Hello

[Woodturning exchef]

I have just joined this forum, I have only made 4 pens so far, but in a maddening attempt to find products to sell I make all sorts. I recently made a Panache pen with Wild African Olive Wood for a sample to send to a London shop that had showed interest in my work, unfortunately after the initial email from them, I have heard nothing, so I now have more wood to sell. The table in the dinning room is beginning to groan under the weight of picture frames, cutlery handles, pens, food boards and bowls I make to remain almost sane, but struggle to sell.

After 30 years at the business end of the catering trade working country house hotels, my mind just gave up and walked away leaving me dribbling and gibbering in the corner. I found wood work to be very therapeutic, but had no idea of the diversity of projects that can be undertaken with a lathe, table saw and mitre saw. In 3 short years I have taught myself to make all sorts, but after making the last pen as a sample for a very upmarket London shop, I realised that there may be a different level of quality of pen kits than the one I am currently using, and I may even have some questions for you all about turning acrylics, as up to this point I have only been turning woods on my lathe. I upgraded from a hobby lathe to a second hand Axminster perform recently so as to able to make bowls, and while I love this new machine, I have two broken fingers to let me know that it is a totally different beast to my hobby lathe, I am still turning through the pain, it helps to remind me that if I don't respect the machine it will bite back. It's all part of the fun, but my therapist worries about me having no concern for my own safety, but after years in the catering trade self harm is a way of life.


I have uploaded the panache pens, one in Pink Ivory and the other in Wild African Olive Wood.

 

[Walter]

Welcome to the forum Alan, two fine looking examples there.

If you are looking for top quality then you will find some excellent kits at Beaufort Ink

More affordable but still of good quality are kits from Taylor's Mirfield

 

[Dalboy]

Hi and welcome Alan, watch out for the loonies as there are many to be found but they all mean well.

 

[yorkshireman]

I'm not a fan of the kits Alan mate but you've made a grand job of the turning and finishing

 

[Phil Dart]

Hi Alan - a big welcome to the fold.

 

[billyb_imp]

Hi Alan and welcome to the forum, their a friendly lot, any questions ask away, the two photos show that youve made a good start to this pen turning lark.

As others have said Phil at Beaufort Ink & Dan at Taylor's Mirfield have some excellent hardware, many that you won't find elsewhere. There are of course other suppliers just as reliable, its worth having a look in the "Seller Forums" a few commercial businesses in there that are well known to forum members, some of them offer discounts to forum members look through the posts to find codes, if you can't find them ask. You may have to have a certain number of posts to qualify, so get posting.

 

[Vic Perrin]

Hi Alan and welcome to the forum. A couple of fine looking pens you have posted Don't forget there are sections on the forum to show some of the other stuff you turn. We are not just pens on here mate

 

[silver]

Hi Alan, welcome to the forum.

You have made a brilliant start to pen turning with those pens.

I am not a lover of the panach pens as my nickname for them are "axial stands" as I think you could put them under a Bedford TK and hold it up ready for changing the wheel.:

Look forward to seeing some of your work in the future..

 

[AllenN]

Hi Alan, welcome to the forum. You will find loads of useful information on here, just about anything you can turn can be found on here somewhere.
I cannot agree with your comments about safety. There is nothing inevitable about getting injured and it is certainly not the case that self harm is a way of like. When I started I found Keith Rowleys book Woodturning a Foundation Course a useful staring point on basic lathe safety. I have also found Brian Havens Utube explainations on turning end grain and turning side grain helpful to explain what is actually going on. Mike Waldt and Richard Raffan also have good videos explaining why certain things happen. Understanding is the key to not getting hurt. It only takes 30 secs to ask yourself about the basic risks of what you are trying to do. That is 30 sec well spent.
If you choose to push the boundaries you do of course increase the risk but that is your choice and not something which is inevitable. Hope you find some of this useful.

 

[Terry Q]

Hello Alan. Welcome from across the pond. Looking forward to seeing more of your work.

 

[fortress]

Hello Alan and welcome to the house of fun, two nice looking pens on show. Have fun turning, but please be careful. :pray:

 

[Penpal]

Morning Alan interesting introduction. The pens have heaps of interest. Your choice of kits is yours others have their own there are members who live near you who could advise you on kits etc. Go safely and well.

Peter.

 

[wm460]

G'Day Alan,

Welcome to the forum from the hot damp humid Centre of Australia.



Cheers,
Mark.

 

[Bammer]

Hi Alan, welcome

 

[bluntchisel]

Welcome to the forum, Alan. And there's now't wrong with your pens that I can see, matey!

Bob.

 

[Pierre]

Welcome to the forum Alan, whilst the Panache makes a nice handbag pen it suffers from a fault in that the plastic thread inside the cap breaks very easily, I have made about 20 over the last 3 years and had to repair 8 so I don't make them any more.

PG

 

[Bill Mooney]

Welcome aboard Alan. 2 nice pens there. Try & find a Woodturning club near you & join, you then get all the advice & help you need. If you can afford it have a short course with a professional turnerwho will teach you good techniques as well as safety. Very well worth the cost for a good foundation to turning.