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Hello from Lancaster

AllenN

Fellow
Joined
May 20, 2013
Posts
2,242
Location
Lancaster, UK
First Name
Allen
Hello everyone. Just to introduce myself on this forum. I am based in the NW of England on the edge of the Forest of Bowland near Lancaster. I am a newby to the art of pen turning having only made a couple of dozen so far. I am pretty much self taught in pen turning courtesy of the 'inter web' and the advice I have found there. I have been a keen diy er for years but now I have largely retired and have more time I have moved over to more creative woodwork and turning.
So far I have mainly concentrated on wood 7mm standard pens but I have also made a few Baron rollerballs. I have tended to stick to more traditional finishes of sanding sealer, waxes and turners polish but I might give the CA methods a go shortly. As a chemist I have a healthy respect for the damage that stuff can do if not handled appropriately, and I do not mean just to ones fingers!
Coming new to this activity I have been quite surprised at the lack of standardisation or maybe I have been unlucky. Bushes that do not fit some mandrel rods but do fit others, rods that are nominally the same size but sure are not when one puts a mic on them. I have also found some difficulty in getting reliable information on the quality of kits too. Fortunately I found Turners Retreat and they have been very helpful on the kit front, but even their bushes seem to vary in internal diameter. I am not surprised to see forum post discussing reamers, I have had to resort to the steel rod and emery method quite a lot in my infancy. I only note this incase anyone else just starting out finds the same thing and imagines it just happens to them. It seems just to be part of life's rich tapestry.
Anyway I look forward to learning from all the skills that are on display on this forum.
Best Wishes
Allen
 

clumsysod

GOBBY GIT
Graduate Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Posts
687
Location
Grantham
Hi Allen and a very warm welcome to you sir.
You are perfectly correct with everything you have uttered above.
I have found exactly the same with the kit quality and the standard or not of the tools, I prefer to make my own where ever possible.
CA? Chemist? I welcome you for that also. You are correct again. My word have I had and still do, some dilemma's involving other poor victims.

:devil::devil::devil:
 

trapper

Registered
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Posts
252
Welom aboard Allen,
I too share your views on the standard and accuracy of some of the Kits....... I tend to prefer to make it all myself and rely only on mechanisms and feeds nibs etc........ its always a plan not to treat anything as standard and adjust to each individul set of components your using eg twist mechanism can vary from 6.1 - 6.35 mm in diameter and anywhere in between equally the bore diameter of 7mm tubes varies greatly
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
Welcome Allen, and thanks for joining us. Regarding the fittings etc, Turners Retreat's bushings vary because they also buy from the same suppliers as everyone else .. :bwink: Look forward to seeing your finished items .. :thumbs:
 

naxie

Registered
Joined
May 3, 2013
Posts
397
Location
Plymouth, Devon
Welcome Allen :up:

I am very new to pen turning also so please don't take anything I say as gospel, but I have kind of realised that most bushes you can only use as a guide and get the calipers out for the final measurements. I got a pair of digital ones from lidl or aldi for about £8.00 I think. Not going to be the most accurate measuring device on the planet by any stretch of the imagination but I find they certainly help!

If anyone feels I'm talking rubbish to poor Allen I won't feel offended if you correct me :goesred:

Kind regards,
Ed
 

Jim

Grand Master
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Posts
15,617
If anyone feels I'm talking rubbish to poor Allen I won't feel offended if you correct me

Ed, i doubt you will find anyone here telling you this ... Especially what you say is bang on ... :thumbs:
 

wm460

Grand Master
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Posts
23,095
Location
Tennant Creek, Northern Territory, Australia.
First Name
Mark
G'Day Allan,
Welcome to the form, from the slightly warmed up centre of Aust.

ED, it doesn't matter how accurate the digital callipers are as long as the are consistent.
DO NOT USE TWO DIFFERENT CALLIPERS. :nonono::nonono::nonono:DAMHIKT
 
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