stabilized pen blanks advice

[Ken Fitzgerald]

So far my pen turning experience has been limited to plain slimlines using plain wood blanks and finishing with Deft. After being given a couple of Americanas(?) by Ernie Nyvall, my wife decided she wanted some fancier pens. She picked out some Euros at the Woodcraft store in Spokane on our way home from Houston. I decided "Why not" and ordered some stabilized wood blanks...mainly burls from CSUSA. Are there any tricks or do you have any advice about turning these stabilized blanks? Any out of the ordinary finishing techniques or advice?

Any advice on turning Euros or working or finishing with stabilized wood blanks would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[Joe Melton]

Ken, it is probably easier than working with wood, since it has less tendency to tear and pull out. I would just sand through micromesh and finish with CA, but you may have a preferred method.
What you will discover is that you waited too long to try these blanks. What you will also learn is that it doesn't really make a lot of financial sense to use a fifty-cent blank to make a 20 dollar pen when you could use a five dollar blank to make a 50 dollar pen.
Arizona Silhouette probably has the best selection of stabilized blanks. Their dyed buckeye burls are special, in my estimation.
If you've not made a Euro yet, I suggest using a cheaper blank first, just to be sure you understand what you are doing. It hurts to throw an expensive blank in the uh-oh box.
Look forward to some pictures.
Joe

[Ernie Kuhn]

Ken,
Got some from Arizona too. Sanded ending with micromesh. Since they have a lot of resin through and through, I used Novus 3, 2, and 1 (in that order). Its from the windshield repair folks. Don't have any feedback on the wearability of this finish but did look like glass when I sent them out as gifts.
Ernie (Kennewick)

[Bernie Weishapl]

Hey Ken the only thing I can add is if you happen to turn the blank where the center ring goes on a little small and the ring is not quite tight enough just add a touch of epoxy and all is well. I had a little trouble with my first ones and Russ Fairfield told me to just use epoxy. You can google him and he has a excellent site on finishing and turning pens. It helped me a lot.

[Dario Octaviano]

Turning stabilized blank is easier IMHO. They will be a bit harder and will tend to produce chips and not curls while turning.

Though they finish much better, I haven't turned one that I can leave bare/unfinished yet though. Honestly, it all depends on your taste and standards.

Note that different wood, stabilizes differently. Some harder wood stay almost unchanged, while most softer wood benefit from it a lot. Redwood is soft but in my experience hardly benefits from stabilization.

For me, the biggest cost in making pens is MY labor (unless you get the top of the line high end kits) so I don't skimp on my kits or blanks. Way I see it is, I will spend the same time turning a slimline or an Emperor anyway.

[Wayne Bitting]

I like using the stabilized wood for pens and bottle toppers. Sharp tools and finish with the skew then you can start sanding with 400 grit. Put at least one coat of thin CA on it, you'll see it soak into the spots were the stabilization didn't soak into then start sanding/polishing away. I usually finish up with some EEE Ultrashine to get the extra gloss look. I've been disappointed a few times when using dyed and stabilized woods, sometimes the dye just doesn't penetrate very well which ends up being the same areas were the CA soaks into.

[Jason Slutsky]

Ken,

Since I don't have micromesh, I've been using automotive polishing compound on my pens (after sanding up to 800) and it gives them a nice smooth, clean finish. I follow that up with some renaissance wax. So far, so good.

Jason

[Frank Kobilsek]

Ken

I use alot of Arizona Silhouttes Stabilized blanks for bottle stoppers and have have several pens with them too. I rough with a 3/8 bowl gouge. Using my rough gouge has been too aggresive and resulted in big blow outs.

Sand to 600, deft, EEE, & friction polish works for me. CA finish has not been a friend to me but I did get a lesson recently and need to try again.

Even if you use whatever finish you always use you'll be surprized how much more shine you'll get off the Stabilized blanks

Frank