Don Pencil Woodturning

[Neil Bosdet]

Does anyone know if Don Pencil Woodturning is still in business with his buffing wheels and mandrels? I've sent emails and left voicemails for a week with no response. I'm hoping to get some of his gear soon for Xmas projects.

Thanks,

Neil

[Jon Nuckles]

I don't know if he is still in business, but I do know others have had problems contacting him at times, so I wouldn't assume he is out of business yet. I bought his buffing system and had no problems in my dealings with him, but that was several years ago.

[Thom Sturgill]

His website is still active, but stock is mostly gone.

[Shawn Pachlhofer]

I have never bought from him, but do recall hearing that he was "retiring"

[Bill Boehme]

His web site has been a mess for at least a year and based on lots of comments that I have seen on forums, ordering anything can range from getting something reasonably soon to never getting an ordered item and canceling the order.

[Justin Stephen]

Yeah, considered buying something from him a year or so ago, saw the condition of his website, and changed my mind.

[Glen Blanchard]

I called him by phone twice within a two day period about three weeks ago. Left two voice mails. Never heard from him. I'll never waste my time trying to buy something from him again.

[Justin Stephen]

Such a shame. I hear great things about his faceplates. I ended up just buying some more EWT faceplates, which I cannot complain about.

[Thom Sturgill]

He also makes (MADE?) a spindle adapter for the Beall buffing wheels and a special wheel and compound for buffing lacquer and plastics as well as his scorpion hollower which was an arm brace and boring bars. I have all of these and a face plate and have no complaints even though I bought a 2nd when I bought the scorpion (bad plating).

I always had the impression that the store was a secondary thing for him and response was slow but quality high. While EWT makes similar faceplates, no one is making the arm brace (John Jordon does have something somewhat similar) or the Beall adapter which screws on the spindle rather than being an MT2.

[Glen Blanchard]

One would think that he'd either take down his website or have the decency to communicate with someone who is trying to do business with him. Pity.

[Thom Sturgill]

Glen, I think he may have had serious health issues and the family is slowly selling off remaining stock. Just a guess, but seems to fit the situation. I agree that it would have been nice if they had posted what was going on though.

[Justin Stephen]

Yeah, if they posted to that effect on major woodturning forums and listed their remaining inventory and some discounted prices, they would probably sell out of almost everything that is left immediately.

[Steve Peterson]

I have ordered from him in the past and would do so again. I get the feeling that he is a single person business trying to earn a small amount of spending money. He also has a life and other priorities. His prices are really good if you are ordering something that you can wait for.

I actually prefer to shop at his type of business instead of some mega-corporation where I am just a small dollar sign.

Steve

[Neil Bosdet]

I would prefer to order from him myself but I want a response. I'm afraid if I purchase, I will never receive my goods.

I'm a small business person too with an Artisan Woodworking business and I'm a full time Realtor. I respect customers and clients and respond as quickly as possible. If I don't, they may go somewhere else. If you run a business, then run a business. If your away let clients know on your website, auto email response and phone message. Don has done none of this so it leaves any potential customers completely in the dark.