# is this a good pen starter kit?



## mike s (7 Feb 2011)

http://www.stilesandbates.co.uk/product ... 8/sn/PSK-2

does it include everything needed for pen turning? is the price reasonable?

thanks


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## Steven (7 Feb 2011)

If you are starting from scratch it has every thing I can think of but one item, a way to assemble the pen.

There is some fancy gadgets on the the market to assemble pens but I just use a hand clamp, you could also use a vice or or your lathe with some jigs.

Are you starting from scratch or do you have glue, sand paper, 7mm drills and some wood you can cut into pen size blanks (20x20x125mm approx). If you do you could save about £20 buying them loose. There is a lot of good site to get parts from, PM me if you want the one I use?


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## NikNak (7 Feb 2011)

Where abouts are you in Surrey Mike..?

I'm in Southampton and you're welcome to come and have a look at what i've got use...



Nick


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## ste_5150 (7 Feb 2011)

I'm a newbie (on my 3rd pen now), but I'd say that looks reasonable. I bought all the odds and ends separately and it ended up a little cheaper than that, but not much. In my (very limited) experience, the tube insertion tool is not really necessary, but hey ho. 

2 things that aren't included in that are Micromesh (not strictly a neccessity but leave such a nice surface), and some sort of finish (I use the boiled linseed oil and superglue method). There's a good supplier of Micromesh on ebay (search will bring that up - I'm being lazy...), though you may want to combine postage from Stiles and Bates if ordering the other stuff from there - it usually costs about 13-15 quid for the 9 small pads, which are well suited to pens. BLO and Cyanoacrylate (superglue) can both be bought locally. 

I found this guide very useful in trying my first pens:

http://www.woodturned.co.uk/html/cutting.html

And details about the BLO/CA finish I mentioned are here:

http://www.woodturned.co.uk/html/blo_ca_finnish.html

I believe the owner of the above site may be a member here, and I hope they don't mind me posting the link, but I found it such a useful guide I think anyone starting with pens should have a look.

I've found pens to be great fun, and quick enough for someone who doesn't get a "workshop pass" often, like me! I'd say go for the set you've found - you won't regret it. Enjoy!


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## CHJ (7 Feb 2011)

mike s":1ivp8sdk said:


> http://www.stilesandbates.co.uk/product.php/section/6148/sn/PSK-2
> 
> does it include everything needed for pen turning? is the price reasonable?
> 
> thanks




This might help as a prompt to most of the bits that will be needed.

That's a lot of money to lay out for starters, and a great deal of the kit is probably already lying around your workshop, all be it wanting a couple of hours to sort and assemble.


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## jpt (7 Feb 2011)

ste_5150":2v83etow said:


> I'm a newbie (on my 3rd pen now), but I'd say that looks reasonable. I bought all the odds and ends separately and it ended up a little cheaper than that, but not much. In my (very limited) experience, the tube insertion tool is not really necessary, but hey ho.
> 
> 2 things that aren't included in that are Micromesh (not strictly a neccessity but leave such a nice surface), and some sort of finish (I use the boiled linseed oil and superglue method). There's a good supplier of Micromesh on ebay (search will bring that up - I'm being lazy...), though you may want to combine postage from Stiles and Bates if ordering the other stuff from there - it usually costs about 13-15 quid for the 9 small pads, which are well suited to pens. BLO and Cyanoacrylate (superglue) can both be bought locally.
> 
> ...




Glad you found it of use, I have no problem with you posting the links at all they are there to help people.

john


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## mike s (7 Feb 2011)

thanks all, i love intructional links, thanks ste for posting the link and thanks john for making it!


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## Jonzjob (8 Feb 2011)

Thise links and details are really good gents and obviously took some putting together. I think that it's one of the really good things about this forum!

John, about the only thing that I do differently to you with the turning is that I only use a 1" oval scew. For the amount of wood that has to be removed I find it easier, plus for anyone who is not up to speed with the scew it's very satisfying practice. I have not taken my sanding down below 400 grit then I go to grey 'scotchbright' stuff (sorry, forgot the name. It's me age!). I finish off with a handful of wood shavings, but if you do that be careful because they can cause a fair amount of heat if you aren't.

I haven't tried the cyano finish. 1. because it's so bloomin expensive over here and 2. because I don't like the smell. I use celulose sanding sealer with melamine laquer on top and buff polished with carnuba wax and that has given me a good finish. As far as the smell of that is concerned I have my workshop door open with a pedestal fan running blowing air across the front of me and out of the open end window. Not too comfortable of the temp is minus, but very effective.


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## Pvt_Ryan (8 Feb 2011)

Just a thought but I just bought the following today:


Axminster Deluxe Adjustable Pen Mandrel Order Code: 211323 Quantity: 1 Morse Taper: 2MT	£31.50
Axminster Bushing Set for Satin Gold Twist Pen & Gun Metal Plated Pencil Kit Order Code: 611008 Quantity: 1	£4.99
Satin Gold Twist Pen Kit Order Code: 200353 Quantity: 5	£9.00
Titebond Polyurethane Glue Order Code: 600212 Quantity: 1 Size: 355ml(12floz)	£12.60
Rustins Burnishing Cream Order Code: 341107 Quantity: 1	£2.60
Chestnut Woodturner's Safety Cloth Order Code: 610901 Quantity: 1	£3.95
Micro-Mesh Soft Touch Pad Abrasives Order Code: 211364 Quantity: 1	£9.00
Wooden Pen Blanks (Mixed Pack of 5) Order Code: 951140 Quantity: 1	£3.20
Sub Total £76.84
Delivery £0.00
Paid on Credit/Debit Card £76.84

I also got a COLT HSS-M2 PEN DRILL BIT 7MM X 150MM from them for ~ £8 but I forgot to do it in the web order. 

Hope that helps.


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## mike s (8 Feb 2011)

i have tools, glue, abrasives, finishes etc.
so all i need is a mandrel, pen kits with matching bushings and pen blanks?


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## Jonzjob (8 Feb 2011)

Why not cut your own pen blanks? Dead easy to do and the info is in the links earlier on. If you can get hold of some nicely figured wood then you are on your way!! Save you some of yer hard earned too..

A nice bit of walnut that started out, in my possesion, as a small plank.


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## Pvt_Ryan (8 Feb 2011)

I only bought the blanks as they were <£4 for 5 and it would save me cutting them from my good stock until I have some experience turning pens. But in future I'll only be buying the pen kits.


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## Melinda_dd (8 Feb 2011)

quick question... the CA... thin medium or thick? (hammer)


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## mike s (8 Feb 2011)

from what iv heard thin is good for getting deep into cracks, medium is good for almost everything and thick is sometimes too thick for many jobs but good as a filler for small surface pits in the wood


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## CHJ (8 Feb 2011)

Melinda_dd":374srsfs said:


> quick question... the CA... thin medium or thick? (hammer)


A lot depends on how good a fit your tubes are in the blank, the other thing is the setting time of the CA.

I might suggest it's best not to try with thin CA for starters as it has little gap filling capability and the slightest hesitation on inserting or not correctly positioning and the CA will have grabbed.
Medium or thick will give you a few seconds more to work and provide better gap filling.

When I have a reasonable batch to do I use slow setting epoxy (Zpoxy) as opposed to CA but even this is grabbing before I can get more than 4 or 5 kits assembled.

Remember it's important to fill any gaps in in the tube/blank cavity with whatever adhesive you use, the blank wall can end up 1mm or less and is easily shattered if not supported.


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## Dalboy (8 Feb 2011)

Melinda_dd":8ef5fkfo said:


> quick question... the CA... thin medium or thick? (hammer)



Also if you are going to use the CA for finishing either the thin or medium. As for fitting the tubes I use either medium CA or Polyurethane glue.
A good tip is when you insert the tube is to plug the brass tubes with potato helps stop the glue getting into the tube and making the components hard to fit without having to clean them out first


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## Jonzjob (9 Feb 2011)

I use 5 min epoxy, Z-Poxy, and as Chas said, just do up to 4 pens at the most because it starts to go off. We don't have many potatoes so I just roll up a bit of workshop paper towel and stuff it in the end and a soon as I put the tube in the blank I push it out with a strip of bamboo. That keeps the end of the tube nice and clean.

I tried the CA thick on a pen that had a Celtic Knot on it and as I tried to turn it down it flew to bits. I haven't had anything like that happen with epoxy, so I stick to what I know works.


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