2016 FWW gathering blanks

allen levine

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new york city burbs
I started working again(home infusion and heat kept me out of shop) on the blanks I received from Ted, Jim and Dave.

the spalted maple is giving me problems. soaking it in hardener didn't help that much. I turn a bit, then I put on a couple of coats of CA glue, hoping to seal up any weak spots.

The finished pen in the picture, is a piece of apple Ted gave me, finishes easy enough,sanded to 600 grit, 8 coats CA glue, then micromesh with the last 2 pads in the series,(12000 is finish sand) then a coat of flitch plastic polish.

I don't have any shame when it comes to my turning projects, so I don't mind showing any of them.

two blanks turned, need to dye them tomorrow, but I still need to keep turning the spalted maple. The second blank is striped(tiger?) maple.

as the picture shows, this is my second blowout of a maple blank, but I believe it was the same punky piece, so Ill see how the glued up blanks turn tomorrow.

I need to get started on a K-cups rack and I was asked(do I really want to do a piece for money? profit?, not my thing)to make a Chinese calligraphy brush holder for min of 12 brushes. I will get measurements tomorrow, not sure if I want to get started with something that is tedious.

you can make all the fun you want, but remember, if I host a gathering, I will only give you 4 desserts if you make too much fun of my turning skills.
 

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thankyou?

do you even own a lathe?


:rofl::rofl: From what I've read the best way to treat spalted stuff is with a vacuum pot. I was going to do it but never got around to it. I have the pot with all the fittings. I'll look around for an inexpensive vacuum pump. If/when I find one I'll give it a try then send it off to you to try.

I really like the executive pen !!
 
thankyou?

do you even own a lathe?

Technically, yes. It's a nameless piece of junk that came over from China during the Ming Dynasty. My father in law dragged it out of a barn in Vermont in the 1980's and it's been cluttering up my shop ever since. I suppose if I had some decent turning tools it might be useful. Not on my short list.

I like the apple pen.
 
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Allen, I like that pen that's completed. As far as the punky wood I don't have any real advice other than what you have already tried. If the hardener and so on didn't firm it up good, then it's not going to in my mind. For whatever that's worth. Punky wood is a curse for turners who do bowls and so on. I can imagine it is really bad for something small like a pen. Four desserts? Wow!!! :thumb:
 
Bummer on that punky piece, it was looking to have some really nice figure in it. The one that's done has a good shape to it, nice and clean and a solid finish.

So four desserts, but are they just desserts?
 
Allen,
As you know, I don't turn, but for other projects, I've had good luck soaking the soft areas of spalt with thin super glue, and letting it soak in deeply. Leave it to harden for several hours, or even overnight before trying to work with it.

I have a reaction to super glue fumes, so I usually just soak the wood down and leave the area - or better yet, do it outside.
 
Allen,
As you know, I don't turn, but for other projects, I've had good luck soaking the soft areas of spalt with thin super glue, and letting it soak in deeply. Leave it to harden for several hours, or even overnight before trying to work with it.

I have a reaction to super glue fumes, so I usually just soak the wood down and leave the area - or better yet, do it outside.


the good thing I think the blanks that blew up were from the same piece of wood. I reused the tubes, it saves some money.

Im going to try different blanks, Im patient.
 
so another four blanks, three spalted maple, one striped maple(tiger)

One pen I gave out this morning, sorry, I just forgot to take picture, but it was a chrome executive, same color, identical to the one in the picture.

the other spalted, and the tiger maple, after dying them with the alcohol and dye, seemed there were vertical lesions on the pen, tried to fill it in with CA gel, I made it worse, so I just tossed both of them.

this is one that came out ok, same finishing process, about 10 coats CA glue, accelerator, micro mesh at 12000 to smooth out, then a coat of flitz plastic paste.(chrome executive kit)

one day Ill make or buy a buffer to buff it out besides just using a cloth.

Im going to give pen turning a break, very frustrating babying these spalted maple blanks only to have a few pens to show for it.

flatwork time is now, cooler temps.
 

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Allen, the spalt is a tricky turn. I've been turning pot calls 90% before stabilizing the wood. I made a special solution that works great to harden , I've learned that a medium high rmp works best with razor sharp gouges and a light touch. Out of the 80 i have turned thus far I've lost 3 to punk wood. Pm me if you'd like my formula.
 
Wow Allen, I missed seeing the last blue pen back when you posted it. That came out looking great. :thumb: Love the color.
 
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