Pens

caretaker · 1 Apr 2007

I went to Yardles in Somerset, nice place easy parking, found it dead easy and was only about 90 miles away.
Nice staff as well, until he asked, what size for the mandrill, size, I don't know, so I guessed, size two I said with confidence, Got the complete pen set £42 and a 7mm drill, pack of blanks some velvet blanks, looks like plastic to me.
Spent £60+ in all.
Had lunch at West Bay, stop at Poole for wife to do some shopping then home.
Strait out to the shed only find wrong size mandrill.
I am going to the show in two weeks time, will change it then.
I had a practice with drilling the hole in the blank, I made a jig to hold the blank and used my morticer machine to drill the hole, will need to spend more time on the jig but it did work very well, just some finer adjustments.
I would recommend Yardles, it was a great place to look around.

wood yew believe it ! · 1 Apr 2007

yo reg! glad you happy bout your day out, sounds like you had fun, just one thing though, next time you need some tools or stuff try checking on ebay first as i got all my pen making stuff off there and it only cost me £ 22.00 all in inc p+p all new never been used! just a thought mate!

atb dave

Paul.J · 1 Apr 2007

Caretaker wrote
Nice staff as well, until he asked, what size for the mandrill, size, I don't know, so I guessed, size two I said with confidence,
Reg.
I've done this in the past,trying to save embarresment

and as you have found out it's not worth it.
As you say the staff are friendly so if you had have told them what machine it was for they would have known.
Still at least you are going back again. :wink:
Paul.J.

suprasport · 1 Apr 2007

pleased you decided to have a go, you wont be dissapointed.
for the simplicity involved it is rewarding.

caretaker · 1 Apr 2007

He asked me what make is it Sir, do you think I could answer, so I blurted out its 39 inches long with a still tube and blue in colour but can not remember the name, I think it has a big one, mandrill that is.
It must be my age, even my wife looked at me strangely.
I am going back in disguise next time.
I have had a go at spindle turning just before the weekend and showed the lady's at work my efforts, they could not believe there eyes, my boss asked me to re mould her legs, can't refuse an offer like that.