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Brand new pen turner

Posts

Brand new pen turner

#1

Brand new pen turner

jim reasoner

>I have been turning for quite a while and want to try some pen turning. So, I ordered the beginners kit in the woodturners catalog. It includes a double mandrel, bushings, 7mm drill bit and barrel trimmer. I also ordered the pen press jig. I got all this stuff and anxiously started reading the "instructions" and, frankly, they suck. Either that or I am to dense to understand. The double mandrel comes with all kinds of bushings(black and chrome,compression nuts with plastic bushings, etc. The instructions don't even discuss this mandrel.In addition there is no mention of how all the pieces are to be used. The instructions on the barrel trimmer are contained on a tiny piece of paper and are worthless , the instructions on the pen press jig discusses use of parts which are not even identified.

I am lost. Can anyone recommend a book that a complete newbie idiot can read and at least understand how to use all this "stuff". Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Re: Brand new pen turner

#2

Re: Brand new pen turner *LINK*

Ezekiel Holliday from Belpre, OH

>Check out the yahoo penturners group. Everyone there is very helpful. If you read the FAQ, it should answer a lot of questions.


Yahoo Penturners

Re: Brand new pen turner

#3

Re: Brand new pen turner *LINK*

Russ Fairfield

>The pen turning instructions on my Website might be helpful.


Making a pen

Re: Brand new pen turner

#4

Re: Brand new pen turner

Fred L. - North Carolina

>Welcome to pen turning.

Get Russ Fairfield's video by all means !

Fred

Re: Brand new pen turner

#5

I'm thinking about getting into

MikeB.

>turning pens as well. I went to your website and found the information very helpfull. I'll no doubt go back for more instructions many times. Just a thank you! I went to the Yahoo forum but they want to much information for my tastes. I didn't want to sign my life away, just looking for some help........

Re: Brand new pen turner

#6

Re: Brand new pen turner

Scott Greaves, Blackfoot Idaho

>Hi Jim,

You have received some good advice! Russ is an accomplished penturner, and has some great information on his website, and I'm sure his video is great as well!

I'm glad you're looking into penturning! It is a lot of fun, and very rewarding! About the best book out there is the one by Kip Christensen and Rex Burningham. I recommend it!

If you have some specific questions please let us know. We could probably get you started right away instead of waiting for a book. For instance, a mandrel is really a simple thing. It's just a shaft that your pen barrels slide onto for turning on the lathe. It has a Morse taper adapter on one end, and some threads on the other end for a nut. That end also has a dimple in the end of the shaft that should fit your 60 degree live center. The metal bushings are for getting the final diameter of the pen turned to the right size. The mandrel probably comes with bushings for a 7mm slimline pen. Plastic parts may be spacers. The bushings usually go one on each end, and one in-between the pen barrels.

What else do you need to know? Which kits did you get? Just let us know and we'll try to help out!

Scott.

Re: Brand new pen turner

#7

Re: Brand new pen turner

Gary Land

>One thing that you might want to to check out on the site that you go for your pen kits, and have instruction sheets for all there turnings. This is incase you would like to try some other small turnings

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