I went to the fabric store and this is what I got.

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woodscavenger

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I was brainstorming for ideas for center band material so I went to the local fabric store to check out buttons. They actually work really well. Hold them with plier and SLOWLY drill a hole. Put them on the mandrel and turn to size. All kinds of colors and sizes to choose from. I have my first acrylic posted in my album with a button band. BUT that is not my story.....

I went to the fabric store and while I was buying a few buttons I saw some wood dowels. Big deal. Then one of them caught my eye. It was SPALTED.[:0] I rumaged through all of their dowels....the little old ladies seemed a little unnerved. In the 1/2" section I found 4 out of the 60 dowels with some degree of spalting. I was figuring on using them for ornaments next year. But then I had an idea. What do you think???[?][?] The center band is curly koa.

deskpen.jpg
 
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JimGo

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The buttons are a GREAT idea! I'm gonna have to go rummage through all the local craft stores before someone else finds all the spalted dowels! :)
 

DCBluesman

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Buttons are a great idea. My first ivory center band was from buttons off of a 1940's sports coat I picked up at a second hand store. I put new buttons on the coat and donated it to a local shelter. Everything got recycled!
 

jdavis

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longview, texas, USA.
Just finished going through all of my dowels and found some neat ones to turn. Students are excited to see how they turn out. Great job on your pens.
 

tipusnr

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Reynoldsburg, OH, USA.
Well done and great job of scavenging. As for the elderly ladies, just show them the pen and you'll never see another spalted dowel for a long time...(you might have some irate husbands to deal with as well)!
 

woodscavenger

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Growing up in Idaho, working on a farm I learned to make do with what I had. I have never been one to turn down someone elses junk if it could do me some good. That and the fact that before starting to turn pens (i.e. make money) I always had to beg for tools/wood from my wife so I had to be very careful.......
 

Docsmith45

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Lincoln, Nebraska, USA.
I love the button idea. My lovely wife has sewing cabinet with 2 or 3 jars full of buttons. I have to root trough them and find some center bands. Thanks for a great idea.[:D]
 
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