# What do Your Wifes Think About Pen Turning?



## Johnathan (Feb 9, 2006)

As I am pretty new to this art. I am curious to know if many of you have turned your wifes onto penturning. What do they think? As for me, my wife just sees the money going out the door and me hiding out in the garage.


----------



## jssmith3 (Feb 10, 2006)

Well John, I happen to be the one turning and my husband is very supportive of it (thank God) I do the same thing with the dissappearing into the garage for hours at a time but I also do not say anything about the time he spends golfing or making his own golf clubs.  We do have our seperate tools and that is usually what he gets me for my birthday and christmas. The neat thing is that we can work together in our garage but on totally different things and still talk and be together.  After 28 years we are still able to find so much to talk about 

Janet


----------



## Johnathan (Feb 10, 2006)

> _Originally posted by jssmith3_
> <br />Well John, I happen to be the one turning and my husband is very supportive of it (thank God) I do the same thing with the dissappearing into the garage for hours at a time but I also do not say anything about the time he spends golfing or making his own golf clubs.  We do have our seperate tools and that is usually what he gets me for my birthday and christmas. The neat thing is that we can work together in our garage but on totally different things and still talk and be together.  After 28 years we are still able to find so much to talk about
> 
> Janet
> ...


----------



## alamocdc (Feb 10, 2006)

Janet, you mean he actually talks and doesn't just mumble something back at you? [?][:0] [}]


----------



## Old Griz (Feb 10, 2006)

Let me tell you an "interesting" story... [][]
My wife is reasonably supportive of my hobbies... she knows I need some tool time to keep me sane (relative term []).  Before I was heavy into pen turning I did a lot of scroll saw work... I still design patterns that are carried in 2 catalogs and my website for other scrollers.  There was a big International Scroll Saw Convention coming up, so I decided to really do it up good for the contest.  Designed a real nice pattern (Smallmouth Bass, see below) and cut it into a piece of 28x13x3/4" Walnut plank.  All told about 2 weeks work cutting and sanding, then another 2 weeks for the lacquer finish and hand buffing... I was overjoyed at how it came out.. When all was said and done, I bought it in to the house to show her... Her response:
_"<b>It's a fish and it ain't hanging on the wall anywhere in this house, but your office</b>"_ ...
BTW, it won first place in it's class. AND it hangs in my office [][]
Now I am still married to this woman despite her obvious bad taste in wood art.  When I started to make pens, they were horrible.. but she loved them.  Why... because they were useful.. she loves them even more now because they are useful <u><b>_and they sell_</b></u>... LOL
<b>This is the pattern</b>



<br />

<b>This is the finished piece that won</b>


<br />


----------



## tipusnr (Feb 10, 2006)

I have purposefully kept my wife away from turning.  We don't share hobbies well. She is quite supportive of my turning and loves collecting any pen or pencil I don't think is ready for the general public.  She not only collects them but uses them as well enjoying the comments from her teaching and orchestral collegues.


----------



## wood-of-1kind (Feb 10, 2006)

I only get support and approval when I show (actually GIVE HER THE MONEY) from pen sales. I still win since I'm having all the fun making/turning pens.


-Peter-[]


----------



## Ron in Drums PA (Feb 10, 2006)

There is nothing about a supportive spouse so I didn't vote.

I've been seriously woodworking for well over 20 years, and just bing-banging for easily 10 years before that. I'd say that well over half of my tools where bought by my wife as a gift to me.

One christmas she gave me a box of full of 10 sorby tools. When I opened them up I was puzzled and said to her. "These are for a lathe, I don't have a lathe" her answer was "You do now, it's downstairs"

My wife is my biggest fan when it comes to my woodworking.


----------



## Ron Mc (Feb 10, 2006)

My wife loves to turn with me when she can. I even purchased her a lathe so that we can turn together. She has shown interest in Bottle Stoppers so of course I set her up! Nothing like seeing her face when she finishes one.[]


----------



## wayneis (Feb 10, 2006)

My Wife has always been very supportive and has been one of my best customers in fact.  She has bought many of my pens to give as gifts to her clients and fellow workers.

Wayne


----------



## nilsatcraft (Feb 10, 2006)

My wife is pretty cool about it because I often take my son out to the shop with me so she gets a bit of a break and I come in a little while later with a pen or two.  She worked here at Craft Supplies for a few months a while back so she had to turn some pens and she did pretty well.  That makes it nice because she knows what's involved and she gives me pretty honest critiques of my work.  All in all I think she tolerates my hobby more than anything but, like many have mentioned, when I get a check for $70, $110 or $1,000, she respects penturning much more.  Now if I just get her to start playing the XBox once in a while...


----------



## Dario (Feb 10, 2006)

I know my wife will eventually make pens.

The other night, she started turning...practiced turning two green branches we trimmed off our tree.  Just to familiarize herself with the lathe and a couple of tools.

Yesterday I called her from work and she was watching our David Ellsworth VHS tape.  When I got home she started turning her first bowl out of sasafras [:0].  She just asked me a couple of pointers but she was basically on her own (I was busy packing orders []). A bit impatient, she can't wait to apply finish on it right away (even though it is not quite finish yet) LOL.  Being there and done that, I just let her.  It came our really nice actually. [] and I am very proud of her.

I agree with Ron Mc..."Nothing like seeing her face finishes one"

Now, if only I can get back my lathe!!! [:0][B)] LOL


----------



## Rudy Vey (Feb 10, 2006)

She does not and I guess never will do, but she is extremely supportive of my penturning (she always gets a new pen when I do new models). She helps me a lot with the craft shows.


----------



## ed4copies (Feb 10, 2006)

My "other half" started me in woodturning.  SHE is an accomplished stained glass Artist (in MY opinion), we share an interest in craft shows, where we both sell our products. (This is how I decided she is more accomplished-HER stuff sells well-I am considerably less popular).

Like Ron, I am fortunate that Dawn buys lots of stuff to support my habit and knows enough about it to intelligently critique my output.  

To me, woodturning is a relaxation-I relax best by myself.  So, I think it is best for her to be upstairs "glassing" while I am downstairs "turning".

WORKS FOR US!!!![]  Hopefully you will all find something that works for YOU!


----------



## KenV (Feb 10, 2006)

My wife of a long time (I have been married almost twice as long as I was single)is a fiber artist with a great sense of color and patterns.  She is most supportive and encouraging of my wood habits as I am of her fiber passions.  I am the carder operator (preparation for spilling) and make items that support her fiber work, from needle cases, to pin bowls to tool pens (which work great as a seam ripper handle).  

Ken in Juneau   Old Foopus Apprentice


----------



## scroller99 (Feb 10, 2006)

My wife says you want me to poke that piece of wood with this piece of metal? you have got to be kidding me!!, but she does like the pocket change it gives her and she always has gifts for unexpected situations. so I get to play in the shop and have all the fun! Howard


----------



## DCBluesman (Feb 10, 2006)

What's a wife? [8D]


----------



## Murphy (Feb 10, 2006)

Well, here it goes from another woman.  My husband tried one pen and thought it was trickier than he expected.  His pen looked good but he wanted great on the first time as far as fit, finish etc.  He turns bowls on his big lathe.  He is extremely supportive of my money pit hobby as are my sons who have also tried their hand at penmaking. I have 2 female friends I have turned onto pen turning and 1 male.
My husband also buys me tools for every occasion.  His friends get a kick out of it.  What he doesn't get me I get for myself.  My motto is as long as I can make some money from making things from a tool I will buy.  They always pay for themselves.


----------



## mrcook4570 (Feb 10, 2006)

My wife has always been very supportive of me and is my #1 salesperson.  She designs some incredible booth displays when we do craft shows.  Less than a month ago, she began turning also.  She has since turned a couple dozen bottle stoppers and about a dozen dip pens.  I haven't been able to talk her into turning "regular" pens yet - she doesn't want to deal with assembly.

She's even sold six of her stoppers []


----------



## PatLawson (Feb 10, 2006)

I'm the penmaker in my family, and I'm the wife. My husband Bill is excellent at woodcrafts, (scrollsaw work, carving, clocks, etc.), but with a demanding job, he doesn't get much time to pursue his love of woodcrafting and hasn't yet gotten into penmaking much. I keep encouraging him though and know that in time he will. Last week he actually made his first "pen", a CSUSA woodworkers' pencil, so he's on his way!

I've been making pens for over 7 years now, and he has supported me all the way, since day one. He loves that I make pens and he loves that I work in the shop, and most of all he loves that we can buy tools, tools and more tools! (Not to mention machines!) []

We have a wonderful time making the rounds of WoodCraft, Rockler, Austin woods, Harbor Freight, etc. on a Saturday morning - better than Disneyland to us. And I really enjoy working together with him in the shop.

We've been married 44 years now, and he has always supported every crazy hobby or dream I've ever had and I've always been happy for him to have creative interests too - when he's relaxed and having fun and happy, I'm happy too. Who wants a stressed-out spouse around?

Hopefully it won't be too much longer before he can retire and I can have my best friend beside me in the shop much more often. I'm really looking forward to that time in our lives.

Pat L.

http://pensbypatricia.com/NewPens


----------



## Lloyd Frisbee (Feb 10, 2006)

My wife turns too.  She is on her second lathe.  She turns more than I do.  She has more time to do it also I was disabled most of last year and hardly did any turning.  She has a lot of fun with it.


----------



## realgenius (Feb 18, 2006)

Well since I'm the wife and I turn I guess I'm having a BLAST[]. As for the hubby he fuels and feeds my obsession!!!!![}][}] What can I say, it's a match made in heaven, 28 years worth. You see he buys me the tools and I make the sawdust, great HUH!?!?![][][]

Debra


----------



## realgenius (Feb 18, 2006)

I absolutely Love The Duke[] He and Gen George S. Patton are two of my favorite heroes[] You Rock, Debra[:I]





> _Originally posted by Old Griz_
> <br />Let me tell you an "interesting" story... [][]
> My wife is reasonably supportive of my hobbies... she knows I need some tool time to keep me sane (relative term []).  Before I was heavy into pen turning I did a lot of scroll saw work... I still design patterns that are carried in 2 catalogs and my website for other scrollers.  There was a big International Scroll Saw Convention coming up, so I decided to really do it up good for the contest.  Designed a real nice pattern (Smallmouth Bass, see below) and cut it into a piece of 28x13x3/4" Walnut plank.  All told about 2 weeks work cutting and sanding, then another 2 weeks for the lacquer finish and hand buffing... I was overjoyed at how it came out.. When all was said and done, I bought it in to the house to show her... Her response:
> _"<b>It's a fish and it ain't hanging on the wall anywhere in this house, but your office</b>"_ ...
> ...


----------



## woodpens (Feb 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by PatLawson_
> <br />
> http://pensbypatricia.com/NewPens


Pat - I just checked out your new pens page. Wow! Your pens look stunning. Your photography has really come along this past year. Way to go!


----------



## Ligget (Feb 18, 2006)

My wife is not into any kind of turning, but is very supportive to me, and has been since we were married 15 years ago.

She has her horse that she loves, and whenever she can, she is away riding. She does have a very important and demanding job so I like to see her chill out at the stable.


----------



## PatLawson (Feb 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by woodpens_
> <br />
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you Jim!
That's one more way that my husband has supported me in my penmaking - Bill bought me the tabletop studio setup, with light tents, two large daylight lights on stands and the small "sparkler" light, and two plexiglas risers. It a wonderful setup and I love it.
Then he bought himself a new Olympus C5060 digital camera which I promptly stold, lol. [}] So photography-wise I'm a very happy camper! 
I have learned a lot this past year, but still have much more to learn! As several people have noted, photography is a whole other art/science in itself, but is pretty necessary to our primary art, (penmaking) for anyone who wants to sell on the web!
Thanks again for your kind words.
Pat


----------



## terrymiller (Feb 19, 2006)

My wife lovese turning pens the only problem is the pens I plan on selling usually end up in her purse, about once a week I have to raid her purse and place them back in the case.


----------



## stilgar (Feb 20, 2006)

My wife loves the pens and she is constently finding new pen blanks and woods for other turning items.  I think she just likes to keep me out of the house.[]

But my boys also turn (10 & 8) and my daughter turned her own pen (14) the other day so this is turning out to be a family thing.


----------



## Sawdustier (Feb 20, 2006)

Another wife speaking up here []  Hubby tried turning a couple of times but I couldn't take the stress of keeping my mouth shut.  (Please cut the wood only...the bushings are the proper size already or at least they were)  For the most part he respects my wishes and keeps his hands off my tools.  He loves the pens and has quite a collection, many of which I'm sure I don't know he has, and likes the spare change from the occasional sales.  I did have to put my foot down a while back and told him if he gave away any more of the pens that were disappearing from the case, he could buy the kits from now on.  He's very supportive of my addiction and Christmas and birthday gifts are tools that he lets me pick out.  AND...... He's promised NEVER to try to buy wood for me again.


----------



## Daniel (Feb 23, 2006)

My wife is supportive of all my creative ventures. She has her favorite woods. helps me select blanks for some of the pens I make. looks at all of your work from time to time. She does a lot of my gofering like taking packages to the post office and is definitly a fan of receiving a pen from me from time to time. 
She also has no interest in trying to make one for herself or anyone else. She has been quite clear that she does not understand what I get out of it. but does not like it when I get bored either.


----------



## KKingery (Feb 23, 2006)

My wife enjoys seeing and using the pens I make, but really isn't into woodturning or woodworking herself.


----------



## wade (Mar 1, 2006)

Greetings all.  I'm rather new to the turning world, and this is my first post, but i've been turning up a storm.  I've done a few bowls, and lots and lots of spindle turning, mostly pens, but a few other things such as garden tools (dibbles) and candlesticks.  Basically, i've been having a blast.

I have an extensive background in textiles, as I have done machine embroidery and robotic quilting.  Problem is, I work with computers all day at work, and the last thing I want to do when I get home is fight with another computerized hunk of #$@%#.  So I kind of gave up on the sewing and let her have at it.  She makes better quilts than me anyways.

I had been doing metal work for about 4-5 years, and been wanting to get into wood turning, so my wife got me an upgrade kit for my lathe which converted it from metal to wood.  I got started with that, and upgraded shortly thereafter to a Jet Mini-Lathe.  It's been getting a workout.  My wife is also very supportive.  So supportive in fact, that she bought me a bowl gouge for Valentines Day.

Guess that about says it all, right?

Well, anyway, Hi all and i'm sure i'll be busily posting on the list in the near future.

Wade


----------



## pmburk (Mar 2, 2006)

Hi,
Just joined and this is my first post.

     I always enjoyed working with wood mainly woodcarving. I told my wife that one day I would love to have a small lathe for small turning projects. 

     This past Christmas she gave me a table-top lathe and I started making pens as a way to learn how to turn on a lathe. Now she has me making pens for family and friends as gifts. She doesn't turn and has no desire to, but she loves seeing the finished pens. I am in the process of turning knobs for our kitchen cabinets and drawers, but pen turning takes priority. My office now has me turning pens for retirement gifts and individual awards. No complaints here!

     Thanks for the privilege of being part of this organization.
Patrick


----------



## Spike (Mar 3, 2006)

Too young to have a wife. no comment.


----------



## Charles (Mar 6, 2006)

Hi. all. My wife and I took the first pen turning class together. However, since getting the lathe she doesn't desire to turn anymore. She is exyremely helpful with critiquing my work and is polite when she doesn't care for a certain style.She is a good marketer for me and helps with craft shows. She also feels I stay out in the shop too much, leaving her inside to clean house, watch tv, or needless to say go on to bed without me while I get the finish just right on the last project of the day. She has come out to the shop to watch several times and someday hopefully she will pick up the tools again.


----------



## Trapshooter (Mar 6, 2006)

My wife tolerates me and my long trips to woodstores.  She is my biggest salesperson though.  We do registered trap and meat shoots as our only hobby together.  Doesnt't really matter, we both enjoy the time we can spend together doing anything with our 3 kids, even at Chucke Cheese.  
People at work are supprised to find I taught my wife to shoot.  They also said I was nuts when I told them I was looking at wood on E-bay.  It' nice when pens sell though.


----------



## tommyrobbins (Mar 17, 2006)

Hi, my wife also turns pens and other turnings too. Yes, we have his and her lathes.[]


----------



## OSCAR15 (Mar 20, 2006)

Jonathan...You must remember that when you spend money for something you enjoy, it leaves less money to buy shoes.  My wife has more damn shoes than Ismilda Marcos had. But, she accepts that I am doing this as a hobby.  Bring up the fact that virtually ALL hobbies are expensive, and that all work and no play is not healthy.  My wife now wants to give it a try. Once she does, I will probably need to buy a second lathe !
   OSCAR[]


----------



## DocStram (Mar 25, 2006)

I have a great wife .... 35 years!  She is very supportive and encouraging.  She figures it keeps me off the streets!


----------



## Glenmore (Mar 28, 2006)

I did my first pen and my wife got my first pen sorta gave me a tear to see it go to her becuase I usally keep my first works.  But it made her happy and I got the second one. []


----------



## Max (Mar 28, 2006)

I am the wife!....(Maxine)...  and luckily my husband and kids get a kick out of it.  In fact, they gave me the lathe for Xmas..  Of course, I don't think my husband understood that the $$ for the lathe was JUST THE BEGINNING!  I'm thinking that he may regret this eventually!  []

-Max


----------



## realgenius (Apr 3, 2006)

Janet, way to go!!! My hubby and I do the same thing.  He works on his side of the shop and me on mine. We can talk and compare projects, share tools or an occasional hug, I love it.  He however doesn't turn, he welds and builds motorcycles and refurbishes old and interesting trucks. We too have been married 28 years and yes we give each other tools on special days.  Debra


----------

