# Getting Started...



## sparks (May 9, 2006)

Lately I've noticed a number of new members posting "How do I get started turning pens?" They get a bunch of good suggestions like which suppliers to use, which videos to buy, good kits for first-timers, basic tools, etc. 

I'd like to collect the best of the suggestions in a single post that I'll put in the library and link to from the front page. This might seem redundant given that the same information is in books and magazines, but let's give new penturners a quick, easy set of pointers and tips to get started. 

How about posting one or two novice turner tips or pointers to other info in a followup to this post. I'll start collecting them into a single post and put it in the library forum. If someone else would like to do this instead of me, that would be great!

If you're a new penturner, what information would have helped you out?

(Posted this from the wrong account! -- It's me, Jeff)


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## clewless (May 9, 2006)

Good starter video- Turning Pens with Kip & Rex.


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## JimGo (May 9, 2006)

Some suggestions I posted a while ago:
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From http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=9443
A few suggestions:
1) Make sure your tools are sharp. If you THINK they might be sharp, sharpen them some more.
2) Scuff your pen tubes with 120 or 180 grit sandpaper before you add glue.
3) Make sure there is enough glue. Too much can always be removed. Too little causes the tubes to come free from the wood/resin/blank and then you can't work with them (at best), and sometimes you can even have the blank blow up (break into lots of pieces, not LITERALLY blow up) because of it.
4) Make sure your tools are sharp.
5) Get the Bill Baumbeck video; very informative. It goes into more depth than the PSI video (which is also a good thing to have)
6) Don't start with a slimline. I know the ads all say that the slimlines are the "easiest", but I STRONGLY disagree. The slimlines have less than 1/32" of wood if you turn them "bushing to bushing" straight. Start with a Cigar or other kit, where there's some more meat left. The kits are more expensive, but they are easier to turn, and you can always order inexpensive extra tubes.
7) Don't be embarrased if your first few blanks explode. I got a starter kit from PSI that included a ten-pack of pre-drilled 7mm rosewood blanks, and I only wound up with two or three pens from it.
8) Start with a harder, darker wood, like Cocobolo or Walnut (just beware that both of these can cause allergic reactions). Walnut turns like butter, and Cocobolo is pretty forgiving if your tools get a little dull.
9) Make sure your tools are sharp. You'll learn what the shavings look like when they get dull, but until you can recognize the difference, keep checking the tools periodically (after each 1/2 a pen or so, depending on the woods you're using)
10) If you've never turned before, start with the skew. Others will tell you it's a pain to master, but if you don't know the difference any way, you may as well start with it. A well-sharpened skew will give you a very nice finish on its own, and sets a good basis for sanding and finishing.
11) Take your time. Your first few pens should take you at LEAST 15-20 minutes, just for the "turning" phase. Most of us will tell you that we spend even more time sanding.
12) Leave a little extra wood/resin above the blank when you're turning; you can always sand away the excess later. It's much harder to replace once it is gone.
13) Clean the blank with DNA between each sanding grit.
14) If you do a BLO/CA or CA finish, don't be surprised if you have trouble the first few times. If doing this on an oily wood (Cocobolo, Rosewood, Olive, etc.), wipe with DNA before applying it.
15) Get some MicroMesh - it is one of the best investments you can make.
16) If you are confused by acronyms, see this page: http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4227
17) Post lots of pictures and ask lots of questions here!
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From http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=6780

Ron,
Welcome to IAP! From your post, it's hard to tell how much stuff you already have, so I'm going to assume you're as green as I was a few months ago (never did wooodworking before!). According to http://media.ptg-online.com/media/dm/OwnersManuals/20050318090343_En903742-03-18-05.pdf , your headstock has a #2 Morse taper, which is a very standard size. You can get a mandrel from Penn State Industries (http://www.pennstateindustries.com), Craft Supplies USA (http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com) or Berea (try http://www.ArizonaSilhouette.com). For the Penn State Industries mandrel, you can also go to http://www.pocwoodworking.com or http://www.woodturningz.com and order through them; they are usually a little cheaper than PSI. Most of them are relatively interchangeable. The only exception is that Berea makes two mandrels, an "A" mandrel and a "B" mandrel. The B is slightly thicker than the A, which means it should flex less in use. Unfortunately, it also means you HAVE to have that mandrel if you're going to make any of their kits that require that mandrel.

As for other items, you'll need some wood, pen kits, some turning tools, some sand paper, some denatured alcohol, some finishing supplies, metric drill bits, and some glue. Personally, I'd recommend starting with Cigar kits over slimlines. They are easier to turn because you aren't turning the wood to within just over a hair's width of the brass tube, which makes them more forgiving. Plus, they show off the grain more, IMHO, and they aren't TOO much more expensive than slimlines. Order a set of extra tubes when you place your order; it's MUCH easier to just grab a new set than to try to "reclaim" an already used set. 

Once you find the kits you like, try picking some pleasant woods. I'd recommend Cocobolo, Purpleheart, or Walnut for a first timer (I'm not much farther along!). Cocobolo is very hard, but it doesn't shatter like some other woods when you get closer to size and you accidentally apply too much pressure (DAMHIKT); it also sands to a really glossy finish all on its own. Purpleheart isn't quite as forgiving as Cocobolo, but also finishes well. Walnut turns like a dream; the only problem is, the pieces I've seen haven't had the grain flow like Cocobolo, nor does it have the unique coloring of Purpleheart. 

Turning tools can be found at any major supplier (such as those listed above). Harbor Freight also has a set that's good for beginners; their HSS set is only like $30, and includes most of the basics. Many of the people here use that set.

Sand paper can be a very personal choice. I use AbraNet, a textured "mesh" that is easy to unclog, for my basic sanding (I think it's like $10 for a set of two each of 120, 180, 240, 320, and 400 grit at PSI or their resellers). I've just about worn out my first 120 after somewhere in the neighborhood of 20-30 pens, plus some other miscellaneous turnings, which I think is pretty good. I'd also recommend getting a set of MicroMesh. If you take your time and sand with the Abranet (or other sandpaper) and MicroMesh, your finish will look GREAT even before you put anything on it.

That segways nicely into the next topic, finishes. I'm not even going to try to recommend one, because I know I'll get flamed. There are a LOT of choices, including shellac, laquor, polyurethane, Enduro, Waterlox, and a bunch of others. However, if you're looking to cut your costs a bit, you might consider using cyanoacrylate glue as a finish. There are two articles on the main home page on how to do that properly.

The reason I say you can save some money using CA is that you'll want to buy glue to attach the tubes to the blanks. CA is one choice, and is used by several people here. CA will also save your butt many times, so it's always handy to have some around. CA's limitation is that, at least the thin CA, needs the two surfaces to be joined to actually touch each other; that is, it isn't gap filling. There is thick CA, but even that has problems beyond small gaps. Another glue you'll see discussed here is polyurethane glue, like Gorilla Glue. That stuff foams when it cures, which allows it to be more gap filling.

You'll also need a set of drill bits. I'd recommend two things: Penn State Industries sells a set of brad-point drill bits in 1/64" increments up to 1/2" for like $20-25, and it is a good investment. I've heard that the bits aren't the greatest as far as durability, but I figure I'll have a complete set for when I need the odd sizes, and I'll splurge later when I figure out what sizes I'll REALLY need. You'll also want to grab the metric brad-point bits from Woodcraft.

You'll also want to grab the barrel trimmer kit from Penn State Industries, which has pre-made inserts for most of the standard pen kit sizes, and some denatured alcohol, for wiping out the inside of the blank after you drill it and before you glue the tube in.

I'm sure there are other things I've forgotten, but this should get you well under way.

Good luck, and be sure to post pictures of your pens!


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## Blind_Squirrel (May 9, 2006)

I got started by taking a class at my local Woodcrafters.


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## Daniel (May 10, 2006)

Jim, Good post
entertaining enough to held my attention. and great advice.
one more note about sharp tools, if you wouldn't shave with it, you don't want it to touch your wood either. I'm a big stickler about sharp tools. I was over two years and well over 300 pens before I realized what a sharp tool really was. I hate to see others take that long to get there. I laid my arm open on one of my Spindle gouges by just bumping into it. that was when I was still using dull tools. sharp means no touchy it bites.


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## JimGo (May 11, 2006)

Daniel,
Thanks!  And I know exactly what you mean about sharp tools.  I'm actually going through that second realization phase now.  I used to think my tools were sharp, but I'm learning that they aren't even close.  I'm still trying to find a good solution given the limited shop space I have.  So far, I use a 6" face plate on the lathe to do the rough grinding, a small, inexpensive electric wet sharpener from Sears to do more of the sharpening, and I recently purchased a diamond honing file.  This three-step process really makes a big difference for me!  Now half the time all I have to do is touch up the edge with the diamond hone and I'm ready to go again.  I'm still not QUITE at the "shave with it" stage, but I'm getting a lot closer.  It's funny how something that seemed sharp a few weeks ago now feels like I'm trying to do my cutting with a spoon!


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## JimGo (May 11, 2006)

Oh, in addition to the Bill Baumbeck and PSI videos I mentioned above, another good one for wood turning in general is Alan Lacer's The Skew Chisel: Light Side/Dark Side.  There's a LOT of information in it, and Alan does a great job of keeping the descriptions aimed at novices like me.


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## OSCAR15 (May 14, 2006)

JimGo and Daniel have said it all.  
Also, do NOT assume that new chisels are "sharp" out of the box.  Even the highest quality chisels need final honing.  I too had a few blanks "explode" on me when I started.  Although there are several reasons for this (too little glue etc.) I now think the biggest reason is dull tools! I do my final honing on leather with aluminum oxide powder. A bit much perhaps, but the sharper the better!
Good luck. One last thing, this hobby is truly addictive!


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## Johnathan (May 14, 2006)

Great Idea Jeff!


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## dubdrvrkev (May 14, 2006)

How about run, run away while you still have a bank balance. [}] LOL


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## Daniel (May 15, 2006)

Kevin,
  By my way of thinking, when you reach the point you are posting on this group. You already spent all your money, have turned all those pens, swept out the shop twice hoping to find something you might make anouther one or two out of. and are now desperatly searching for something to feed your addiction. 
setting at your computer looking at penturning[]


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## whatwoodido (May 16, 2006)

Best and easiest way to learn, find someone that has done it to teach you.  Penturning is easy, and if you have someone with some experience show you how to do it, it becomes even less difficult.  

I think the freedom pen project showed that experience in not necessary to turn a good pen, and just how easy they are to turn.  I taught a complete novice (I did have an advantage it was a woman and they tend to listen better than men) to turn a Jr. Gentleman's the other day, in 25 minutes she had an amazingly good rosewood pen that I would have been happy to claim as my work.

If turning a pen seems hard, you are doing something wrong.  And that is why I recommend a new turner find a mentor.  If a experienced mentor is a possibility convince a friend to make pens with you, two beginners working together is almost as good as having a mentor.

Drew


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