# Question



## CBFISHER (Oct 11, 2005)

I am interested in making some pen and pencil sets. Where does on find the information on equipment needed and how to get started. Ay help will be apprecited. Also there is some great looking work on these pages. I enjoy them greatly.


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Pen_Making___Starter_Sets?Args=


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

I would say go to one of the woodturning clubs meetings or somebody that is already turning and take a test ride on a lathe and see if you like it first before investing your money. First you have to have a lathe and turning tools. Then pen blanks and pen and pencil kits. I would start out with the cheap kits till I was sure I could do them. Thats what I did.

You could come to Crystal Beach and I would show you and let you turn a pen set on one of my 3 lathes.(I am lathe poor LOL) There are several others on the board that will do the same thing. The BEST teacher on the board is Galvbay.



Something I forgot Once you get into itand see that you like it KISS ALL YOUR EXTRA MONEY BYE.:rotfl:


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## Profish00 (May 21, 2004)

Bobby
Something I forgot Once you get into itand see that you like it KISS ALL YOUR EXTRA MONEY BYE.:rotfl:[/QUOTE said:


> True story


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## EndTuition (May 24, 2004)

The power of the vortex is very real. 

Be afraid. I recently bought a chuck that cost more than my lathe........I'm not making anything on the lathe I didn't make before I bought it, but still I'm certain, I NEEDED it!

Be afraid. You may become a wood ho, looking for free or cheap wood any way you can get it. It's not pretty to watch a once proud man sort through a neighbor's heavy trash to get a few logs he might be able to turn into something if he just had the other tools he needed.



Be afraid. You may have to have a new storage building built in your back yard to hold everything now in your garage so you can make more room for more tools so you can take a log and ......



Be afraid..... 



PS

Did Bill get you to thinking about all this wood turning stuff ??? It's usually his fault.


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## Flat Fish (Jun 18, 2005)

Trust me! The vortex is for real. You should see the stack of stuf in my garage... All I need now is a chain saw to make it fit on the lathe.


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## CBFISHER (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks for the input guys I know how the monster can get on you. Bobby I will take you up on the invite but may be a few weekends as it is dance competition season for my daughters so weekends are tied up. I will contact you as soon as I can and your schedule permits. Again thanks for the info.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

CB..I'll second Bobby's offer of letting you play with my toys if I might be closer. I can't think of any reason anybody would want to come to Houston:wink: ...but offer stands. I'm in southwest H-Town, out near the Galleria area..

My schedule is 'flexible'...to say the least....as is Bobby's...:tongue: 

Personally, I'd rather go to the beach if it was my choice, and Bobby has more 'TOYS' than I have.:wink: ...but would be more than happy for your company....and, like everybody else...got EVERYTHING there is available to do with penmaking

Jim:smile:


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## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

...........another one bites the dust!

Welcome to the votex! You can check out but you can never leave! gb


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## CBFISHER (Oct 11, 2005)

Tortuga, Thanks for the offer. Yea loking at some of the sets you guys have turned out it looks like this could really cut into the fishing time.


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## grayfish (Jul 31, 2005)

Beware of the DARKSIIDE.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

CBFISHER said:


> Tortuga, Thanks for the offer. Yea loking at some of the sets you guys have turned out it looks like this could really cut into the fishing time.


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Not necessarily, CB..Actual lathe time on pens is prolly about 15-20 minutes. Course getting the wood ready (cut, drilled, tubed and glued) do take a little time and finishing (assembly) takes a few minutes...but, a nice pen can be whupped out in about half an hour (little longer for the bigguns) and at the end of the half hour you can go back in the house and take a little nap...like Bobby and me..:tongue:

Course, if ya get into the bigger stuff like GB, etc..it can be a weeks long project...but, either way, there's a real sense of satisfaction when it all goes well.. On that line..WEAR those safety glasses when you're grinding out small stuff like pens...and the full face mask when you tackle the big items. A small 'catch' with a tool can send a bunch of little wooden 'bullets' flying plumb across the room..LOL.. SAFETY FIRST !!!!!...These tools are DANGEROUS..but with a little care all will be well..

Sorry for the preaching...but experience is speaking..:wink:

Still, it's a nice way to spend a little time when the weather is too bad or the wind to high to get on the salt water....and it don't have to be an 'all-day' project..

Enjoy......:cheers:


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## 3192 (Dec 30, 2004)

plus...you can make a big mess! 8*)


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

galvbay said:


> *plus...you can make a big mess!* 8*)


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LOL....Yep, GB...forgot about THAT !!! ..That's gonna be one hell of a pen if you ever get 'er ground down...:rotfl:


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

I can spend 24 hours on a single pen...depending on the finish

I spend 3-4 days on fishing lures


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

bill said:


> I can spend 24 hours on a single pen...depending on the finish
> 
> I spend 3-4 days on fishing lures


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LOL, Bill...I'm just trying to encourage CB...'Fess up that even the slimlines gobble up a couple of hours....but I CAN'T make myself spend 24 hours on ANYTHING !!:wink:

Gotta admit, turning one of the Biggies and getting finish I want can consume most of a day...and a little bit more of the next day...:tongue:

but..in any event...it don't take the 72 hours of getting ready, fishing and cleaning up that just one fishing trip takes me.... And...18 holes of golf blows a whole day...plus the hangover from the 19th hole..


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