Yeah, woodturning is fun... until you retire - and think you can make money at it! From '95-'02, I made - and sold over 11,000 pens and pencils. Add a thousand or more keychains and wine corks, not to mention perfume pens and magnifier glass handles, and you can see how I averaged twenty-six arts and arts & crafts shows per year - and nearly $3k in real loss per year! Did I mention the carpal tunnel problems? I had a domain, too - "handmadepens.com' - never sold a thing there. Just fair warning - do it for fun - make gifts out of your goodies - and enjoy woodturning - great relaxation - from raw wood to nearly finished product 'on the lathe'. I even made my own finishes and wax - used first quality German parts. Of course, the SE US aint the most literate part of the country... and I was making fancy writing instruments!
Have fun!
Stainz
PS I always swished a lacquer thinner soaked Q-tip in the more resinous wood holes (CA/SA hardwoods), then wiped thick CA glue with a toothpick into the hole, and pushed the part, usually brass, into the hole. I always soaked the metal parts (Your firesteels) in a small glass bottle of lacquer thinner first - to remove greasy finger prints.
