitude on these forua, fora, forums

and I tend to agree with everything above.

A comment I read recently was that wood-turning is a craft where the crafter are only too willing to impart their tips and knowledge and even their hard won secrets