Pine Cone Pen #2 try/fail

[MartinPens]

Well, I have no photo for this one. If I did it would be a shot of pine cone pieces everywhere.

I drilled the hole and soaked the pine cone in Minwax wood hardner. I think this is a good step. But then I tried to just turn it. Impatient, bad step.

So on the next one I will still soak it in the wood hardener but then I'll trim away the bulk of the material on the band saw and soak in thin CA. This will hopefully reduce the amount of CA I have to use.

I have about 40 pine cones. Anyone want to try this who does not have access to pine cones can PM me. I can put a few in a small Flat Rate box and send them to you, but you will need to take care of the shipping via my Paypal account.

Martin

 

[Gary Beasley]

I slice the excess off with the bandsaw then take it down to an even shape with my disc/belt sander. I soak the inside after drilling with thin CA then glue up the tube and mount it up on the lathe. Keep the tool very sharp and go slow, stuff is fragile! The hardener or CA soaked in every so often as you take the thickness down to keep it firm is usually the best way to go.

 

[SDB777]

What kind of pine cone you working with? Monterey or Afgan?

Tricky little things are they?
Found the best way for me to do it is:
*Trim on bandsaw
*Thin CA
*Grab the skew
*Thin CA
*Grab the skew

Everytime I've ever grabbed the gouge, bad things happen! But when everything line up in the Universe, they sure do have that WOW factor with everyone.
Take your time....it'll come to you.



Scott (ruined a few myself) B

 

[David Keller]

PM sent

 

[MartinPens]

These things require a little more work than I expected. I'm getting it fine tuned. I'm finding that the CA is a must and I may give up on the hardener all together. Trimming excess off and sanding works. But still - even with the Wallstreet III kit, which gives me the extra diameter, I am having to fill kernel holes and really take it slow. About every other one is turning out alright.

Thanks for the pointers. And I've gotten two PM's for cones to be shipped

The offer on pine cones shipped still stands. I'm not profiting on it - I just want others to have the opportunity to try it if they want to. I think they're a pain, but when one works out really well..... it's pretty sweet.

Martin