Nor-Cal Woodturners Jan. 24 Roseville Pen-Making for President's Challenge

Nor-Cal Woodturners brought turners together in Roseville on January 24 for focused pen-making sessions aimed at producing entries for the club's monthly President's Challenge. The club scheduled two hands-on blocks to maximize opportunity and manage shop capacity: a morning session from 9:30 to 12:30 and an afternoon session from 12:30 to 3:30. Spaces were limited per session and attendees registered through the club contacts listed on the club page.

The event gave local turners a practical, workbench-style environment to turn pen blanks, fit hardware, and apply finishes while exchanging tips on mandrels, bushings, and balance. Experienced members mentored newer turners at the lathe, helping with tool presentation, grain orientation, and final sanding sequences - skills that directly influence a pen's durability and presentation in the President's Challenge. Nor-Cal Woodturners highlighted the session as both a production day and a learning clinic, reinforcing the club’s pattern of combining competition and peer support.

The timing matters to members eyeing the President's Challenge, since pens made at the Roseville sessions were intended as eligible entries for the monthly contest. By concentrating efforts into two scheduled sessions, Nor-Cal Woodturners reduced barriers to participation for members who lack a full shop or who prefer turning in a social setting. The limited-space format kept class sizes manageable for one-on-one coaching and ensured access to shared equipment without long waits.

Beyond pen-making, the club page emphasized ongoing club activities that support member development, including other pen-focused meetups, rotating President's Challenge themes, and veteran turner support for novices. That broader programing creates multiple touchpoints for members to practice technique, try new materials, and prepare challenge entries on a regular cadence.

For members who missed the Jan. 24 sessions, Nor-Cal Woodturners’ registration contacts remain the route to join future shop days or to reserve a spot when the club runs the same two-session schedule again. The Roseville pen day reinforced the club’s role as a practical resource: it helped members complete challenge-ready pieces, spread turning know-how across experience levels, and kept momentum for this month's President's Challenge entries and upcoming club events.