In addition to all the other replies, pen making can be an even
quicker source of
gratification. It can take me 2 or 3 days to turn a bowl. (Get home
from work, turn the
outside, sand and oil. Let dry at least 24 hours. Turn the inside,
sand and finish. Let dry. Buff)

A pen can be turned in a bit over an hour. I use super glue and let
it dry for about an hour.
Pens are also easier to package and send off as gifts. The last 2
trips the wife and I made to
China we took bowls and they took up about half of one suitcase (she
has a big family). This time it's pens.



On May 25, 12:02 am, errfrsdaf wrote:
I don't mean to offend anyone by this post but I'm not sure
I understand the driving force behind pen making. The reason
I am posting is that I was given an old lathe a month or so
ago and I've about got it ready to run again. I was wanted
to make a simple gift for the person who gave me the lathe.
I was ordering some centers and noticed a pen making kit.
I ordered the kit but I question the value of the gift.
(only as a craftsman looking at my own work not the monetary
value) To me it seems that anyone who gets this kit is
going to end up with the same pen (assuming an equal skill
level). There are only so many ways you can shape it and
make it feel good in the hand. You basically finish them
all the same way. The blanks are what you get. The only
variable I see it the wood or plastic you choose for the
blank, then after that, a machine could have done it. So
why do you guys make pens? Am I missing something?
** Posted fromhttp://www.teranews.com**