Pen Turning Kit

[Joe Lopez]

Hello,
I am a new to this great forum. I have gotten back into woodworking from a 15 year hiatus. As I have found, many new items are available to the woodworker that just 15 years ago did not exist. My son (9 yrs. old) and I have been looking at pen turning as a point from which to jump back into the art of wood.

I have a question that I hope this forum can address.
We have been looking at a kit by Pen State Industries....http://www.pennstateind.com/store/pk073specv.html

I would appreciate your thoughts on this product as opposed to buying each individual component separately.

Thank you,
Joe and Christian Lopez

[Ben Gastfriend]

I am actually 13 years old and got into penturning about a year ago. I bought a similar kit from PSI.

I am very happy with the quality of the products.

Pointers:

Save your money by not purchasing the Pen Assembly Press (you can use a vice, clamp), the Pen Tube Insertion Tool (you can use a cheap pencil), and Instead, use the savings to get a variable speed lathe- I can't tell you how much the VS helps me when doing acrylics and different woods.

Hope this helps.

Ben

[Joe Lopez]

Thanks Ben for the great insight. Sounds like I can save a little cash by putting my vice clamps to use. Glad to hear that you have had great success with this product. Hope we will.

[Jon Lanier]

Thanks Ben for the great insight. Sounds like I can save a little cash by putting my vice clamps to use. Glad to hear that you have had great success with this product. Hope we will.

You can always make your own pen press. I made this one out of left over scrap:



I have free plans to this if anyone would like it. (although the stop block needs to be changed)

[Ben Gastfriend]

Yeah... I'm not as inventive as him ! But I like the idea.


(Good call, Jon!)

[Joe Lopez]

Great job on the pen press. Very original. I would love the plans for this press if you don't mind. Thanks again for the input guys. Joe and Christian