Box Elder Jr. Gent

[toolcrazy]

The hardware is from Smitty, from the first batch I bought from him. Wrapped around it is a Curly Box Elder blank. The curl didn't show when I picked the blank, so it was a pleasant surprise.

 

[Jim15]

That's a real beauty, Steve.

 

[wizard]

Beautiful pen and gorgeous wood.

 

[Lenny]

The hardware is from Smitty, from the first batch I bought from him. Wrapped around it is a Curly Box Elder blank. The curl didn't show when I picked the blank, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Looks like Tulipwood. Very nice pen!

 

[robutacion]

The hardware is from Smitty, from the first batch I bought from him. Wrapped around it is a Curly Box Elder blank. The curl didn't show when I picked the blank, so it was a pleasant surprise.

Quite nice Mister...!!!:wink:

Interesting that most of the Box Elder I've seen lately, has been in larger turnings such as bowls, etc. in pens, I think this is the first for a long time...!

When it comes to the "curl" it can be a game really, curls forms in layers in most woods, and is not the first time, (and will not be the last) that the blank does show any and then it will come up as you cut in. The very same thing can happen but in the reverse order, many times I cut the wood to show the curl but then when it is thinned down, it just disappears...!!!

There are a few wood species tough that can provide large areas some times full large size logs of 100% "heavy duty" curl, to such point so that the wood "tears" itself apart and move like a snake while it dries...! The one that I have experience that has curls that are just much more than a wood effect at certain wood layers or as you look at the wood (angle, chatoyance type) is indeed my local Curly Gum tree, I cut year and a half ago.

I have lost (well, going into small firewood pieces), a large percentage of all the wood I cut from this tree (only cut 20% of its 20 cubic meters...!), all as an attempt to accelerate the drying process of the various blank sizes and shapes I work with and sell. The pen blanks are the ones most lost, some cut at 1" square green and 6" long, have become a shrivelled, bowed, twisted little "twig", that you hardly would make a slim out of its left thickness and unless the pen shape would be a "banana" or a twisted screw shape of some sort...!!!

Only now, I'm starting to be able to re-work some of the bigger blanks that I cut initially (1 1/2 years ago), reducing its size considerably, lets just say that I started a 4" square, most have been reduced to the next inch down, with the original 1.5" squares just making pen blanks now at 21mm square...!!!:redface:

All for a good cause tough...!!!:wink::biggrin:

OK, that's all about "curled" wood, for today, thanks...!:wink:

Cheers
George