Where do you buy your pen kits?

Tom Baugues

Member
Messages
2,790
Location
Lafayette, Indiana
I'm a new member here and I'm getting my lathe back out of storage and would like to start making pens again after many years absence from the hobby. My question is: Where do you buy your pen kits? I don't have any woodworking stores close by so mail order may be my best option.

Thanks,
Tom
 
Welcome to the Family, Tom. I buy some from Lee Valley, they have a number of different kits but I'm sure there will be those who know of sources for higher quality and greater selection.
 
Tom I generally buy from 3 places. Berea Hardwoods, Beartooth Woods, and Arizona Silhouette. Ernie at Beartooth Woods really does a great job and takes care of any problems fast.
 
Berea Hardwoods is where I used to buy from. I couldn't remember their name. I didn't know if they were still around or not. My quick search did not find them due to my poor spelling (oops). I'll have to look them up. I remember them as having very good prices and I also remember shipping being good. I hope this is still true.

Thanks,
Tom
 
Bear Tooth Woods or Arizona Shillouette. Rockler and Woodcraft are Berea resellers, watch their gold platings. They are usually the lower quality gold. I mainly use the chrome or black titanium. PM me if you want some information on pen sites.
 
Most of mine come from Craft Supplies USA (Woodturners Catalog). Even though I occasionally buy from Bear Tooth Woods and others, CS is consistent with quality and customer service. Their prices are a bit higher than many and catalog descriptions are often confusing or incomplete. (I only order by phone and ask questions if the catalog description is poorly written) But, on the whole, I believe I save money and frustration buying from them.
OTOH, PSI may be the biggest seller of pen kits in the country, many like them. I have had serious problems with quality and their platings have failed on me. Not knocking PSI, I buy other stuff from them happily, but not pen kits.
 
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