# The FAQ thread.



## Mudder (Jul 22, 2007)

Ok folks; here's your chance to help.

Lets start a list of questions for a FAQ.


Think about the questions that you see over and over again and list them in this thread so that the content team has a place to look.

It would be helpful if you could also give us an answer to the question if you know it but it is not absolutely necessary.


C'mon folks;

Fire up that cranium and lets get some good questions and answers going.



Thank you,

Scott


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## Blind_Squirrel (Jul 22, 2007)

CA finish - http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=11970&SearchTerms=fangar,finish

Enduro finish - Follow the instructions that come with the finish -or- http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=8321

Plexi finish -  http://www.thepenshop.net/plexi.pdf

Lacquer dipping - http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22864&SearchTerms=lacquer,dip
Lacquer spraying - http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23331&SearchTerms=lacquer,dip

PR primer - http://content.penturners.org/articles/2005/casting_polyester_resin.pdf


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## gketell (Jul 22, 2007)

How do you make a pressure/vacuum pot: http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=24254

How do you make a celtic knot: http://www.georgeandsirik.com/knot-tutorial.html  (although you might ask George if you can host it here so it sticks around in perpetuity)


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## TBone (Jul 22, 2007)

How to post pictures, how to resize pictures.


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## txbob (Jul 22, 2007)

Advantages & disadvantages of various glues, for gluing in tubes.

Advantages & disadvantages of various glues, for gluing pen segments together.

How to drill pen blanks on the lathe.

How to sharpen a pen mill. (Send it to Paul in OKC)

Turning tool reviews, what you like and what you use.

Power tool reviews, Drill Doctor, Jool Tool, Tormek, sharpening jigs. etc.

txbob


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## Snazzypens (Jul 22, 2007)

I know when I started I wanted to know what DNA was and MM and CA was?


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## doddman70 (Jul 22, 2007)

Don't forget about what is BLO


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## BRobbins629 (Jul 22, 2007)

The differences, advantages, and disadvantages of different casting resins - epoxy, PR, adn Aluminite.

How to put a logo, picture, etc in a pen.

How to prepare antler for drilling - turn it round between centers before drilling; how to whiten antler - soak 24 hours in hydrogen peroxide

How to disassemble a pen


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## dalemcginnis (Jul 22, 2007)

I'm still trying to remember what all the different shaped tools are for.


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## hilltopper46 (Jul 23, 2007)

I'm not sure they are FAQs but these are things I wanted to know shortly after I got into penturning.

What's an 'A' mandrel? (Berea's small mandrel)

What's a 'B' mandrel? (Berea's large mandrel)

How big is an 'A'/'B' mandrel? (A is generally 0.246 inch - same as letter 'D' drill.  B is 0.290 - same as letter 'L' drill bit).  

How big is a PSI mandrel? (About the same size as an 'A' mandrel from Berea - perhaps 0.002 inch smaller).

Can I make my own mandrel? (It depends on your skills and equipment - knowing the size of drill rod to purchase, as listed above, may be helpful.)

How do I drive a mandrel? What if I don't have MT2 (or MT1) on my headstock? (Make or have made an adapter.  There are Shopsmith adapters made that are 5/8-inch ID on the big end and sized for the mandrel. If you have a multipurpose machine with an R8 (or other type) drive collet system, a 1/4-inch collet will drive an 'A' sized mandrel.  A 5/16-inch collet will drive a 'B' sized mandrel, but you really have to squeeze it down.)


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## thewishman (Jul 23, 2007)

How to price pens?

What pens are most popular?

Which pens are easiest to turn?

Do you offer credit card sales - if so, where?


Chris


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## gketell (Jul 24, 2007)

What the heck do the Stars under a username represent?

GK


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## Mudder (Jul 25, 2007)

Great start!

Let's keep the idea's coming.


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## dalemcginnis (Jul 26, 2007)

How about a list of which woods have toxic dust?  As a new turner I never thought about it.  A friend gave me some Cocobolo and told me to wear a respirator as the dust is toxic. I just received a shipment of more of it I bought and there was no mention of it. I've also seen it at my local Rockler, again with no mention of the dust.  Got me thinking, how many other woods am I turning that have toxic dust?


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## jtate (Jul 26, 2007)

Here's a link to a list of toxic wood/dust..
http://www.mimf.com/archives/toxic.htm


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## MarkHix (Jul 26, 2007)

How do you get started?


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## mdburn_em (Jul 26, 2007)

What do I need, at a minimum, to get started?
Who makes the best click pen?
What's the best finish?
Is multi-mesh really that good?
How long does MM last?


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## GBusardo (Jul 29, 2007)

There seems to be tons of questions on "Why did my finish fail"?  "Why did my pen come out oblong"  "Why did my blank explode on the mandrel or in the vice"  "What are the toughest woods to turn" "What are the easiest woods to turn"  "How come my Purpleheart is not purple"


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## ed4copies (Jul 30, 2007)

The perennial question:

"How do I sell my pens?"

Sometimes asked before the question, "How do you MAKE a pen?"

Which has always seemed like putting the cart WAY before the horse.[][]


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## gerryr (Aug 14, 2007)

Ed,
There was someone here several months ago who basically did that.  I wonder what became of him?

One of the perennial questions is where do you buy specific kits, like the Sierra or Baron.  Maybe a list by kit name with the manufacturer and resellers listed.


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## jtate (Aug 17, 2007)

How to remove CA glue from one's fingers (or other body parts).
How to use your lathe as a drill press.
How to use your lathe as a pen press.
How to use your lathe and pen mandrel as a pen mill.
How to use your lathe (or your spouse's lathe) as a grounds for divorce.


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## jtate (Aug 17, 2007)

Seriously, what I think would be useful is an index of the tutorials and useful threads.  Or perhaps group the tutorials according to topic instead of according to author.  The listing of the tutorials bt the year in which they were written isn't all that useful to me.


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## gketell (Sep 25, 2007)

One that I keep losing track of that would be really nice to have as a sticky somewhere...

There was a thread where some kind soul had taken pictures of as many different pen styles as he could all together in one display case so we could see the styles and the relative sizes.

GK


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## gketell (Sep 25, 2007)

Excellent! Thanks to Nolan (n4631x) the links are found again.  Adding these to the FAQ would be greatly helpful.


http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=15198&SearchTerms=how,big

http://162.42.234.18/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=18084

GK



> _Originally posted by gketell_
> <br />One that I keep losing track of that would be really nice to have as a sticky somewhere...
> 
> There was a thread where some kind soul had taken pictures of as many different pen styles as he could all together in one display case so we could see the styles and the relative sizes.
> ...


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