David, I bought a Pen Wizard ages ago modified it over and over again, wrote to showed my mods tried to get improved parts got the cold shoulder from the maker its still a work in progress so I made my own device a classic response after detailing how i did it step by step had a pen swap in the states with two separate guys who followed on my postings on the same string who said gee I sure would like to know how to do that it sometimes has taken me days to give detailed pics, sizes , materials feedback has been zero to little so I stopped years ago. A case in point is I think on this forum forever ago in the eighties I figured the wobbly point of a live centre in the end of a mandrel to me is farcical every turner I knew turned a full two piece pen at one time then forever rested their fingers on the blanks as they turned them (finger suicide ) to stave off the vibration.. I started turning one half of a pen and cut the threaded end off mandrels and housed the mandrel in a brass sleeve in the live centre about 3/8 th of an inch problem solved. After years of ho hum we have world wide mandrel savers same thing only a through hole in the live centre, one bloke in the USA wrote and asked for a detailed with pics explanation went into business showing off his world discovery.
Every note I make on a computer is laborius for me one finger and hunt and pick.
It is really a happy life for me took me a long time to devise, build machinery made no record as I went inventing on the run so to speak part of the fun.
Would like to think I share as best I can do love to spend my time my way. I guess the tyranny of distance prevents us getting together on a one to one but I do have Skype, Mark in the Northern Territory conversed this morning with me we do so often.
Do enjoy your pen making your way.
I am off to photograph a few burls as I promised in a while to give you a further idea of quality burl also to convey with respect the Burl getters heavy burden of finding, cutting, bark removal treating to allow entry into overseas countries. This guy has 10.000 blanks cut from burl right now as you will see the cut caps and slices this lot are waxed all over the big stuff so the colour may be hidden a bit.
I have never once had one person phone me over the world or say to me here mate try this new idea of mine or we have been chosen in a swap how are you going what would you like etc, been doing that for yrs now from here, my swaps cost me minimum 24 dollars postage I have paid up to 64 Dollars postage. Having sent many hundreds over the years of blanks with a note give this a go no strings attached. Guess I am running ragged trying to do too much.
Kinds regards to everyone.
Peter.
