Thread: Having a Go.

Steve you won't need any luck hehe,already familiar with wood ,you will find turning is just another aspect, take your time ,the timbers you have selected are very nice ,do a good glueup as you will be shown and most of the beginner problems will be minimal ,its a surprisingly easy thing to pick up and results come very quickly cheers ~ John

Steve you are taking the first step, having a go. Your choice of timbers are very nice and should come up very nice. I have some Mahogany, a very small amount cut up but yet to use it. As John said a good glue up is essential as in any wood working project. Keep you first pen because that will be a reference as you do more and how far you come with your pen crafting. Another aspect with turning is that it allows you more versatility with furniture making with split turnings that you can find on period furniture. Most importantly have fun and enjoy your day on Wednesday.

Thanks for the encouragement fella's, I am really looking forward to it.

I have built some furniture with Turned legs, but I didn't turn them, I had them done. I don't know why, but I can't seem to get Pen Turning out of my head and yet I have no desire what so ever to turn anything else.

I made a rolling pin for my baby girl's Plasticine years ago, & the thing I found was the getting one end the same was a lot easier than getting two ends the same.

Really keen to see how the Mulberry comes up.

Anyway, here is a pic of a table I made, but as I said, I can't take credit for the turning. But Tomorrow, ..... Who knows were this will lead.


Steve

With timber work of that quality, turning pens will come naturally Steve. It's an enjoyable pass time (except when I blow out a blank at the very last minute).

We will get a video on pen turning up with some expert advice from Neil fairly soon, I hope.

have fun I am still learning but it is fun
regards Michael

Thanks Plantagenon.

Well, I've just come in from the shed.

I found that Mulberry log & cut up a few strips of that about 40mm square, and I had some nice thick bits of Mahogany left over from when I built our front door, so they got cut up as well, & some redgum fire wood I bought to feed my Pot Belly Stove out in the shed. I kept this to make some cheese boards out of it, but I know where I can get plenty of that, so that got cut up as well.

I went to Carbatec today & bought 10 1N pen kits, so I'm all set for the morn. I'll drop off the ruggy at one of her friends at about 7:00am & they can walk to school together, & I should be at my Brothers place by about 9:30. we can get in a good days work & I'll be home tomorrow night, hopefully with a few samples that I can be proud of.

All being well, Pics to follow.



Steve

Careful ticky! You may just get "turned"onto another addiction!

All the best>

Hey there Artme, How you doin. I can see how that could happen.

Well, I spent the day in the grand metropolis of Mundoora, Population - 3, but today it was 4.

I was shown & had a good go at all aspects of pen turning, & I have to admit, I really enjoyed it. I can see why you guys get into this, it's great fun. My instructor, Cyril was the man. he show me how to glue them, ream them & set up the lathe. I loved the actual turning, but the sanding & polishing was a real hoot.

Anyway, here is the end result.

Pic 1 the four pens I made today
Pic 2 Not sure what this is, but it might be mahogany
Pic 3 This one is Mahogany
Pic 4 Mulberry
Pic 5 Peach

Steve

Well done first up effort Ticky keep up the good work

There ya go one day and you already got 4 pens with a uniqueness all their own , I tell my clients if I can drill a hole in it I can make it into a pen ,amazing how you will see even scraps as pens well done cheers ~ John

Good stuphph Ticky!!!

The two fruitwood pens are my pick, particularly the peach, I like the shape you have achieved.

Thanks for all the encouragement fella's.

Arty, I like the fruit woods the best as well, but for me, it's the Mulberry. The good thing is, I have enough Mulberry in the shed to make a big heap of pens, & not enough to do much of anything else with. I did think that a cool idea would be to maybe do a pen, pencil & maybe a fountain Pen, & make a box all from the same timber...... Just an Idea.

Anyway, even the minister of Finance likes these & has encouraged me to look at getting a lathe. I only want a small one, & I was looking on Ebay, but there is nothing there that leaps out at me, so I had a look at Leda, where all my other machines have come from & found this one. Lathes - Wood : LEDACRAFT MC-1018 MINI WOOD LATHE For $240, why muck around with a second hand one.

As I have stated earlier, I have no interest in turning anything else, but If I needed access to a bigger lathe, My Sister has one & she is only 1 1/4Hrs away. So, What do the experts recon, Should I buy the Leda? If not, Why not.

Steve

Good looking lathe for what you want to do with it ,big enough for turning pepper grinders as well , maybe not for drilling them though It's cheaper than the carbatec one so not a bad deal You can live without variable speed for a long time hehe,just check the ease of belt changes as some can be beasts,consequently sometimes the speeds are not set suitable for the work being done as most are in a hurry and go flatout all the time hehe.
cheers ~ John

Nice collection to start of with