How To Get Started Turning Wood Pens

Although the craft of turning wood pens has been nearby for some decades, it recently has experienced somewhat of a revival. This is possibly primarily due to the increased choices within the category of smaller mini-lathe power tools.

Another conjecture for the popularity of turning pens is the low start up speculation in tools. Not only is the speculation low, the tools used have a very long life span and could even be passed down to the next generation.

Saw Bench

Listed below are the items to consider investing in to start pen turning:

o Lathe: This one should be clear and you will find some options to pick from. The price for a new lathe will range between 0 to about 0 (all prices shown are March '08), depending on brand and features. I propose you reading more about lathes in my ezine record reviewing the Jet Mini-lathe. In the article, I illustrate the process of how I chose my lathe.

o Turning Tools: I think you will need at least a gouge, parting tool, and scraper. Others may have a dissimilar list. One set of turning tools often recommended for stating out is the Harbor Freight lathe tool set that sell for less than . You can buy much better if you like, but this set will be more than adequate.

o Pen Mandrel: Think of the pen mandrel as a metal bar that fits between the "centers" of the lathe. The pen mandrel holds the wood blanks so you can turn them. There are some types available. I propose you start with a collet closure mandrel, they offer a lot of flexibility when turning dissimilar lengths of blanks. You will spend about or less for a good mandrel.

o Bushings: The bushings are used as a guide when turning your blanks to size for the exact pen kit you are building. You will want to buy the bushings sized for the pen you are turning. Be aware that pen kits and bushing from dissimilar business may not be interchangeable. Later, when you institute more skill, you can use dial calipers to turn to size and you may pick not to use bushings at all.

o Drill Bit(s): Each style of pen will use a exact size drill bit to drill the hole for the brass tube. The most coarse is a 7mm used in the Slimline style. You can buy the drill bits individually or in a set. A set that many habitancy use is a set of number, letter, and fractional drill bits from Harbor Freight. With a conversion chart, you will be able to find roughly any size bit needed in this set. They often are found on sale at Harbor Freight for less than .

o Drill press or hand drill: Not much to say here, you are going to need something to turn the drill bits you bought. I've used a small bench drill press (less than ) before and it worked fine. A hand drill will do, you just have to have a steady hand!

o Saw: either a table, band, or a miter saw will work. The table saw and band saw are especially beneficial if you pick to cut you own pen blanks. Plan on spending a few bucks here, you and your allocation will be the guide on this one. For more data on cutting your own pen blanks, see my ezine record on the subject.

o Clamps or bench vise: You will need something to press or squeeze the pen kit together. I've also used the bench drill press for this step.

o Pen Mill: This is a specialized tool, used to quadrilateral your blanks after drilling and gluing in your tubes. You most likely will buy the pen mill from the same place you ordered your kits. It will run about . Be aware there are some sizes of pilots available for the dissimilar pen kits or consider a complete kit with cutters and pilot shafts of dissimilar sizes. commonly the complete kit will be less costly that buying the personel pilot shafts.

o Miscellaneous items: From here, we could go on and on. For starters you will need pen kits, pen blanks, Ca (super) glue, and various grits of sandpaper. Likely, you will find you need other small items as you go, but these won't commonly cost a lot of money.

For many of the larger more costly items check eBay or Craig's List. Often you will find tools listed for sale at good prices on those web sites.

With this list, you will be well on your way to an involving and enjoyable hobby that will last a lifetime. In addition, don't forget that with these tools not only will you be turning pens, but also bowls and other craft items. Indeed, it could even turn into supplementary part time income.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and get started.

How To Get Started Turning Wood Pens