It's been a while...

[Ben Gastfriend]

Yes, it has. On account of an unexpected hard drive crash, and me misplacing my hard copy password to SMC, I havn't posted recently or even somewhat into the past. After trying quite a few passwords, I got back in, and changed my email in the system so I can recover from now on.

I have been turning, below are a set of three "hefty"- (exactly the word the customer used when she requested these bowls) and a couple of rollerball pens. Bowls are box elder, not sure what the pen woods are. And before you ask... no, I did not make the pen box. I bought it; sorry.

I'll be posting more in the near future. Been working with alot of Corian recently.

[Ben Gastfriend]

And some more...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ben - Welcome back! Sorry to hear about the computer problem!

Nice work! You haven't lost your touch! Really like the pens! Nice forms and woods! Hope that you can start posting again on a regular basis! Lots of folks were wondering what happened to you!

[Ted Shrader]

Ben -

Good to see you and your work again. Hard drive crashes are frustrating.

Welcome back,
Ted

[David Walser]

Welcome back! Your absence occasioned speculation that you may have developed "other interests" and had succumbed to the world's oldest and largest vortex. (Do a search on your name.) Good to see that, even if that were the case, you've been able to keep turning. You were missed!

[alex carey]

well done on everything but I must say the first pen is really fantastic.

[steven carter]

Ben,

Welcome Back! Glad that you have your computer back up and running. I've been working on and with computers since the early 1970's from mainframes, to mid range to PC's, so I feel your pain. Good work on the bowls and the pens. I haven't done any box elder yet, but have been on the lookout for some, just haven't found any yet. Also it may be possible to be involved with more than one vortex at the same time (technically vortices), when you are young, anything is possible.

Steve

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking pieces Ben. Glad to see you are back and up and running.

[curtis rosche]

i ondered what had happened to you, glad to hear you are back. i asked the others if they knew what had happened and they thought it might be school or that you had found girls. they thought you were lost in another vortex.

nice pens and bowls.

[Bill Bolen]

Great pieces all Ben. Welcome back Bro...we missed 'ya...Bill...

[Jim Becker]

Good to see you back, Ben...some folks were worried that you, umm...discovered girls or something. LOL :D (Nice work!)

[Ben Gastfriend]

Yes, I did see that thread. Thanks for wondering.

[Don Orr]

Nice work as usual Ben, good to see you back !