My "project"... finished at last!

[punkinn]

I've been working on this desk set for a customer who fell in love with a set of Amboyna pens I made him... he had to have a desk set. So I looked and looked for amboyna that I could afford and that fit my requirements, finally found it (and another piece which is to-die-for too), and here it is... done at last and getting ready to be shipped to it's new home. I'm really happy with it! Here are views of all sides:

Would love to know what you think.... please be honest. If I could have done something differently to improve it, please point that out. I had a hard time deciding at what angle to drill the pen holes but decided on vertical to show off the pens better (drilled at a right angle to the face of the slab would have shown nothing but the tops of the cap of the pens).

Details: Finish on slab is mixture of tung oil, linseed oil & polyurethane (a la David Marks). Pen finish is my usual with the addition of a few coats of thin CA before the MM. Bottom of slab is covered with black felt (tediously cut to fit the amboyna's natural edge), pens are 10k gold Euro Deco clips from CSUSA (I hope more come in soon, Nils!). Clock is solid brass from Steebar.

Thanks for your input...
Nancy

 

[wood-of-1kind]

Nice overall appeal with the exception of your pen 'wells'. The pen well just screams for some hardware or some other mounting feature.

-Peter-

 

[Ron Mc]

Nancy,
Beautiful work and wood. I have a customer that wants the same thing. But I can't find blocks of Amboyna at a reasonable price.[]
Can you help me out? Steer me in the right direction?
Your piece has inspired me so I know it can be done.[]

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by Ron Mc
<br />Nancy,
Beautiful work and wood. I have a customer that wants the same thing. But I can't find blocks of Amboyna at a reasonable price.[]
Can you help me out? Steer me in the right direction?
Your piece has inspired me so I know it can be done.[]

Ron,

Thank you! Contact Russ at globalwoodsource.com. He has beautiful pieces at very good prices (IMHO). I paid $16 a pound for the slabs I bought. Actually, the pen wood was from him too; he is very accomodating to whatever you need or want (and I was very picky!). [] I hadn't planned on doing a wedge piece until I saw this slab... then the lightbulb went on!

Peter, I debated long and hard about the pen mounting options. I tried some turned Amboyna pieces surrounding the wells (which looked like two prominent parts of female anatomy - LOL!) and then some gold trim rings on the wells but thought it was just too much (plus I didn't want metal to scratch the pens). I thought about mounted holders that would swivel but that idea just didn't seem to mesh with the look of the wedge of wood to me. So I settled for bare wells (and drilling them to contour to the pen tip was NOT easy, either!). I think it does need something, but couldn't come up with a solution that satisfied me.

Nancy

 

[jssmith3]

Nancy, this set up is fabulous to say the least, I am trying to do the same thing but with a piece of maple burl I found. You have truelly done a beautiful job and the only thing you could have done differently was send it to me of course. By the way, how did you finish the base, I am stuck not knowing how to do that part, I already have the pens done and the shape of the base. Did you drill the holes before or after you put the finish on?
Great job []

Janet

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by jssmith3
<br />By the way, how did you finish the base, I am stuck not knowing how to do that part, I already have the pens done and the shape of the base. Did you drill the holes before or after you put the finish on?
Great job []

Janet

Thanks so much, Janet. I bet maple burl will make a gorgeous set!!

Finish on base/slab is mixture of tung oil, linseed oil & polyurethane that woodworker David J. Marks uses called Arm-R-Seal, made by the General Finishes Company and available through mail order as well as from Woodcraft. This stuff leaves an absolutely BEAUTIFUL finish on everything. It's my favorite.

I drilled the holes before putting on the finish, yes. But, I did have to tweak the holes/wells after the finish was done because some of the polyurethane had run into the wells and I hadn't blown it all out while it was wet. So I reamed them again slightly for a perfect fit when the piece was all done and the finish coats were all dry.

Hope this helps.
Nancy

 

[wood-of-1kind]

Originally posted by punkinn
<br />

Originally posted by Ron Mc
<br />Nancy,

Peter, I debated long and hard about the pen mounting options. I tried some turned Amboyna pieces surrounding the wells (which looked like two prominent parts of female anatomy - LOL!)
Nancy

Nancy, I think it would've been wonderful... prominent parts. Almost as titilating as angboy's LOLA pen creation.[:I]

-Peter-[:I][:I]

 

[huntersilver]

The pens and desk set are awesome. Very nice figure.
Great job and very inspiring.
The only thing I would add, is did you consider using
Titainum plating for the pens?

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by huntersilver
<br />The pens and desk set are awesome. Very nice figure.
Great job and very inspiring.
The only thing I would add, is did you consider using
Titainum plating for the pens?

Thank you thank you! I would have preferred using titanium nitride, but the Deco clip pens that I like so much only come in 10k right now... I've asked CSUSA if they would consider carrying other platings (like rhodium) but I suppose they can only sell what's available to them. Even the 10k Decos are on backorder right now... I'm out (and in withdrawal). []

Nancy

 

[vick]

Very nice work.

 

[dubdrvrkev]

I don't know that I would have done anything different, except plating on the pens maybe. But as long as it's turning green I'll make whatever they want. I guess I might have made a black corian surround for the wells so no ink marks muck up the awesome finish.

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by dubdrvrkev
<br />I don't know that I would have done anything different, except plating on the pens maybe. But as long as it's turning green I'll make whatever they want. I guess I might have made a black corian surround for the wells so no ink marks muck up the awesome finish.

That's one thing I didn't think of, the corian. Probably would have looked very nice.... &lt;makes note for next time&gt;

Thanks!
Nancy

 

[wdcav1952]

Nancy,

I really like the set. The wedge slab really gives the set a different look that I find very distinctive. I am slightly unsure about the angle of the pen wells, but would NOT want to experiment on such an incredible piece of burl.

With respect to the bottom, did you consider the felt that comes in rounds with adhesive on them? Maybe I'm lazy, but that seems far easier than the cutting out you had to do.

All in all, huge thumbs up and I hope you got big $$$ for this set.

 

[ilikewood]

The best artists make something out of ordinary. Of course, amboyna is not really ordinary, but you turned a wedge into beautiful holder. Excellent job.

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Nancy,

I really like the set. The wedge slab really gives the set a different look that I find very distinctive. I am slightly unsure about the angle of the pen wells, but would NOT want to experiment on such an incredible piece of burl.

With respect to the bottom, did you consider the felt that comes in rounds with adhesive on them? Maybe I'm lazy, but that seems far easier than the cutting out you had to do.

All in all, huge thumbs up and I hope you got big $$$ for this set.

Thank you very much, William... I thought about the little round felt dots, which would also have shown some of the lovely wood on the bottom... I'm not sure why I decided to fully cover the bottom, really. I guess I thought it might look more "professional".

Pen angle was a toss up for me. I held those dang pens at every conceivable angle for hours. LOL Ended up this way to display the pens' wood better, otherwise I probably would have drilled them perpendicular to the face angle.

[I hope you got big $$$ for this set.]
Not huge, but big enough for me!

Thank you! []

Nancy

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by ilikewood
<br />The best artists make something out of ordinary. Of course, amboyna is not really ordinary, but you turned a wedge into beautiful holder. Excellent job.

Thank you Bill! I hope the customer (who hasn't seen it yet) feels the same way! []

Nancy

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

Wonderful Nancy. Pat yourself on the back for me.

I like the no hardware ink wells.

 

[punkinn]

Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />Wonderful Nancy. Pat yourself on the back for me.

I like the no hardware ink wells.

Aww, thanks Ron! &lt;pat pat pat&gt; [][:I]

Nancy []

 

[terrymiller]

Very nice job punkinn those are some beautiful pens.

 

[gerryr]

Excellent work. It looks highly professional(you are ready to tackle the expensive kits). Since you like that style pen, you might want to consider the Olympia that AZ Silhouette sells. The CB is different, nicer IMO, and it comes is Gold Ti and Platinum. Still uses those crummy cross transmissions, but the platings are good.

 

[leatherjunkie]

the only thing i see wrong on this pen & desk set is that you are sending it to the wrong person!!!!!!![][][][][][][]

words cannot describe the beauty of this pen and desk set.
amboyna burl is one of the most beautiful pieces of burl i have seen.

you did a beautiful job in displaying all of the great figure of this burl..[:0][]

 

[Bob A]

Nancy, that is absolutely beautiful. Nice job.

 

[pete00]

Nancy

Ive been looking at this over and over for a while. To my old eyes, everything fits and looks right at home. Dont see anything that looks out of place. Style, finish the whole thing, just perrrrrrfect !!!!

 

[DWK5150]

Very nice truely amazing look. The only thing I might have changed would be the holders for the pens maybe turn some out of a piece of ebony or something jsut for a small contrast.

 

[Dario]

Well done! It is really worth the wait. []

That amboyna piece is really wonderful!!!

 

[alamocdc]

Very nice looking set, Nancy. I'd have to agree with Peter on the ink wells for such a nice piece of wood.

BTW, Woodturningz has pretty good prices on Amboyna blocks. I can't remember what I paid per pound at the moment, but it was definitely less than anything else I'd found.

 

[BigRob777]

Nancy,
Oh well, Leatherjunkie got to it first. Anyway, I love it. I wonder if you would mind if I borrowed your idea for some manzanita, or red mallee? Of course, most of the manzanita doesn't have such nodules on the back, but some of it does. The mallee would be pretty painful too, but it would be gorgeous. I didn't read every word of these posts, so did you already answer how you finished the wedge? You have really created a thing of beauty here.
Rob

 

[Johnathan]

OK, I just love this! When do I get mine?[] Great job this is sure a beauty. As to what I would have done differently, not much. If I were making it for me, I would have probably placed an ebony ring around the clock. It would tie the gold/black of the pens better and not look so much like kit parts were used. So when can I expect this to arrive? [][]

 

[UKpenmaker]

Very Nice work indeed Nancy, That is one stunning piece of Amboyna, excellent finish aswell.
I must really have a go at making a desk set, this is another one which has inspired me to go and try one.[]

 

[Jim15]

All I can say is it is beautiful. If your customer doesn't like this set they have a problem.

jim

 

[punkinn]

Wow, I go to the gym and the thread exploded! [] Thanks so much <b>everyone</b> for your very kind comments and great ideas. I wish I'd thought of the corian or ebony surrounds for the pen wells and/or clock before I finished the design. I really like that idea. Definitely to be incorporated in any I make in the future. Any questions out there I'll try to answer by email.

So thank you again and again, Jim, Andrew, Johnathan, Rob, Billy, Dario, Don, Pete, Bob A, Leon, Terry, Gerry, Ron, Bill, William, Kevin, Mike, Michael, Peter, Janet,and Ron Mc!!! (I don't think I missed anyone!) []

Oh, and as to those of you who feel so strongly that I've screwed up the customer's address, I promise I'll double and triple check to make sure I'm sending it to the right place. hee hee[)]

Nancy

 

[badwin]

That's a great job. I can never find enough wood like that to do a set. Keep up the good work.
Brian

 

[huntersilver]

Nancy thanks for the info on the source. I had been using
MacBeath in Berkeley. And these folks are only 20 minutes from my
home I will check it out!