Manitoba maple burl

[sbwertz]

This was made from one of those slabs of Manitoba Maple (Box Elder) burl sent to me by Bruce (gofer). I dyed it green with food coloring and CA/Blo Finish, on a ti/gold & gunmetal Le Roi.

 

[Texatdurango]

Food coloring did THAT!!!!!!!!! Wow, I would have never figured. Nice looking combination!

You keep calling the pen Le Roi, I thought it was a Sierra until closer inspection. Where do you get these kits?

 

[D.Oliver]

That is a very sharp looking pen. Two question though; 1) Does using food coloring to dye with raise the wood grain? 2) Is a Sierra and a Le Roi the same kit with just a differnt name or are they two seperate kits?

 

[ohiococonut]

Wanna add to the confusion?
That pen looks exactly like the Gatsby from PSI. I just turned another one tonight.

And what's with the green pens lately. I think you people are trying to get me to like green :tongue:

 

[Craftdiggity]

The Le Roi is similar to the Sierra but is made by a different company. The Gatsby looks like the Sierra, but twists from the top part rather than the bottom.

 

[ohiococonut]

And the Sierra has a band at the end instead of the double ring on both ends like the Gatsby :wink:

I believed the Sierra takes a slightly longer tube also. I just bought some from Woodcraft for Gatsby's because they were the same diameter. Now the project I'm working on will work with most pens with 27/64 tubes.

 

[sbwertz]

Food coloring did THAT!!!!!!!!! Wow, I would have never figured. Nice looking combination!

You keep calling the pen Le Roi, I thought it was a Sierra until closer inspection. Where do you get these kits?

The Le Roi is similar to the Sierra. It twists from the top, and takes sierra bushings. I get them from Smitty's Pen Works (smitty37). His Ti/gold Ti/black is REALLY black. Some of the black titanium pens look more like gunmetal, but Leroy's are BLACK. And his quality, service and prices are outstanding.

 

[sbwertz]

That is a very sharp looking pen. Two question though; 1) Does using food coloring to dye with raise the wood grain? 2) Is a Sierra and a Le Roi the same kit with just a differnt name or are they two seperate kits?

I mostly use gel food coloring, and dilute it with DNA. That way it doesn't raise the grain. When I do use regular liquid food coloring, I put it in a little plastic cup and add some DNA and let it evaporate completely, then add more DNA to make it back into an alcohol based dye. The more DNA you add, the more pastel the color.

 

[D.Oliver]

Thanks for the info. As sharp as your pen looks I'm going to have to put this on my long list of things to try.

 

[Gofer]

The pen looks great Sharon ... I love the fact that I am seeing others make things out of that big burl before I have done anything other than cut it up.

Have you tried any other colors using that dying method?

Bruce

 

[CSue]

That's really a cool looking pen! I've always wanted to know some way to get a nice green. I appreciate your explanations. Thank you very much.

 

[JeffT]

HA... when you mentioned DNA, I was imagining a centrifuge and a blood pressure cuff... Couldn't imagine making a pen being worth giving up blood...

Great looking pen and something new to try! Thanks for the good explanation.

 

[Toni]

Really nice looking pen!

 

[sbwertz]

The pen looks great Sharon ... I love the fact that I am seeing others make things out of that big burl before I have done anything other than cut it up.

Have you tried any other colors using that dying method?

Bruce

Yes, I've made quite a few dyed pens using food coloring. I made pens in school colors for my 4H riding group. I ordered some speciality gel food colors in hard to find colors...maroon, teal, crimson, gold, etc. for school pens. I've dyed maple, texas ebony, (made really cool teal and black pens by dying the yellow sapwood teal). any light colored wood. Zebrawood dyes green really well.

 

[boxerman]

Very nice looking pen Sharon. I just got my pen blanks from Gofer (Bruce) today in the mail. Will have to try dyeing mine when I find time to turn them.

 

[rizaydog]

Great pen. I love the green.

 

[JimB]

That's an awesome color. Great job Sharon.