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View Full Version : Freedom Pens, What Do You Think?



Keith Outten
01-16-2004, 10:52 AM
Freedom Pens

I had an idea this morning to start making wooden pens and donating them to our troops overseas. I have about 15 pens that I can donate and over the coming weeks I'm sure that I can turn another bunch. I'm not as fast as Ken Salisbury but I will produce as many as I can.

I have contacted the Base Commander at Fort Monroe Virginia and I am waiting for him to return my call. I will ask him if he would be willing to deliver pens directly to the troops with only one stipulation, they must be given away for free. Those of you who have served know how much it means to get a package from home, imagine how much it will mean to receive such a nice gift from a fellow American, a reminder that they in our hearts everyday.

A pen is a gift that a soldier can use to write home and it's small enough for them to carry. Hopefully the pens and their new owners will find their way back home safe and sound and it will someday be a special keepsake, a reminder of a call to duty.

Fort Monroe is one of the oldest Army Forts in the country and is historically significant. This is my reasoning for selecting Fort Monroe as a point of departure. If the Base Commander is unwilling to ship my precious cargo then I will use the Post Office at Yorktown Virginia which is located just yards away from the last battle of the Revolutionary War, another historically significant point of departure known to All American Patriots.

If anyone would like to join me I sure could use the help, I need 100,000 pens if I'm to give one to every soldier serving overseas. Consider this post a "Call to Arms" all Ye Pen-Turners and honorable members of SawMill Creek...Will You Help?

Kevin Gerstenecker
01-16-2004, 11:28 AM
Keith, you can count me in! I don't know how many Pens I can donate, but I have a pretty good bunch of them on hand now, and I can get busy turning more this weekend. I will cut and glue up some blanks and get busy. Sounds like a great idea............wouldn't that be cool if we could get together 100K pens? Let me know if you have any specific things in mine as far as the look of them, or the wood selection. :)

Kent Cori
01-16-2004, 11:49 AM
Keith,

This is a great idea! I checked my inventory and I'm a few short of 100K pens but would be happy to donate those that I have as well as make some more. (Geez Honey, I know I've been spending a lot of time in the shop but I'm just doing my part for the troops. By the way I need to buy more pen kits and, yeah, also a new Stubby/Oneway/Powermatic/Jet/Delta lathe to meet the production needs. :D ) Let us know where to send them.

Keith Outten
01-16-2004, 12:30 PM
Thanks Guys for helping me out I was begining to sweat and thought I would be making all of the pens by myself :)

Wow! I'm starting to get email and lots of Private Messages concerning Freedom Pens...

Here is my suggestion;

Write your name, city and state on a sheet of paper then Wrap each pen in a sheet. The paper wil protect the pen and provide the recipient with the name of the person who made the pen. You can include a written sentiment if you like and include the SawMill Creek logo on the sheet as well. Whatever suits you will be fine.

As far as pen design, construction or type of wood let you imagination go wild. Every pen will touch the heart of the recipient I guarentee it.

Send all wooden pens to our office at Hampton Roads Online and I will personally box and deliver them for shipment.

This is not to become a burden on anyone, one pen or whatever you can do will be much appreciated.

Noah Alkinburgh
01-16-2004, 12:30 PM
You can count me in. I too don't know how many I can give, but I will get some in.

Noah

Ron Smith ... Richmond, VA
01-16-2004, 12:42 PM
Here is my suggestion;

Write your name, city and state on a sheet of paper then Wrap each pen in a sheet. The paper wil protect the pen and provide the recipient with the name of the person who made the pen. You can include a written sentiment if you like and include the SawMill Creek logo on the sheet as well. Whatever suits you will be fine.

Send all wooden pens to our office at Hampton Roads Online and I will personally box and deliver them for shipment.

SawMill Creek
Hampton Roads Online
1213-H George Washington Memorial Highway
Yorktown, VA 23693



I bought 50 of the cardboard boxes from Laserbits that will be nice to write information on and protect the pens. Great idea.
Thanks,
Ron

Keith Starosta
01-16-2004, 12:47 PM
Keith, this is a great idea!! Unfortunately, I am not a turner (YET!!! :D ), so I am not in a position to donate any pens. Do you have any ideas for those of us that don't own a lathe? I'd love to lend a hand somehow...

Keith

Sparky Paessler
01-16-2004, 1:20 PM
Ken

I would love to help with some pens. I just started turning some pens and need some more kits. Can anyone recommend a place to buy good kits cheap or does anyone want to combine orders so we can get the volume pricing. I would be willing to place the order and then ship the kits on to others. you could pay me when you get the kits.

Sparky Paessler

Carl Eyman
01-16-2004, 1:32 PM
I don't turn pens and don't want to get started - at least, just now, but I would be glad to buy a number of pen kits, hardware, or what ever is necessary. If anyone can suggest a mechanism on how to do this, please do. For instance, give me a web site for buying the kits and I'll put in an order and have it shipped to the turner's address.

Don Abele
01-16-2004, 1:32 PM
Keith, I too am not a pen turner but would like to help. Being in the Navy and having been away from home, it's things like this that really mean a lot to our men and women in uniform. We don't receive a lot of thanks for what we do, so when someone comes along, unsolicted, with such an act of kindness and sincerity, I can tell you from personal experience it is greatly appreciated.

Please let me know how I can help. I'm only in Chesapeake, so if you need a hand packaging the stuff up, I can come up there.

Be well,

Doc

Kevin Gerstenecker
01-16-2004, 2:39 PM
Carl, that is a very generous offer, thank you very much for getting involved in such a worthwhile cause. I have a few kits on hand, and quite a few already finished, and perhaps someone else that turns Pens could use the help more than I. If there are no takers Carl, just let me know, and I will gladly Turn Pens and submit them in your name for the donation to the troops. Actually, this offer would be a great idea for anyone that doesn't turn Pens, but would like to get involved to support our Troops. Keith, I REALLY think this idea is neat..........thanks for bringing it to light.........Let's all support this idea!

Tom Sweeney
01-16-2004, 2:51 PM
I've been procrastinating about getting started turning pens. Even when my buddy Kevin Gersty sent me some pen blanks - I still haven't gotten out & done it.

I would be happy to join in this extremely worthwhile venture. I don't know how many I can do & I hope the quality of my work is up to the task at hand - but count me in. Anything we can do to show the troops how much we appreciate their sacrifice is a good deal in my book!

Carl - I would be happy to also accept some kits & donate them in your name. If you want to contact me you can email me at toms@realtymarketing.com if you want to collaborate on this.

Keith, is there a timetable on this? I am much more productive with a deadline :rolleyes:
Thank you very much for thinking of this.

Mike Leonard
01-16-2004, 3:56 PM
Keith,

Great Idea. As you know I am stationed at Ft. Eustis, just up the road from Ft. Monroe. I know a few senior officers that may be able to grease the skids on this if necessary.

Have you approached any suppliers about a bulk buy program for this?

I would be happy to turn pens for such a worthwhile cause. Maybe turners and non-turners alike could get together in their local areas and do a weekend production run of pens. A regular Freedom Pen production line.

Let me know how I can help.....contacts, packaging, whatever.

Ken Salisbury
01-16-2004, 4:01 PM
Keith and I talked about this idea bright and early this morning (5:00am) and we decided it would be a great thing for Saw Mill Creek to get started.

I believe it will really go over good and I have some thoughts on the subject after nearly a full day of thinking about it. Some of my thoughts are as follows and may answer some of the questions already asked today.

** I believe the program will be more than just one stab at getting 1000's of pens and make one big shipment to the troops. I believe it should be an ongoing thing to give some people (like the non-turners) time to figure out a way to provide some pens.

** I personally will have a shipment ready to go to the central point (Hampton Roads) next week.

** Maybe some of the penturners would be willing to accept kits/blanks from those who do not make pens, make a few for them to donate. If you are not a pen turner - get a SMC buddy, or a non creeker for that matter, who is and work out an arrangement for him/her to turn some for ya. I am sure there are folks who would be willing to do that.

** I thought about getting a large purchase of kits at a discount however after refecting on that, by the time you get em - send them to whoever wants some of them the packaging and shiping costs quickly evaporates the money you save on the kits.

** I will be able to make some for other folks since I have about 200 FT American kits and a 100 or so slimline kits on hand. Of course I can't make em for every non turner :D but will take on a few.

** If you want to buy kits for someone else to make you should contact that person to find out what type kits he/she has bushing sets for. Berea Hardwoods is the best source (IMHO) to purchase kits. Also remember to supply pen blanks also. E-Bay is a good source for pen blanks.

** We shouldn't get in a big rush since I believe this program will really grow to the point we will be overwhelmed with responses not only from SMC members but other woodworkers who only lurk here. Besides "hast makes waste"

** my plan is to either donate or make for others to donate pens on a continuing basis all year long.

I am sure as we proceed along - particulars on "how to" participate will solidify.

I have drafted a brief note to include with each pen I donate. I think a personal touch would be important to the recipient. I think everyone should consider enclosing a note albeit brief.


You can see a draft of my intented note here (http://www.oldrebelworkshop.com/pennote.htm)
MORE TO COME AS TIME PASSES i

Todd Burch
01-16-2004, 4:07 PM
I am not a turner, and I have no extra cash for pen kits.

However, if you need wood - I got it.

Tell me the dimensions you need, how many, and where to send them. If you want to specify flavors of wood, I'll see what I can do.

(No, you can't have bubinga :) )

Here are your choices:

red oak
walnut
limited supply of curly soft maple
cherry
poplar (probably not wanted, but hey)
antique reclaimed heart pine
white oak
live oak
MDF (just kidding)
vertical grain doug fir
eastern red cedar
birdseye white pine (probably too soft)
pitch pine (also probably too soft)
black tupelo
black gum
elm
sweet gum
pecan
mesquite
pear (very little)
spruce
myrtle
mulberry
mahogany

And probably some others I have forgotten about.

Let me know. I'll ship to one location only, cheapest method available. Todd

Scott Greaves
01-16-2004, 4:16 PM
Keith!

I think this is an excellent plan! Count me in!

I am a member of three major penturning groups, I will spread the word.

Like Ken said, this should be an ongoing project.

I also have an idea on inexpensive kits for this. Let me work on it for a bit.

Maybe the non-turners could make small boxes or something?

I have one suggestion - this will get cumbersome as a thread pretty quickly. Maybe make up a nice web page for the project and get a link to it at the top of the main page here. It will help having a page to link people to.

Take care.

Scott

Mike Leonard
01-16-2004, 4:21 PM
Doc,

I am in Newport News. I have a mini lathe and am relatively new at turning. I have turned a few pens. If you would like to get together and turn some pens I would be happy to share my limited knowledge and we could start our own little production line. A little inter-service collaboration.

Ace Karner
01-16-2004, 4:21 PM
Darn it, I have been fighting this turning bug like ya can't believe, just when I thought I had at least managed to stay out of the pen frenzy who have to come up with this great idea, and now I have to go out this weekend to rockler or woodcraft and get some tools and pen kits, LOL

Kieth, I spent time in viet nam in the bush with the infantry, believe me anything from the land of the big PX was welcome, and I can believe how great these pens will be. The only thing that means more to a GI than a good hot meal is Mail, both incoming and outgoing, think of these great fighting men writing thier loved ones with one of our pens, brings a tear to this old vets eye.

Thanks for the great idea, and give me awhile to get up the learning curve.

Ace

Ken Salisbury
01-16-2004, 4:23 PM
I have one suggestion - this will get cumbersome as a thread pretty quickly. Maybe make up a nice web page for the project and get a link to it at the top of the main page here. It will help having a page to link people to.

Take care.

ScottA good idea. I have "stuck" the thread at the top of the PT Forum at least for the time being. Maybe as we get further along we can do as you suggest. We are just now getting off the ground.

In the meantime I have generated a dedictated page on my web site where we can kinda keep the jest of things together.

Eddie Severt
01-16-2004, 4:27 PM
I would also accept kits to make and donate. I am just getting started with the pens. I could also donate some wood cut to size. It would, though, be common species with some fruitwood (apple or peach) thrown in. Also, on ebay there are slimline kits for $1.70 each with cheap shipping, sounds like a good price to me.

Mark Hulette
01-16-2004, 5:29 PM
Count me in, too! This is an awesome thought! :cool: :cool:

I hope that I will be able to make as many as I'd like too, but like others, funds are tight and I would accept any style kits from those that don't turn (as long as it's a European or slimline).

Todd- elm, walnut, mesquite, mulberry, myrtle plus some others would be good for blanks. Just cut them 3/4" x 3/4" x 6"- that will work for most of the kits out there.

Keith,
Thanks for having a heart to serve those that serve us!

Todd Burch
01-16-2004, 5:53 PM
I just got off the phone with my wood supplier and told him about our efforts. He has agreed to save the rippings for me next week. I told him maple, mahogany, walnut, cherry and any other premium hardwood that they are processing. I'll get them for free. I told him I would start with a pickup-load, random lengths from 8' to 16'. Some may be up to 1½" wide and up to 2" thick (if they are processing 8/4).

Score!!! Now, I need a place to send them, or you all can come get them. (Sure wish I had a stock feeder now..., and a tiger stop...)

Can these be band-sawn? Do they need to be 4-sided smooth? I would think band-sawn and rough would be OK for all you excellent turners out there.


Todd .

Kevin Gerstenecker
01-16-2004, 6:40 PM
Great idea on contacting wood suppliers Todd, I will be working on that this weekend. I have discussed this idea with co-workers and my Family members, and everyone has commented on what a wonderful idea this is. I have enlisted the help of SWMBO and my kids, and we are gonna be some turnin' fools this weekend. I have been trying to get my wife turning more Pens for a while now, and she is pumped for this project. So, while she turns, I will be assembling. I have a bunch already turned that I was offering for sale at my various outlets, but that will have to wait.........these are going to our Service Men and Women who are doing a thankless job, and doing it well, so that we can enjoy a safe and free America. Who knows where this will lead, but I'll bet some friendships are kindled through our kindness. Keith, my hat's off to you and Ken for this outstanding idea..............those early morning chats must be when you guys do your best work! I will get the Jet Mini spinning, and send a batch the first of the week. God Bless America, our Sawmill Creek Members & Families and our Service Men and Women!

Kent Cori
01-16-2004, 6:41 PM
Todd,

No need to make them smooth, a BS should be just fine as long as they stay about 3/4" x 3/4" x 6". They're just going to be turned down so the blank surface will disappear anyway. The blanks will be cut to size to meet the needs of each pen kit so being of absolutely uniform size is not necessary.

Keith Outten
01-16-2004, 8:11 PM
The email is flying tonight! Lots of people are all gearing up for this program. Ken Salisbury is working up some numbers for us and will post later tonight or early in the morning.

Tom Sweeney has registered the FreedomPens.us domain name and has volunteered to do a quick web design and Aaron will create a new Freedom Pens Forum here at the Creek later tonight. We will tie the new web pages to the new forum as quick as possible.

Ken has some very solid ideas for the program that he will be sharing very soon, we will all benefit from the Old Rebels marketing expertise :)
Ken is also brainstorming ways that non-turners can get involved more efficiently by connecting turners with those who want to contribute in their own way. Lots of really good ideas are coming from this thread so keep your thoughts flowing right here. We are reading every message every hour. Ken and a few others have already mentioned newspapers, radio and television exposure for our worthy cause.

Tuesday I will contact a couple of politicians in my area to see what kind of support they might be able to provide. I also know a couple of business people who could be very helpful as well.

I have lots of black walnut scraps that I will prep for blanks if anyone needs them, I think I can also provide ash, alder and some maple blanks that are all kiln dried by me :) I will be glad to ship them to anyone who can use the material. I will cut the blanks 3/4" square by 6" long. The walnut came from Colonial Williamburg.

Chris Padilla
01-16-2004, 8:55 PM
Wow! :eek:

Feeling overwhelmed yet, Keith? Perhaps exhiliratingly overwhelmed?! :D

I am interested in how a non-turner can help...looking forward to it.

Jason Roehl
01-16-2004, 8:55 PM
Just a thought here, but if we're gonna do this pen thing (which I think is an AWESOME idea), I thought that the soldiers might like a slice of Americana in the form of the wood being all native to the U.S., so I was thinking of using walnut, cherry, oak, whatever U.S. species I have or can get ahold of.

Oh, yeah, my commitment for now is for 10 pens, but if I end up with more time in the weeks/months to come I will probably do more then.

john williams
01-16-2004, 9:12 PM
Keith,
That is a great idea. Our guys in foreign countries need all the support that we can give them. I will do what I can to help out with this project.

John Williams

Waymon Campbell
01-16-2004, 9:18 PM
What an absolutely outstanding idea!!!! However, I am not a turner either. How can I help?

Hey Todd Burch - I would be happy to pay the shipping for the stock you got donated. Barring that, if I can help in any other way just let me know.

Waymon...

Dave Bonde
01-16-2004, 9:29 PM
Hello, I teach Industrial Technology at a middle school and one of the projects I have the students complete is a pen. I would like to get my students involved in this great project. If some of the non turners would like to donate some supplies or kits along with myself I think we can involve a lot of middle school age kids in this project. If you are interested my school email is dbonde@po-1.iowa-falls.12.ia.us or you can contact me through the Saw Mill Creek and my home email dbonde@mycns.net

Dave Bonde
01-16-2004, 9:33 PM
dbonde@po-1.iowa-falls.k12.ia.us sorry

Ken Salisbury
01-16-2004, 9:45 PM
In order to help this program succeed and to get people energized we need to set a realistic goal for the program. I think with all the woodworkers around this nation we can enlist enough participation and support to produce 20,000 pens by year end. That sounds like a huge number but when broken down it would only come to each Sawmill Creek member either making or have made less than 1 pen per month to meet this goal.

We should, if we handle this right and spread the word around the woodworking commuity, be able to surpass that goal.

We have a lot of work to do to iron out all the little details which we need to consider. Lots of ideas will emerge which we will need to consider. One of those would be to come up with ways for non-turning woodworkers and the general public to participate.

A program like having people contribute a fixed amount of money to provide kits, materials to those turners who wish to donate their labor to make pens but do not have the financial resources to buy a large number of kits and also produce them. We could start a program where the average person on the street, a neighbor or a friend could contribute "X" number of $ (amount yet to be determined)to have a pen made and their name as the donor attached to a pen sent overseas. That money could be given to the turners to produce the pens and offset the expenses (kits, supplies, etc) involved. We don't expect the turners to foot the entire bill for this venture.

Other things come to mind like packaging these pens in some standard manner to facilitate shipping and distribution. That might require either donations to pay for some type of paper or plastic sleeves to house the pen and the note from the donor, or we may be able to convince a supplier to donate them.

If this program grows as I am sure it will, I can arrange some special prices on pen kits in bulk. As an example I am sure I can get slimline pen kits in the range of approximately $1.50 ea. These would have to go to 1 central location, repackaged since they are bulk parts and not kits per se, where they could then be shiipped to the turners actually making pens.

As this program grows, as I am sure it will based on all the positive feedback from people I have talked to today about it we should have a lot more people involved aside from the SMC membership.

Talk to your friends, other woodworkers, spread the word on other forums you are associated with (woodworking or otherwise), and above all offer your time and whatever resources you have available.

I have personally committed to donating a minimum of 50 pens this year myself and probably will make more for other people to donate.

There is a lot of work yet to be done. If we all pull together we can make a huge positive effect on the morale of our troops overseas. If we work together we can meet or exceed that 20,000 pen goal. As General Patton once said "any obstacle built by man can be overcome".

Please let us know of any ideas you may have for this program. You can either post those ideas here or you can e-mail them.


Just a few thoughts - I will have more in the upcoming days.

Waymon Campbell
01-16-2004, 10:26 PM
You may have this on your list already...

As we get a little more organized on this effort, how about notification being sent to all the major woodworking mags via email to let them know what we are doing. There are still plenty of woodworkers out there who do not have regular access to internet.

Kent Cori
01-16-2004, 11:50 PM
Dang, I'm out of ammo already! :eek: I just finished off the last eight kits I had on hand (2 FT American and 2 Streamlined 7mm from Berea plus 4 Father Sing from CSU). Well, to be truthful, one other kit didn't survive the experience. :o Looks like I'll be calling Berea in the morning.

Keith, I'll ship these eight to you first thing on Monday. Do you have any special packing or shipping instructions now that you've had a chance to think about it?

Bud Duffy
01-17-2004, 12:01 AM
I will help out any non turner by making some pens if they would like to sponser me for the kits. I will also be sending a few east next week i dont know how many i will be able to do financialy as i am currently unemployed but i do have the time avalible and i will do my share. As a vetran myself i know what it feels like to get anything from home in the mail, it brightens up the gloomiest of days.

John Miliunas
01-17-2004, 12:09 AM
Count me "in"! LOTS going on here at home, but I will get some together and send them your way. Awesome idea, guys! :cool:

Keith Outten
01-17-2004, 3:31 AM
Dave,

I think it would be a great idea for your students to get involved with our Freedom Pen project. I'm sure we can hook you guys up with some pen kits and plenty of material. Stand by for more information.

Keith Outten
01-17-2004, 3:42 AM
Kent,

Untill we investigate the sleaves Ken Salisbury mentioned in his post you can ship your pens to us anyway you prefer. I would like to have each pen rolled up in a 8.5" by 11" piece of paper with the name, city and state of the donor.

I will transfer all of the pens we receive to one cubic foot boxes for shipping with the appropriate packing.

Julie Wright
01-17-2004, 5:25 AM
Count me in!!
I got a PM about making some pens for our military and I got a little nervous. SOmehow I missed this thread and thought they wanted me to make them all. ROFLMAO, LOL, Ha ha ha
I'll definatley participate.

Julie Wright
01-17-2004, 9:20 AM
I have posted this project at all the sites I can come up with. WOW, AAW, wood central in the turners section, woodworking.com and womeninwoodworking.com updated yahoo penturners. Dropped Ryan at woodturningz a note about this project too.

Who knows, you might get 20,000 by the end of the month if we can this info out there!!!

Dennis Peacock
01-17-2004, 2:17 PM
I just got off the phone with my wood supplier and told him about our efforts. He has agreed to save the rippings for me next week. I told him maple, mahogany, walnut, cherry and any other premium hardwood that they are processing. I'll get them for free. I told him I would start with a pickup-load, random lengths from 8' to 16'. Some may be up to 1½" wide and up to 2" thick (if they are processing 8/4).

Score!!! Now, I need a place to send them, or you all can come get them. (Sure wish I had a stock feeder now..., and a tiger stop...)

Can these be band-sawn? Do they need to be 4-sided smooth? I would think band-sawn and rough would be OK for all you excellent turners out there.


Todd .

Todd....send me some....I'm ordering 20 pen kits to add to what I already have onhand and I need some more stock for pen blanks. 3/4" by 3/4" by 6" is perfect. If you don't want to cut it up....just send however you want and I will get it done.

Mark Stutz
01-18-2004, 12:50 AM
I'm currently not a turner, however I had already signed up for a class at Woodcraft in order to decide if I wanted to get a lathe and begin turning. Now I know the answer!

Aaron Joseph
01-18-2004, 12:03 PM
I would suggest that ppl contact the Manufacturers of the kits. Berea, PSI, and Craft Supplies USA to see if they would like to donate. I would be willing to bet that we could get a substantial donation that way.

Personally I have a large inventory of pen blanks that I could donate. I mostly have exotics tho. I'm not in a place where I could buy a bunch of kits, but am definately willing to turn some. Could we have a forum or similar to coordinate this? Let me know. I have 50 Australian Cypress and 50 Goncalo Alves blanks that I can ship immediately to ppl who will turn them. Thanks!

-Aaron

Skip Brant
01-18-2004, 12:40 PM
I do not have a lathe (yet) but have made several pens without a lathe using my belt sander and drill press. They have came out great and are extremely easy to do. Here is the link on how to do it without a lathe -

http://members.fortunecity.com/alices_workshop/pens.html

Good luck :)

Kevin Gerstenecker
01-18-2004, 1:16 PM
Hi Skip. Welcome to Sawmill Creek! When you get a minute, please send a Private Message to one of our Moderators and have them update your Profile information to reflect your first and last name, per our terms of service at Sawmill Creek. Everyone here uses thier given first and last name...........it makes things much simpler for everyone that way. Again, welcome aboard......great to have you as a member!