Thread: Do I buy a "Pen Starter Kit" or get the parts seperatly?

I bought a mandrel a few years ago and I thought my lathe was off centre, then I got a mandrel with the MT, problems dissapeared overnight.
What you have there looks good but I would add a rotary sander and EEE paste.
The barrel centrer (?) appears to be a standard component and you can turn a handle for it or as someone else suggested use it in a cordless drill.
It is a great tool for squaring up and cleaning glue out of the brass tube in one operation.
Jim Carroll has spent a few years building up his reputation and stands by his products, I doubt he would knowingly sell a dud product to make a quick buck.
Do a breakdown on each component from his catalogue and make your own judgement, you will start to acquire your own blanks before long from numerous sources such as prunings, cyclone damage and hard rubbish collections.
Just worked it out, about $92.50 depending upon the pen blanks.

Thanks for the reply, Iain.

I don't doubt that Carrol's havn't used quality parts in their kit, and I have been extremely happy with the service I have received form them so far and plan to buy the kit from them.

I'm just trying to make sure I'm not someone that ends up saying, "Yeah I bought the kit and it was good to start with, but if I had my time over I instead would have bought ..."

I already have a rotary sander and EEE cream so that's good.

Should I also get a drill chuck (Jacob's chuck?).

The mandrel and the mill are the important bits, everything else is renewables which can be changed/replaced as used up. As the important parts, they're as good a quality as anything else on the market and will get you started.

If you get into it in a big way, then you'll be buying other mandrels & mills to suit other sized pens anyway. You may discover you have a personal preference for one type of mandrel/mill or another, but I doubt you'll regret the initial purchase.

Just get into it!

A jacob's chuck is a handy piece of kit. I won't say you should have one to turn pens, but I've found that mine makes some jobs (not necessarily pen-related) much, much easier. Should? No. On your wish list? Yes.

You shouldn't need the Jacobs chuck as the mandrel has a MOrse Taper, unless you have a GMC lathe.
Like Skew said though, they are nice to have, I use one from time to time, great for boring out pen blanks, if you have a scroll chuck (which cost an arm and three legs).

I got that exact kit with when I got my lathe new. I think it a great deal together like that but carrols woodcraft are great company.
bye Toni

Originally Posted by Iain

You shouldn't need the Jacobs chuck as the mandrel has a MOrse Taper... ...great for boring out pen blanks, if you have a scroll chuck (which cost an arm and three legs).

Ahh good to know, thanks for that. I have a DVR3000 with a SN2 chuck so that end of the biz is good to go. I might get the Jacob's anyway

i would also recommend getting some extra pen parts because it is very rare you will want to stop at five pens and ordering them in one go will probably save postage.

just a thought

One of the important things to have too is the right sort of live centre in the tailstock to properly support the mandrel. I bought the 60 degree one from Carroll's and it is ideal. The one that came with my Jet mini is completely unsuitable.

Regards
Buzz

the right sort of live centre in the tailstock to properly support the mandrel

Does anyone know if the stock live centre on the DVR3000 is up to snuff?

Jim also sells the lathes so he would be able to answer that one as well. I purchased the Teknatool Nova 3000 from Jim and the live centre on that has been fine for pen turning ..... and everything else.

The standard live centre that is supplied by teknatool is ok for using on the pen mandrel.

It is best to have 2 live centres because if you use the one for pen making a lot it tends to round over a bit and when used for normal turning between centres may not go into the centre properly and so push the timber off centre, maybe not much but enough to be a nuisance .

Thanks Jim,

As you know I have picked your brains a bit already on pen kits. You remember a month or so ago I said I would be buying myself a birthday present? Well guess whoes birthday it was last week

The guys here have convinced me to go with the kit (which I hope you have in stock), I'm now just weighing up what other goodies I want to get at the same time ie: Jacob's Chuck, additional pen parts, blanks, maybe a book...

Actually come to think of it this might be a chance to justify a new spindle gouge (or hell, any new woodturning tool at this point). Got a recomendation on gouges etc with pen turning in mind?

But regardless, you'll see an order from me in the next day or two

Originally Posted by Toasty

Actually come to think of it this might be a chance to justify a new spindle gouge (or hell, any new woodturning tool at this point). Got a recomendation on gouges etc with pen turning in mind?

or a good excuse to get a new skew ,

Toasty,
Just did a quick look and $84 is good start up price if you buy the items individually will add up to over $91. Only thing you need to do is to buy more kits and a bigger bottle of Shellawax or Shellawax Glow which ever one you prefer or both. The 1c slimline is a good kit to cut your teeth on, I like that style over the others. You may want to buy some more mandrels down the track, the only other suggestion is to upgrade to the deluxe pen trimming kit for larger pens, it is worth the investment. I still use my 1/2" for slimeline and the 7mm Mont Blanc pens but the 3/4" with the interchangable shafts is the best.
Darren