Hello all,
Just got my first lathe an Axminster m330, and slowly getting different things to get me started. Waiting on chisels and a chuck (hopefully got these sorted), bought a pen mandrel, 7mm barrel trimmer drill bit, and a bench grinder for sharpening. Still to get lots of other things to get me started including glue, blanks, sand paper etc etc.
Anyway, I look forward to finally getting round to having everything to turn my first pen, and look forward to learning from the group.
Thanks Steve
Just got my first lathe an Axminster m330, and slowly getting different things to get me started. Waiting on chisels and a chuck (hopefully got these sorted), bought a pen mandrel, 7mm barrel trimmer drill bit, and a bench grinder for sharpening. Still to get lots of other things to get me started including glue, blanks, sand paper etc etc.
Anyway, I look forward to finally getting round to having everything to turn my first pen, and look forward to learning from the group. Thanks Steve
. If you have any recommendations for blanks suppliers I'm all ears 
that suggest that before you make any pens you practice on pieces of wood you may have handy. Cut up an old chair or piece of furniture, branches from a nearby tree, pieces from a floor, anything is fair game. Put them in your lathe and play with each of your tools making each piece of wood round and then on down to nearly nothing. Once you feel you have done enough do a bunch more, sand and apply some finishes. It will teach you tool control, how to sharpen and how to sand and finish. Playing and not making anything in particular will make your pen, turning journey a lot easier. There is no point making mistakes and learning on pens and blanks you paid for.
