Shopsmith Forums

I am really interested in a pen forum, I emailed the webmaster and got no response. I enjoy your pictures of the pens that you make. By you I mean all you hard working pen makers. Another forum that would be useful is a video and picture forum or storage area. Maybe I'll have to setup a web page that is strictly for videos and pics. But I don't think I'll do the web thing as I'm spending too much time messing up pen kits. What the hey since I'm giving them away doesn't much matter. Maybe after a couple hundred messups i'll get better. Ive watched everything I could find on you tube and searched and joined several pen only web pages which seem to be just a more or less classified ad for folks to sell their pens... keep making and posting anything and everything on pens... I really enjoy them.

I would enjoy having a page devoted to pens as well. Not sure how many of the SS owners here turn pens, but there may be enough to have enough interest in a pen forum. Maybe have to start a poll to find out? Have not turned any yet but plan to as soon as my life slows down a bit in a couple of weeks and I get my SS cleaned, lubed, and in running order.

Have you checked out penturners.org? It is a full forum dedicated completely to pen turning. From the time I have spend lurking on there I have picked up a ton of great tidbits and they seem to have a ton of friendly and knowledgeable folks who are more than willing to give advice and help others out. They have a dedicated forum for buying/selling but keep it controlled so it doesn't get out of hand.

Might take a look if you have not been there yet.

pessen wrote:I would enjoy having a page devoted to pens as well. Not sure how many of the SS owners here turn pens, but there may be enough to have enough interest in a pen forum. Maybe have to start a poll to find out? Have not turned any yet but plan to as soon as my life slows down a bit in a couple of weeks and I get my SS cleaned, lubed, and in running order.

Have you checked out penturners.org? It is a full forum dedicated completely to pen turning. From the time I have spend lurking on there I have picked up a ton of great tidbits and they seem to have a ton of friendly and knowledgeable folks who are more than willing to give advice and help others out. They have a dedicated forum for buying/selling but keep it controlled so it doesn't get out of hand.

Might take a look if you have not been there yet.

I spend a lot of time there. I was hoping more to get SS owners that are making pens so I could share ideas and such. Thanks.. I really love making pens.. I'll eventually get it right..

pessen wrote:I would enjoy having a page devoted to pens as well. Not sure how many of the SS owners here turn pens, but there may be enough to have enough interest in a pen forum. Maybe have to start a poll to find out? Have not turned any yet but plan to as soon as my life slows down a bit in a couple of weeks and I get my SS cleaned, lubed, and in running order.

Have you checked out penturners.org? It is a full forum dedicated completely to pen turning. From the time I have spend lurking on there I have picked up a ton of great tidbits and they seem to have a ton of friendly and knowledgeable folks who are more than willing to give advice and help others out. They have a dedicated forum for buying/selling but keep it controlled so it doesn't get out of hand.

Might take a look if you have not been there yet.

I spend a lot of time there. I was hoping more to get SS owners that are making pens so I could share ideas and such. Thanks.. I really love making pens.. I'll eventually get it right..

bigeddy wrote:I spend a lot of time there. I was hoping more to get SS owners that are making pens so I could share ideas and such. Thanks.. I really love making pens.. I'll eventually get it right..

I can appreciate your feelings about wanting a forum for pens and storage, but honestly when it comes to pen turning there really isn't that much different from a regular shopsmith compared to a standard lathe. since most pen turning uses a mandrel, once you get past that annoyance (penn state mandrel, using a 1/4" router adapter, or the less desirable drill chuck method) then the rest is just standard stuff.

To me, the places where this forum comes in really handy is the shopsmith specific stuff - tips on getting the most out of your unit, configurations of the machine for various tasks, shopsmith adaptations of jigs, etc.

I do think a storage section could be useful though With all the little bits and pieces, it is always nice to see how others are doing it.

Although I really enjoy turning pens, and I also search pen turning on Youtube, etc, I don't think a separate forum would be productive. I also follow RV forums, and some have so many different categories it is hard to post or follow a thread. Many aspects of pen turning apply to general woodworking: types of wood, sharpening of tools, finishes, lathe maintenance. Every time I see a "new post" on the SS forum related to my new project, or turning, I open it anyway, so a separate section would not benefit this reader.
JMHO
Happy Sawdust you all.

Hi Guys;
I read the posts regardding storage of smaller parts for the SS. So here is how I do it.
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The two orange containers are pill containers and the caps are virtually hermetically sealed and the two 5/8 arbors have no rust on them and they are about 27 years old. (Right Guys?) The smaller pill bottle contains the remains of several help kits that I obtained over the years and the screws show no rust. (OK Guys?) My drill chuck is also 27 years old with no rust (Yeah Baby). Man, It's really tough typing with Tommy MacDonald on TV in the background!!!!!!!!


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This is my extra lathe that I bought recently just as it sits for $150. It also came with a lathe duplicator and dust collector. I finally located a deal!!!
Anyway that's my story and I am sticking to it.
CUL
Bill V

I forgot that for smaller parts like SS sliding T nuts, stop collars and small tools for lathe turning as well as the mandrels and bushing sets I use a series of Plano divided storage boxes. The compartments are adjustable and all my pen making supplies except pen kits are kept in the Plano boxes.
Bill V

I see that I am working with 50 + year old technology and that the folks here only care about an old old machine, so I think i'll get rid of my last SS. There are so many reason why my 6 months experience with the SS has been a big let down. I think I will be getting equipment from users that don't belittle other makers of woodworking machines. For those of you who have supported my efforts so far thank you and for those of you who are only in the SS market to take advantage of other folks shame on you. I found a $10 craftsman bandsaw that works better than the SS BS and a $40 lathe that is better than SS. I also found a $75 delta cabinet tablesaw that is a much better designed piece of equipment than SS. So in parting I would like to say good riddance to SS and hello to machines that are accurate and require less maintenance and I now believe to be safer to use. I will place the last greenie on CL and see how much I can screw someone out of. Please remove me from this sucky forum.

bigeddy wrote:I see that I am working with 50 + year old technology and that the folks here only care about an old old machine, so I think i'll get rid of my last SS. There are so many reason why my 6 months experience with the SS has been a big let down. I think I will be getting equipment from users that don't belittle other makers of woodworking machines. For those of you who have supported my efforts so far thank you and for those of you who are only in the SS market to take advantage of other folks shame on you. I found a $10 craftsman bandsaw that works better than the SS BS and a $40 lathe that is better than SS. I also found a $75 delta cabinet tablesaw that is a much better designed piece of equipment than SS. So in parting I would like to say good riddance to SS and hello to machines that are accurate and require less maintenance and I now believe to be safer to use. I will place the last greenie on CL and see how much I can screw someone out of. Please remove me from this sucky forum.

HOPEFULLY THIS TOO SHALL PASS!:)