Pen Blanks ?

[paulm]

I'm tidying up some of my smaller bits of wood around the workshop that I'm unlikely to use for turning myself and a lot of it is going for kindling on the fire :shock:

Occurred to me that, although I don't do pen turning myself (have done a few but not really my thing), some of the stuff is probably good for pen turning blanks assuming 17mm x 17mm x 120mm is the standard blank size for pens ?

If there was likely to be any interest (assume a bit cheaper than shop prices, to contribute a bit to my time and blades etc) then I could batch some up and stick them on the For Sale board, but don't want to spend the time on it if not much demand or readily available elsewhere, hence just testing peoples thoughts first ?

Would have to see what there is in the size range but likely to include spalted beech (does it matter for pen turning if it's slightly soft?), sweet chestnut, oak, walnut, ash, sycamore, apple, cherry etc so nothing too exotic unless I find anything else in the piles !

Hope this is okay to post here and doesn't fall foul of any forum rules, but if it does then perhaps a mod could of course please zap it accordingly !

Cheers, Paul

 

[paulm]

Oh well, a lot quicker and easier to add it all to the kindling pile :lol:

Cheers, Paul

 

[bogmonster]

I did the same some time ago Paul. I might just put mine on Evil Bay. I don't like turning pens and have far more blanks than I will ever use.

BM.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

My guess is the barrier to entry for home grown pen blanks is so low that there isn't much demand. Being so small they're fairly straight forward to produce.

By pure chance I've just turned my first 8 pens having been shown how by one of my club members. I can see it wont be my thing either, too 1-dimensional but they do make nice gifts. I've done Purple heart, Yew, Beech, Walnut, Laburnum and Corian. There is something quite satisfying writing with a pen you made yourself.

 

[paulm]

Yes, think you're right guys, it's more to do with easing my conscience about "wasting" attractive timber that's not a size or shape I will use, rather than being a money spinner, perhaps I'll put some up on ebay and see, can always chuck them in the kindling bag after I guess !

Cheers, Paul

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Of course, you can sell anything if you sell it cheap enough.

 

[Lons]

Hi Paul

If you're cutting pen blanks, then it's only worth it with interesting grain, spalted, burrs etc. Worth thinking about cross cutting at whatever angle brings out the grain.
there are loads of people selling on ebay so need to be decent or you won't sell them.

cheers
Bob

 

[YewTube]

If you could get pen blanks soaked in epoxy to inhibit splinters could you make pens with built in spell checkers?

Just a thought.

Bill

 

[CHJ]

Afraid I'm regularly in the same boat Paul, only last week a full 25k bag went over to neighbours wood burner stocks.
And still loads of the stuff around, every time I shape up stock for a project the trimmings get 'sized' and collected up to the point they end up spilling over the top of the bin.
Niggling thing is if I get a request for a pen, wood type or colour asked for is invariably not in the collection.

Earlier in the year this whole area under the workbench was cleared out of plastic bins full of such off-cuts to make room for the logs, you can just see a couple of bins that remain.

and I've filled another since.

 

[paulm]

Not just me then Chas !

Decided that there were too many boxes and baskets and shelves with small bits and pieces on that had not been used for years and I had to be honest with myself that I couldn't envisage when they would get used ! I'll keep some of the best bits but a drastic cull is required I think

I looked on ebay but at typically £6 for 10 including p&p doesn't seem worth bothering with selling any !

Cheers, Paul

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Having only just turned a few they're fresh in mind and I would concur with Bob's (Lons) view which is that its all about the grain. The problem with pens is that they're simply too small for macro changes in grain pattern to show up. So after having turned a couple of nice but anodyne pens, I've started hunting out off cuts that are as gnarly and difficult grained as possible. I also like a cross between sapwood and heartwood to be judiciously placed so it shows up.

So walnut for example, you'd think would be gorgeous....boring as hell in fact. Purple heart also, nice colour and all but just monotonous to look at. Yew, now that's got all those pippy little twig knots that make it more interesting but my favourite so far is Laburnum. Its grain if carefully chosen is swirly and interesting on a micro scale and the contrast with sap and heart is stunning.

So I don't know if there's a market for pen turners that want very interesting wood that has been deliberately cut to best advantage with respect to figure. I suspect not because that kind of enthusiast probably has their own kit to harvest (ie a bandsaw etc)

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Just got round to snapping them.

From left to right:
Corian, Laburnum, Yew, Beech, Purpleheart, Walnut

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

As a totally off the wall suggestion, if pieces are well seasoned I'm sure some new turners would be grateful for them to practice on. It can be a bit of a pain packaging wood, but maybe folk would take them from you if you offer them up for P&P costs?
I was given some on that basis when I first started and was very grateful for it.

 

[paulm]

As a totally off the wall suggestion, if pieces are well seasoned I'm sure some new turners would be grateful for them to practice on. It can be a bit of a pain packaging wood, but maybe folk would take them from you if you offer them up for P&P costs?
I was given some on that basis when I first started and was very grateful for it.

It's a nice idea, and I have given away blanks of different types in the past to people who were interested and visiting, but if I did that with these then I'd have to buy in the kindling from the firewood merchants to replace them and it would end up costing me which would be ironic :lol:

I'll carry on with the sort out and put anything a bit more special to one side and see what's left at the end, most likely I'll keep any especially good bits and put them back on the shelves for a few more years, but we'll see :lol:

Cheers, Paul

 

[bogmonster]

I have a stack of yew (carfully cut), cherry and possibly some laburnum blanks as well as some walnut and other odds and sods. Mrs BM has informed me that 'I do enjoy turning pens' after all. In fact I enjoy pen turning so much that I am going to make up a pile and sell them to help pay for the lathe I have just bought. How foolish I have been...

...before I know it she will have me turning turning light pulls...

BM

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Mrs Bogmonster.....that made me laugh. Does she know that's your affectionate abbreviation for her

 

[woodfarmer]

I have a stack of yew (carfully cut), cherry and possibly some laburnum blanks as well as some walnut and other odds and sods. Mrs BM has informed me that 'I do enjoy turning pens' after all. In fact I enjoy pen turning so much that I am going to make up a pile and sell them to help pay for the lathe I have just bought. How foolish I have been...

...before I know it she will have me turning turning light pulls...

BM

And maybe dorknobs??? Mrs wants the kitchen units improved with new doorknobs face turned like bowls so the screw will hold.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I've done a few of those. I found them quite therapeutic to be honest. They're so compact and easy to access I found myself experimenting with all sorts of valleys and mini beads. Trouble is, no two are ever the same

Eureka...that's it. The most original kitchen. Every single door knob is unique and has its own story to tell about the tree it came from. A "provenance" kitchen as opposed to Provencal

 

[Harry 48]

I have a stack of yew (carfully cut), cherry and possibly some laburnum blanks as well as some walnut and other odds and sods. Mrs BM has informed me that 'I do enjoy turning pens' after all. In fact I enjoy pen turning so much that I am going to make up a pile and sell them to help pay for the lathe I have just bought. How foolish I have been...

...before I know it she will have me turning turning light pulls...

BM

Know you no where SHMBO comes from :lol: :lol:

 

[Melinda_dd]

Hi... late in on this on... but I would be very interested in some off cuts... any of the dark woods... especially walnut?

I turn christmas decorations nearer the the time and use the dark woods as finials. .
Hope I'm not to late!!!

I have paypal to cover price and postage