Thread Wrapped
John MacDougall

If you are looking for a new style for pen blanks, thread wrapped pens is an option for a custom look and style. Using different colored threads and wrapping them around the tube can create geometric patterns or pictures. Using the same style and tools that are used to make custom fishing rod designs, the skill and artistry can be adapted to pen blanks. With minimal investment and simple tools, new and unique designs can be created to excite your pen customers.

Thread Woven Pen Blanks
John MacDougall

Learn how to create full color pictures on your pen blanks with the skill of thread weaving. Following the traditions of creating patterns in fabrics and on fishing poles, learn how to create patterns, set up a weaving loom, and build the colorful pattern on the pen blank one row at a time.

Stabilization
Ed Brown

Explore the world of stabilization. Ed will take you through all aspects of preparing wood for turning.

Beginning Pen Making
Mark Dreyer

All skill levels are welcome – Everyone starts with making a traditional wooden pen. But it does not need to end there. The key to the process is challenging yourself to do something new and branch out. We will take wood to a new level.

Part 1:
Topics include the entire process from blank selection or creation, drilling, gluing, turning, finishing, and assembly. We will look at numerous finishing techniques and the challenges of each – from simple buffing to CA and many in between. Working with all the basic tools and jigs used in the process.

Part 2:
We will talking tuning and finishing on both woods and acrylics.

There are numerous steps to creating the perfect pen. Your tools and techniques are just as important as that perfect kit or piece of wood .

The Twisted Box
Andrew Kuby

Take your turning to the next level with a new twist on the old box. Using multiple centers to transform boxes, candleholders, wine glasses, etc. into pieces which beg the question: How did you “turn” that.

And Now For Something Slightly Different …
Turning Small Trees, Spin Tops and Other Small Treasure
Paul Pyrcik

Let’s face it, even the most addicted penturning junkie can use an occasional break from the routine.

Joining us as a presenter for the first time this year, Paul Pyrcik will provide a fun-filled distraction within the realm of spindle turning.

Paul has been active in the Chicagoland turning scene for more than 25 years. He brings humor and a concise, yet relaxed instruction style to the sharing of tips, tricks, and techniques.

All skill levels are welcome. Penturners and non-penturners alike are encouraged to join us.

The Average Turner and a Bowl
Christy Caliendo

If the King has a court, then Christy is the Chamberlain. Christy runs the show with dexterity and aplomb. She is a jack of all trades that brings years of business experience in customer service, sales operations, account management, consumer marketing, accounting; and has served her community as an elected official. At EWT, she is involved in overall business management, marketing, and corporate communications. Her superpower is using a keen eye towards continuously improving the customer’s experience.

Sales And Marketing
Ed Brown

Come listen to Ed give you a heads up on sales and marketing.

Color Casting
Fred Wissen

Fred will take you through the world of casting. Equipment choices, material options, and step by step "how to" cast. A must see.

Fred plans to cover resins, colorants and everything needed to cast. Will be covering both color and clear casting in that period.

Clear Casting
John Underhill

Clear Cast creations are not about the resin, but rather what’s in the resin. It not only gives you more creative control over your turning, but it also allows you to appeal to specific interests or individuals.

In this demo, John will walk you through his process of making clear cast pen blanks. He will share his tips and tricks for tube preparation, mold selection, vertical casting set up, and the best resin for the job. He will also walk you through some of the processes he uses with individual materials in constructing one of a kind clear cast pen blanks to inspire your creations.

Clear Casting has been John’s favorite since his resin beginning, casting feathers, snakeskins, seashells, photographs, military buttons, playing cards, watch parts and more.

An Evening With Dick Sing
Dick Sing

Dick is a pioneer in the world of pen making and wood turning – anyone else have a manufacturer sell a pen named after themselves? The “Father Sing” is a great component set from Craft Supplies USA. Dick has traveled the world teaching wood turning and pen making. Spend an evening with Dick talking about the adventureswoodturning has brought to him With his wife Cindy, Dick and Cindy will tell some turning stores you won’t forget.

Marketing Your Talent
Renae Alkhovsky

Want to start a new business? Want to take your business to the next level? This is the session for you. Join Renae as she takes you through how a professional marketer gets your message out. Understanding social media. Understanding websites. Get your message out there.

Getting Started in Casting
John Underhill

Resin casting has grown to be a large part of woodturning. It gives you more creative control, allowing you to use more materials and colors to personalize your creations.

In this demo, John will share tips and tricks he has learned during his many years of casting experience to help get you started and to fine tune your process no matter what type of casting you’re doing. It will cover everything from setting up a casting area, supplies -tools - and molds needed for the different types of casting, preparing objects to cast- where to find them, and understanding the types of resins out there and the best ones to use for the project at hand. .

To be successful in the resin casting world and its evolving ideas and materials, it’s not just about knowing what works, but also what doesn’t.

Kitless and Clips
Rob Nelson

This session is going to walk you thru the tools and the process of Kitless pens. Or Custom pens. Or Bespoke pens. You can call it many things in regards to making a pen from scratch. Starting with what type of Lathe to taps & dies to calipers to the type of metal for the clips. I specifically bring up clips because a lot of times clips get passed over. Clips are time consuming but well worth it. This is going to be fun.

Differentiating Yourself Without Casting
Mark Dreyer

Standing out in the world of pen making is not as hard as you would think. Most people end buying a blank, drilling, gluing and turning. In this session we will look at many techniques to do something the person in the booth next to you does not have. There will be some basic techniques discussed that you should do every time you make a pen, but then we will quickly move to the world of coloring, painting, designs, simply segmenting, decals, closed end and much, much more.