Fell down the slippery slope!!

[Bob Lasley]

Yesterday I got to feeling left out with all the pen turning going on for the Freedom Pens project, so I decide I'll just go to the toy store and collect the stuff to turn pens on my ancient Sheldon lathe. Well, I brought home a truck load of stuff and start getting set up when I discover the #2MT pen mandrel and live center are too small for my head and tail stocks. Hmmmmm, they must be #3MT thinks I. This morning I go to a machine tool supply and pick up adapters. Don't fit. #3 is too big. This old lathe has some kind of odd size taper. I decided after investing in this pen turning stuff, I have to see it through. So, back to the toy store.

My good buddies at the toy store are very sympathetic with my pain and coax a little Mercury mini-lathe into going home with me to make me feel better. I spent the better part of the evening mounting the little lathe on my flip top planer stand opposite the planer. I did manage to turn one pen this evening! I now see why you folks like turning pens! :cool: I'm already having trouble keeping my footing and gravity is tugging mightily. I'm afraid to go to sleep tonight for I'll surely be dreaming of pens, pencils, bottle stoppers, weed pots and heaven forbid.......................................bowls !!!!

What have I done,
Bob

[Chris Johnson]

Welcome to the pit. There are a bunch of us who hit that slope! I suspect there is a 12-step program for this somewhere. I look forward to seeing some of your work.



Yesterday I got to feeling left out with all the pen turning going on for the Freedom Pens project, so I decide I'll just go to the toy store and collect the stuff to turn pens on my ancient Sheldon lathe. Well, I brought home a truck load of stuff and start getting set up when I discover the #2MT pen mandrel and live center are too small for my head and tail stocks. Hmmmmm, they must be #3MT thinks I. This morning I go to a machine tool supply and pick up adapters. Don't fit. #3 is too big. This old lathe has some kind of odd size taper. I decided after investing in this pen turning stuff, I have to see it through. So, back to the toy store.

My good buddies at the toy store are very sympathetic with my pain and coax a little Mercury mini-lathe into going home with me to make me feel better. I spent the better part of the evening mounting the little lathe on my flip top planer stand opposite the planer. I did manage to turn one pen this evening! I now see why you folks like turning pens! :cool: I'm already having trouble keeping my footing and gravity is tugging mightily. I'm afraid to go to sleep tonight for I'll surely be dreaming of pens, pencils, bottle stoppers, weed pots and heaven forbid.......................................bowls !!!!

What have I done,
Bob

[John Weber]

Bob,

Sweet! I turn a little, never any pens, but I bet you enjoy the new lathe.

John

[David Rose]

Oh, no! Not YOU Bob! I always thought more of you than that. Surely I misread the post. I always thought of you as the router Flat Man.

David who really hates to lose Bob

[Julie Wright]

John, David:

Come on in the water is Fine. A little pen turning Never hurt anyone.
Welcome aboard Bob, now if we can only get Jim B and Bill G to jump on in too. :)

Julie :)

[Mike Mastin]

Bob,

I have contacted all of the local arborist to warn them that there maybe a rash of missing trees from your general vicinity. Be on the lookout for a man carrying a chainsaw with a wild gleem in his eyes :-)

[Dave Avery]

I think I'm the lone remaining holdout......

[Steve King]

Bob,
You better look out. You have seen what has happened to Ace. Just look at him staring down the Jet Mini.
Your other tools will get jealous.
Steve :D

[Jim Becker]

“Another One Bites The Dust”

[Kent Cori]

You are definitely not alone Bob. I've been on my way down that slippery slope for so long I no longer know which way is up! :D

[Tyler Howell]

You're not the only one Dave.:( Hold tough. Be strong. I can't afford to get close to that slope right now, so I need your support.;) Cabinet Saw first!!:D

[Stan Smith]

Well, my friend, you'll find that your lathe tool acquisitions are just beginning. I enjoy turning, but I like the other stuff, too.

Stan

[Dennis Peacock]

Welcome to the "round world" Bob..!!!!!! Once you turn your first bowl, it will be O V E R and you will find yourself spending more time at the spinny thing that your "flat" working tools........

Better wax all your other cast iron quickly....!!!!! They may be sitting fer a spell.........!!!!

Happy Turning..!!!!!!

[David Rose]

Julie, NO!! I refuse! God made round trees and taught us to flatten them. :D Would He have done that if He wanted us to make them round again? Besides, I don't have room for a lathe. And I can't keep up with my flat jobs. (truth coming out)

Besides, see, there are more of us. Not more than of *you*, but more than just us two. ;) And since we are right, our votes should carry more weight. :D

David, whose convictions *stand*! ...as long as they can...


John, David:

Come on in the water is Fine. A little pen turning Never hurt anyone.
Welcome aboard Bob, now if we can only get Jim B and Bill G to jump on in too. :)

Julie :)

[Bob Lasley]

Welcome to the "round world" Bob..!!!!!! Once you turn your first bowl, it will be O V E R and you will find yourself spending more time at the spinny thing that your "flat" working tools........

Better wax all your other cast iron quickly....!!!!! They may be sitting fer a spell.........!!!!

Happy Turning..!!!!!!


Dennis,

Believe it or not, I have already made a few bowls..............back in another life. I have had that big ol' antique lathe taking up space in my shop all this time and not once, in recent history, has it grabbed me and forced me to turn bowls. :eek: I just wanted to do my part with the Freedom Pens. If you haven't figured it out yet, this is a valiant attempt at denial!! Where is that turning tool catalog? :D

Bob, who, like David, has way too many flat projects on the list to get too carried away with the spinny thing!

[Dale Thompson]

Bob,
Don't EVER apologize!! Although there are still a few folks who believe that the world is flat, an intelligent and growing few of us know that it is round. My old buddy Chris Columbus convinced me of THAT. Of course, Chris was considered demented in that he was a "turner". ;) I remember helping him "turn" the masts on the old "Santa Maria". I don't recall who did the "Nina" and "Pinta". It's been a while and my memory is starting to fade a bit. :(

Dale T.

[Ace Karner]

That's right I've never been the same since :D

[David Rose]

Exactly what I said! Look at Ace. He'll never be the same.

David


That's right I've never been the same since :D

[David Rose]

Bob, don't listen to Dale. The lathe has so addled his thinking that he even thinks the world is round! You do that stuff long enough and even nails will start to appear round. I'm serious! He may also give you his old story of "masts being round on our cruise ships". The only thing round was the edges where the roundover bit hit them. DO NOT fall for the stories of these guys. We may be outnumbered and watch out for the seductresses like Julie, but we can prevail. She is a sly one! But right always wins over left, right? Now they are doing it to me.

David


Bob,
Don't EVER apologize!! Although there are still a few folks who believe that the world is flat, an intelligent and growing few of us know that it is round. My old buddy Chris Columbus convinced me of THAT. Of course, Chris was considered demented in that he was a "turner". ;) I remember helping him "turn" the masts on the old "Santa Maria". I don't recall who did the "Nina" and "Pinta". It's been a while and my memory is starting to fade a bit. :(

Dale T.

[Tyler Howell]

We may be outnumbered and watch out for the seductresses like Julie, but we can prevail. She is a sly one! But right always wins over left, right? Now they are doing it to me.

Dave.......Buddy.......:(,
It's OK, I'm on your side but you've got to cut down on sugar and cafine in your diet. Get a little fresh air. We non spinny types will be OK!
Stay the course.

[David Rose]

Thanks Tyler! I feel better after putting down the cigarette and coffee cup and running outside in a *straight, flat* course for a fresh breath of air. I do have to make one short turn, but do it abruptly with NO spinning motion. ;)

David


We may be outnumbered and watch out for the seductresses like Julie, but we can prevail. She is a sly one! But right always wins over left, right? Now they are doing it to me.

Dave.......Buddy.......:(,
It's OK, I'm on your side but you've got to cut down on sugar and cafine in your diet. Get a little fresh air. We non spinny types will be OK!
Stay the course.

[Jim Shaver, Oakville Ont]

Hi,

All I can add is If the world goes round you should too!!

I love it, It's my greatest source of fun in the shop, right after dove tails!

take care,
Jim :eek:

[David Rose]

Jim, don't you try. Everyone knows the sun comes up and goes down. Those are both vertical *flat* motions! The earth just sits here like a big saucer. ;)

I agree that is does look like fun. But how many clothes can you store in a pen or bowl? :D LOML is still letting me buy tools for that purpose. :rolleyes:

David


Hi,

All I can add is If the world goes round you should too!!

I love it, It's my greatest source of fun in the shop, right after dove tails!

take care,
Jim :eek:

[Ace Karner]

I rise to nominate David Rose as President of the Flat Earth Society.

ace

[Terry Hatfield]

Ace,

Now that's them most intellegent thing I have read in this thread. :D

Seriously, I can turn anything worth a crap besides a pen. I've never blown up a table or a entertainment center, but I have blown up just about everything that ever got attached to my lathe. :mad:

I better sick to mostly flat.

Terry

Oh ya.......Bob.....congrats...I guess. :D

[David Rose]

Ace, though I am greatly honored by your nomination, Terry has experience in both realms and is returning to the "right" way. Experience on both sides of the issue could be of considerable value. I'm also proud of you Terry. Keep coming our way buddy. You can lick that evil habit.

But, folks, I do need to clarify something. And I admit to guilt in this area too. "Round things" or "turny things" should be OK, but "spinny things" need to not come into the issue. Though I have a set of scarey sharp chisels, a couple of decent planes, and several scrapers, my knuckles do not drag the ground. At least not quite nor all the time. Most of my other tools have "spinny parts". Please do not say "spinny things" when talking about the unmentionable scrap wood defiling processes. Thank you for your cooperation. ...though I doubt at least one moderator will comply... But the unmentioned Ken is OK anyway... if he doesn't boot my enlightening post.

David


Ace,

Now that's them most intellegent thing I have read in this thread. :D

Seriously, I can turn anything worth a crap besides a pen. I've never blown up a table or a entertainment center, but I have blown up just about everything that ever got attached to my lathe. :mad:

I better sick to mostly flat.

Terry

Oh ya.......Bob.....congrats...I guess. :D

[David Rose]

Boy! (and girl(s)) I just read through the Freedom Pen posts. I repent. You have me. All is round, except me. I did send a contribution instead and will send blanks if there is any value to relatively plain stuff. Somebody let me know. We need all the turny, swirly, spinny people we can get. If I could just buy a lathe, learn to use it turn a bunch of Freedom Pens and take it back, I would do it for this effort. Our guys and maybe a few locals in these countries will love it.

Thanks for the fun! And thanks for the pen work.

David