Another George Blank

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
See more from mark james

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
Trying to dig out my blanks in the cabinet... Just go from front to back :wink:

Before and after pictures.

Hey George... What is this... ? I think it is a... Pretty woody, bluish, type nice blank... :confused:

Turned like a champ - This one went great!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0505.jpg
    IMG_0505.jpg
    114 KB · Views: 118
  • IMG_0513.jpg
    IMG_0513.jpg
    164.9 KB · Views: 118
  • IMG_0514.jpg
    IMG_0514.jpg
    154.4 KB · Views: 95
  • IMG_0524.jpg
    IMG_0524.jpg
    70.2 KB · Views: 150
  • IMG_0525.jpg
    IMG_0525.jpg
    89.5 KB · Views: 142
  • IMG_0517.jpg
    IMG_0517.jpg
    125.3 KB · Views: 120
  • IMG_0518.jpg
    IMG_0518.jpg
    116.4 KB · Views: 137
  • IMG_0519.jpg
    IMG_0519.jpg
    107.6 KB · Views: 113
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Trying to dig out my blanks in the cabinet... Just go from front to back :wink:

Before and after pictures.

Hey George... What is this... ? I think it is a... Pretty woody, bluish, type nice blank... :confused:

Turned like a champ - This one went great!

G'day Mark,

Get used to look at the blank identification (wood species) number, on one end (end-grain) of the blank, that one would have 44 (Vine -Shiraz red) written in black marker on it...!:wink::biggrin:

That one was part of the lot in the pic, 014.JPG probably the top raw (no wormholes), possibly #2 or some other...!:)

I hope, I answered your question...!

It did turn out really nice looking, the blue dye on the Juice gave it more definition in between the "wood" fibre layers, vine is not really wood but makes easier to call it that...!

Separation can be a little bummer with that lot, the resin looked pretty firm to the vine stabilised outer skin but, with time, some blanks did separate (resin from the vine), some so slightly, other a little more obvious so, I always looked very carefully to the blanks I was sending and even on a very small gap I would drop some super thin CA and clamp them for a couple of minutes. 014.JPG 001.JPG 003.JPG 006.JPG 007.JPG 008.JPG 011.JPG

Fortunately, the repair/fix is the easiest thing but, if ignored, if can come apart when drilling or turning, one of the reasons that I recommend wrapping with tape, these sort of blanks for the drilling process. 99% of the blanks, don't require full manual separation for re-gluing, a simple couple of drops of CA in the gap, is all its needed however, I have since, and after many months after they were made and past this last hot summer days, I went through each one (4 different colour batches I've done at that time) and soak them at each joint with the 5cps CA so, they should be all and truly "welded" back together, a joint that is impossible to see that have had any CA in it...!

This separation is much less common when Alumilite is used however at about AU$1,200 for a 20 litre drum, here in Australia, I don't think that is an option I and any other pen blanks maker, can afford to use, just image for how much I had to sell each blank for...!!!:eek::bulgy-eyes:

You may be wondering, why am I telling all this, and probably scare people from trying some...! Well, I'm honest and I want to make sure that, every blank I make, gets its best chances to endup as a finished pen, the fact that, these batches seem to have had more "separations" that I would like, some have happened well after they left my hands, and there is nothing wrong with the materials used in its making, nor was a incorrect procedure from my part, I may have lot left the stabilized blanks cook long enough, it could have been some excess moisture in the air when I cast them, it could be a dozen other possibilities and maybe I will never know, I have done these before and after, without showing any signs of separation, even if very minor so, if I miss any little bit with the thin CA, you can always give it a second inspection and take the preventive actions to minimize any chances of problems...!

Nothing to hide, here...!

Cheers
George
 
Last edited:

OZturner

Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2013
Messages
6,663
Location
Sydney. NSW. Australia
Wow Mark, That Blank really made the Celtic Stand Out.
Great Work, Terrififc Fit and Finish,
That Blank is like getting two Pens for the Price of One,
Fantastic Wood on One Side
And Spectacular Colour and Texture on the Other.
I hope that George won't start charging double. (just kidding George)
Congratulations,
Brian.
 

mark james

IAP Collection, Curator
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Messages
12,720
Location
Medina, Ohio
Thanks George for the Identification.

This blank had NO seperation, and turned easily (I went slow). And I did CA the ends before drill, after drilling and gluing, and after milling - There were no problems and this method seems to work for me; the wxtra time is of little consequence for a non production turner.

The colors are "almost" of match for the green top, but not quite - when my son saw the blank and the kit... BIG EYES. :bulgy-eyes: So that was that.

He will get it after I show it at our meeting on Saturday.

I'm having fun with these - I really like the mixture of wood and resin - Best of both worlds?

Have a great day and thanks for the reply.
 
Last edited:

robutacion

Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
6,514
Location
Australia - SA Adelaide Hills
Thanks George for the Identification.

This blank had NO seperation, and turned easily (I went slow). And I did CA the ends before drill, after drilling and gluing, and after milling - There were no problems and this method seems to work for me; the wxtra time is of little consequence for a non production turner.

The colors are "almost" of match for the green top, but not quite - when my son saw the blank and the kit... BIG EYES. :bulgy-eyes: So that was that.

He will get it after I show it at our meeting on Saturday.

I'm having fun with these - I really like the mixture of wood and resin - Best of both worlds?

Have a great day and thanks for the reply.

Hi Mark,

Not every blank from that batch and the other 3 colours I did at the same time (about 100 or so) did show signs of separation, depending to what the PR was stuck too, and all I sold, I put a line of super thin CA over all joints, some did went in, other did do but that was OK by me, it is possible that the blank you used, never had any separation happening but it got a run with the CA anyway or, it had some separation starting and the run with the CA has solved the problem and made the blank a solid mass, even though, is composed with 2 very different materials and densities...!

Vine "wood"/material is a pleasure to turn, even if raw, unless a little too old/soft, those are the ones I give stabilization priority, such as the pieces used to make these castings/Resifills...!:wink:

Here in the land of OZ, we have a saying about your second comment, highlighted above in blue, and it goes like this, "if ain't broken, don't try to fix it...!":wink::biggrin:

Cheers
George
 
Top Bottom