Just can't stop turnin' pens..............

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Last summer, I cut up a Maple log that was VERRRRRRRRRRRRRY Spalted. I made some (although rough) pen blanks.

I took one out last weekend and started to do a pen. About 1/2 bottle of CA and several hours of work over four days, 15 coats of French polish and five of Briwax, this is what I got.

The first picture also shows how spalted the blanks are.

[Dick Parr]

Very nice Bruce, you have more patience then I do.

I have decided that there is too many other nice woods out there to use then to spend so much time and energy fixing this spalted stuff. So once it blows up I turn it down to the brass and use another type of wood.

But you did a very nice job on this one.

[Jim Ketron]

You done Good Bruce!!
Very nice looking pen!!
That spalted stuff can be a bear sometimes glad you had good results!
Jim

[John Shuk]

Nice work bruce.
Have you ever used minwax wood hardener? Bill grumbine turned me on to it and used it on a VERY spalted maple burl and took out some pen blanks as well from it. It soaks in real nice almost as thin as water and hardens up pretty quick. Cheaper than cyano at 8 or 9 dollars a bottle for about 20 oz at Home Depot. I haven't turned the stuff but no doubt that it is pretty stable now.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Thanks John I'll Give it a try. I cut about 40 blanks and hate to lose them.

Bruce

[Michael Stafford]

A lot of work Bruce but the results were certainly worth it. That is a fine looking pen.

[Kurt Aebi]

Great Job, Bruce - They look fantastic.

John, Thanks for the tip, next time I am in the BORG, I'll have to get some.

[Bob Hovde]

. About 1/2 bottle of CA and several hours of work over four days, QUOTE]


Let's see, does that make it "wood with CA" or is it "CA with wood?"

Bpb

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I woulld saw 50-50, but most of the C came off as it was turned, so it's wood with Some CA.

Bruce

[Carole Valentine]

Nice work, Bruce! I have not tried any spalted wood yet....mainly 'cause I don't have any! LOL Besides I need to learn to deal with unspalted first, I suppose. LOL

[Glenn Hodges]

A woodturner told me once to never start turning pens, and I asked him why. He said if you do, that is all you will turn. You are doing a beautiful job with that wood.

[Carole Valentine]

Very nice Bruce, you have more patience then I do.

I have decided that there is too many other nice woods out there to use then to spend so much time and energy fixing this spalted stuff. So once it blows up I turn it down to the brass and use another type of wood.

But you did a very nice job on this one.
Dick,
To recover your tubes do you turn all the way to the brass, or almost to the brass and then chip or sand the wood off? I haven't tried this but I have two tubes in blown out cedar I would like to reuse. Still trying to learn the tricks here and got a long way to go!

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I know I'm not Dick, Carole, but I usually grab my skew and Gently rub all the wood off. If there is any glue left, I use sandpaper, while it is still on the lathe.

BTW, at Woodcrafts turn-a-thon, someone said to load the mandrel with three blanks and no bushings, snug them up, but NOT TOO TIGHT, bring in the tail stock, turn the lathe on and sand the varnish off. Man ........ that has saved me a lot of time and effort.

Bruce

[Jim Schmoll]

Have you ever thought about getting them Stabalized? I don't turn any pen blanks without this process anymore. Only problem is that it has a slight yellowing/darking effect on light woods.

Jim from Idyllwild CA

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I stopped at "The Borg" and picked up two cans of the Minwax Wood Hardener. Now I have a question. What I would like to do is cut and drill the blanks that require stabilizing then dip them in the hardener. I was wondering if the hardener would be ok in a plastic bowl as a dip tank?

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Bruce