I'm getting dangerous

[Craig Matheny]

I am starting to read and now the questions come and then the danger of thinking I know something when in fact I still have no clue..... Stabilized verses un-stabilized for pen turning is it an issue at this time can I take a tree branch cut it to size and start to turn it or do you need to let it dry, The pen blanks on eBay they have some very cheap lots thinking (danger) of buying on of the lots of poplar blanks and just turn them buy some 7mm tubing and just practice and learn. I want to turn some of that pertty wood out there:D

[Paul Williams]

Craig, I'm sure you will get answers from folks with more experience than me, but I believe you are better off with dry or fairly dry wood. I have turned pens from wood that was not real dry and by the time you get it real thin it dries bretty fast. However, you wouldn't want to spend a lot of time on a real nice pen and have the wood crack. There is a lot of info on drying wood on the creek. Small pieces like pen blanks have lots of options for drying. The learning curve for pens is interesting. You can make a pen your family and friends will think is real neat the first try. You will get fairly good at it pretty quickly. To make fantastic looking pens like some you will see here on the creek takes practice. I would buy some cheap simple pen kits and just go at it. Slimlines go on sale for less than $2 all the time. Buy 5 or 10 and have at it.

[Lee Koepke]

Agree with Paul, but add the following:

If you buy blanks, try to spend a few extra bucks and get some that are decent or nice, if your learning curve is short, you will be able to turn some nice pens as early as pen #3 ...then you will never pick up the poplar again.

As for drying green wood, I have had luck cutting them +/- 1" square x 5.25" long and just letting them sit around the shop, by the time I get there, they are dry. One I couldnt wait, so I drilled the 7mm hole in the middle, waited a few days and the hole helped dry the wood evenly and quicker .. I just re-drilled the hole to clean up the swell / shrinkage and viola .... done.

[Chris Burgess]

Stabilizing is more for Burl and punky wood. It is a process of placing a piece of wood in a stabilizing resin and using vacuum to force the air out of the wood and thus sucking in the resin. If you are turning straight grain wood you should be ok unless it is punky (rot) or spalting. Even in those cases you can begin applying this CA to the piece as you get closer to the finished deminsions. Does not always work. I lost a great piece of Redwood Burl today and will save the rest until I am able to pick up some good resin to stabilize them in my homemade vacuum chamber.

Now if you want some cheap wood you can pick up a log and cut it down to size, assuming you have the tools for that. You want to make sure it is dry because you are turning it thin and it will likely crack if still wet and the CA may not adhere properly to wet wood. I wrap a piece of painters tape around my fresh blanks and weigh them weekly and write the weight on the tape. Once I get the same weight for 2 week I figure it is dry and safe to turn. Once I trim them up on my bandsaw I place my Moisture meter on them and verify against the fresh cut. But dont sweat all this. Stay on the forum and ask ask ask. I know in another post we mentiond PSI but Harbor Freight can also be your friend. That is where I got my vacuum pump and scale and other tools. Got my moisture meter at lowes for $10. You dont have to get the best right away or ever in some cases.

Buying from ebay can be good but figure in the shipping into the cost. if the blank is $1 but it will cost $1 to ship it you have a $2 blank in which you can get some Cocobolo or Bocote or any other species from you local Woodcraft. If you have a table saw I would go to the box store and get a piece of poplar or something and rip it down. You can likely get more wood than you would like that way and wind up at about -$.75 a blank. I cant remeber if it was you that I mentiond Kurt Hertzog, but he speaks of that in the current Woodturning design. If you have any question let me know. I am in no way an expert but I can share my successes and disasters w/ you. I started turning around Easter when I made my girls some tops on me Shopsmith........Hooked since.

Good luck and happy spinning

[David E Keller]

I think dry wood is a necessity unless you just want to practice making things round... It doesn't have to be bone dry, but you don't want too much shrinkage or movement in a finished pen or you'll have to trash it.

Stabilized wood is an entirely different turning experience, but for some things, it's a welcome change. Buckeye burl, some redwood burl, and really spalted stuff is much nicer in my opinion when it's been stabilized. It's also a great way to introduce color into wood like box elder burl.

Ebay is a good source for blanks if you're willing to be patient. The IAP classifieds offer great deals at times also... Isaac Rapelje usually has some great deals on a variety of domestic and Aussie burls on IAP, and I've had great dealing with him in the past.

[Chris Burgess]

The IAP classifieds offer great deals at times also... Isaac Rapelje usually has some great deals on a variety of domestic and Aussie burls on IAP, and I've had great dealing with him in the past.

+1 on Isaac. I just got a great mix from him w/ Ambonoya (sp?) redwood burl, buckeye, curly, beech and more.

[Mike Rushing]

If you would like I will send you some to practice on. PM me your address if you want them.

[Craig Matheny]

Thank you all for your input it is very helpful and educational.

[James Combs]

Craig there are many opportunities for good dry wood. Watch your neighbor hood on trash day. Anything wood set out on the curb is a candidate for being turned into pen blanks. Check with your family and friends for old furniture. Especially watch for old bed posts, baby crib spindles, old chairs and table legs. Many of these will be maple and oak or even poplar if you are really wanting some poplar. One of my largest supplies of walnut pen blanks and miniature birdhouse blanks is an old walnut coffee table that a friend gave me.

If it is at least 4.25 inches long (shorter if not needed for a two barrel pen) and 1/2 inch thick (even thinner if it is already round) you can make a pen out of it.

I have made pens out of black piano keys, old tobacco sticks, 3/4" plywood, waste pieces of counter top(Corian), aluminum arrow shafts, black rubber hose, and the list could go on.

[Jim Underwood]

I work in a cabinet shop, and there's no end of usable scrap in a place like that. If you just want decent practice wood, then visit a local cabinet shop and ask if you can "dumpster dive" for scraps. There's bound to be knotty stuff of maple, walnut, cherry, alder, oak, hickory, and the like.... I've found a lot of figured pen wood in the garbage cans..... And all of it is already "stabilized" since it's kiln dried.

I wish you were closer, I'd load you up with scrap...

[Jim Burr]

Dry is best! I've purchased hundreds of blanks on ebay from some great guys. IAP has a great classified section that is open to everyone. Also look in to bowl blanks or mill blanks...just cut 'em down to pen size!
Stabilzing is usually used for punky, junky or realy soft stuff, but also good for dye administration on soft woods like curly maple. About -28cmh2o is the best for the medium to draw into the wood, 25 just isn't enough.

[Brian Kent]

If you have a way to cut lumber into pen-sized blanks, go to Reel Lumber on 1321 Kraemer Bvld. Anaheim

Their wood is kiln dried and their prices are good.

[Craig Matheny]

So any kiln dried wood is good to go?

[James Combs]

That is correct and there are tons of places to find it.

[Carl Civitella]

I think you will well served if you do turn blanks that are not stabilized because you learn how to fill those voids and make those light cuts. All of those techniques will come in handy as you progress into being a wood turner. If you just buy stabilize you will not learn anything but how to turn blanks that were prepared for you. Good luck... Carl

[Craig Matheny]

Make perfect sense thank you