I'm looking for a Whitewood tree---

[Dale Thompson]

Hi Folks,
I need some lumber from a Whitewood tree. ;) I would like to do some pens and pencils with local high school colors. I don't sell stuff, but I would like to make a few to donate for athletic awards and stuff (My junk isn't good enough to sell :o ). Anyway, I've got orange and black covered but most of the rest of the schools around here have white as one of their colors. (i.e. Purple/White, Maroon/White, Blue/White, etc.). Not many schools have Cocobola/Zebrawood as their school colors. They were pretty short-sighted in terms of having pens made in their choice of colors. :(

Anyway, if none of you "pros" have access to Whitewood, I'd like your suggestions as to the next best hardwood alternative. Do you think that bleaching Oak or hard Maple would work? Possible, my only alternative is to use a white dye. Whatever I do, it's got to penetrate through the wood because of the turning process. Paint is not a consideration because it would wear off after a short time. I don't want any complaints, even if my stuff is free. :)

Thanks for any help with "Whitewood".

Dale T.

[Jim Becker]

Holly is probably the most common species used for "white wood" applications. Maple sapwood could also suffice although it may yellow more than holly over time. (Don't use an oil-based finish if you want either to stay "white")

[Barbara Gill]

Holly is the first wood I thought of also. The sapwood of hackberry is quite white also but I am not sure if the whiteness is retained over time.

[Richard Allen]

Hi Dale

I would use plastic for the white. Just as feature stripes not as whole barrels. For that purpose there is a product called StarBoard which is sold to the boating industry. One board would give you enough stock to do tons of pens.

I think you can get some solid surface counter top material in white. You can often get scraps from a company that does counter tops for free. Most of the material is 1/2" thick which is okay for slimline pens. If you are working with larger pens you need to glue up douple thicknesses. That takes special glues that those companies use. If you let them know ahead of time they could glue you up some blanks the next time they mox up glue in that color.

There is a pen blank material called "alternative ivory". You could also use bone.

Holly is the traditional white wood. Aspen is fairly white. The main issues with white wood is that they will quickly stain with sanding dust from any other wood. So be sure to work white wood seperatly from the other woods.

Good Luck

[Ted Shrader]

Dale -

The first thing I though of when reading your post was why not go to one of the big box stores. The have aisles of "whitewood". No kidding, that is on the price tag for many of the 1x and 2x stock. Like you, I wonder where the "whitewood" trees grow.

But after reading the post, holly was the first thing that came to mind. And the suggestion from Richard about plastic is a good one.

Ted

[Dale Thompson]

Thanks to all. I think that I can take it from here. I'm going to look at the Holly option and keep the plastic thing in mind. I'm sure that plastic would be a "slam dunk" but I'm trying to be a woodworker :D :o . OK, So much for the "woodworker" dream. Incidentally, I've got a lot of scrap in my barrel and not much on the "finishing" table. :mad: ;)

Thanks again,

Dale T. :cool: