Walmart has pen blanks!!!

[rsx1974]

I was at Walmart yesterday wandering around aimlessly with my wife when I stumbled across these pen blanks. All I could think was WOW Cross-cut, angle glued, two-tone segmented blanks!!!

So here's where it gets a little weird, they were sitting in the kitchen utensil isle right next to cutting boards?? Crazy!! And well now that I think about it they were packaged and labeled oddly too. The blank I picked up was about 16" round and 3/4" thick, the packaging read Bamboo cutting board?? Well even though it was in an odd shape and labeled wrong the price was right $12.00 and the board seemed big enough for about 22 blanks after I cut it up.

Well today I cut up the board and turned the first blank, good color unique grain, I like it, different but I like it.

So if you like Bamboo blanks and happen to be in Walmart remember, they might be labeled "Cutting board" so don't be fooled!

 

[Rifleman1776]

They have those at our local WM, priced at $17.00. If I didn't have blanks stacked to the ceiling, I would do that also, probably angle cut.

 

[angboy]

Wow- I think you got a bargain, or a low price always! [] Turned out a great looking pen.

 

[Texatdurango]

This is Walmart's way of secretly getting into the blank market! I noticed they are also selling CA glue, sandpaper, lacquer (spray and dip), those little plastic pen part organizers and believe it or not... the largest assortment of paper towels I have found! They must be reading this forum because they carry LOTS more Bounty than any other brand!

Of course, this stuff is cleaverly scattered around the store but it's just a matter of time before they pull it all together in one "Pen supplies" department!

I wonder if they have the acrylic blanks hidden away someplace?

 

[shawn394]

I found something like that at a store we have called Tuesday Morning. It is one of those overstock type stores where everything is 80% off and the stock changes weekly as it is sold and new stuff comes in. I found 2 cutting boards, I mean blank boards for $4 or $5. I tried one but had trouble with the cross grain. That was almost a year ago, I'll have to dig out the blanks and try again. Great looking pen BTW.

Shawn

 

[rhahnfl]

Very creative... thinking out of the box!!!

 

[rsx1974]

Because of the Cross-cut grain I turn it like Acrylic. High RPM, Sharp tools, light, light cuts.

Otherwise Cross-cut woods can be very challenging.

 

[jedgerton]

Really, really nice! Sometimes the best blanks come from the strangest places.

John