On May 29, 5:30 pm, "Leon" wrote:
wrote in message

Leon - I have turned a ton of pens. I have turned kits from Craft
Supplies, Woodcraft, and a bought a few kits here and there from
different folks that are no longer with us.

Great! I have some one to consult with. ;~)

Absolutely any time, my friend.

Bored with flatwork and looking for something new, I started turning
again back in '97, when I was intrigued with the Jet minis that came
out.
I bought one, and started turning away on it, and I was really
surprised at the fact that in 25 years I had forgotten everything I
had ever learned bout turning.

But I persisted. Then the disease took.

Any tiny little piece of wood that looked interesting could be turned
into something. A pen, a cabochon, a Christmas ornament, you name
it. Then when I really got the bug, I started making treen ware,
pens, oil lamps, mallets, inside out ornaments, desk clocks, desk pen
sets, gavels, jewelry, and on and on. Then, I started gluing bits of
everything together, and all the fun started over again.

I turned every spare minute, and had a ball. I burned my self out on
turning as I got to be so obsessed, but I am back at it now. Current
project: double pronged kbob holders for those little anticuchos I
like to make and the big shrimp the inlaws bring in from League City.

Now I do a club demo every once in a while, teach a little, and I am
working hard to revitalize our club. Our next club meeting challenge
is to make a top that will spin (hands off) for more than 4 minutes.
We may even have a go at battling the tops. It was a hoot talking to
some of the guys that were in their upper 70s that wanted to draw a
circle on the floor and get with it. I am working on my own "death
star" beginning this weekend.

For finish on WOOD pens, it depends on what kind am turning. When I
was turning to give away, I turned the pen, hit it with brown HUT,
then white HUT, then burned solid carnuba into it at high speed.
Those pens had the finish applied and were polished on the lathe in
about 10 minutes (after turning and sanding, not including assembly).
I really like turning the Parker style pens from the '30s, and they
sold the best for me. I used different finishes, but like several
spray coats of clear enamel, lightly buffed at the end as the best
finish. This extends the time you need to turn out your product, but
the finish is worth it in the end. Once it is dried hard (48 hours or
so) buff it out on a soft wheel and assemble.

Lucite, Corian, acrylics, plastics, horn, bone, etc. don't usually
need any finish.

For affordable tools, I buy from Penn State Industries.
They also have a dandy pen assembly press that will keep you from
crushing the occasional pen tube as well.

For kits, I like Craft Supplies or Berea, occasionally WC.

For consumables I like WC, and especially like their pricing on their
"Hot Stuff" gel CA glue and accompanying accelerator.

You are blessed with three excellent clubs in Houston and the
surrounding areas. I have met and turned with guys from the Gulf
Coast Turners, the North Houston Woodturners Club (not too sure about
the name but I think they meet at WC) and there is a new one out by
the Woodlands headed up by Steve Russell. Steve has forgotten more
than many will ever know about woodturning (especially me!) but is
still one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.

Really good folks, there in your part of the world.

Jump in Leon, the water's fine!

Robert