Three Firsts

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Feb 23, 2016
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Grand Rapids, MI
My first Sienna, first pen from found wood, and first burl.

As my wife was driving us home from church, I saw a pile of wood on the side of road, shouted out (giving my wife a heart attack), and made her pull over. I tossed a log in the back and noticed that I had fortuitously gotten a burl, which I sawed up into pen blanks.

Any guesses as to the species?

(I've been absent from the forum for awhile because I've been turning bowls and a chess set instead of pens.)
 

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Follow-up question for other burl turners: Although I really love the look of the burl grain on this one (straight CA finish), I'm wondering if I should try some other way of finishing the next one. A little BLO? Dye? What will take it to the next level?
 

Charlie_W

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Nov 16, 2011
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Sterling, VA USA
Great find....and pen!

Did you dry the wood before making the pen? Since it was Fog wood( found on ground), it probably has a high moisture content.
 

OZturner

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Sydney. NSW. Australia
Glorious pen Rob,
Magnificent FOG wood Blank,
Beautifully Turned Fitted and Finished.
Your story about how you got the Burl, reminded me of when I was living in Pennsylvania, some 20 years ago, I was introduced by a work colleague to White Water Canoeing, and it became one of my favorite activities, so much so, that while driving around, over every bridge I crossed I was looking at the width and depth of the water, and any potential for Canoeing, it became an Involuntary Addiction.
I expect that your Scanning for Wood may become the same.
Regards,
Brian.
 
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
26
Location
Grand Rapids, MI
Did you dry the wood before making the pen? Since it was Fog wood( found on ground), it probably has a high moisture content.

I stacked them, weighing each piece, after cutting it up into pen blanks, and weighed them daily. I expected drying to take a long time, but they only took 2 days to stabilize. I'm guessing they have lots of exposed grain and dry quickly? There was a little bit of minor splitting, but not bad at all.

Unfortunately I didn't leave a piece big enough for a ring, which my wife asked for only after she saw the first pen!
 
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