X-cut Zebrano-What a swine to turn!

[Twissy]

This stuff is probably the most difficult to turn wood I have had to date. None of the burls I've done so far have been this delicate!
Soaked the ends with very thin CA prior to turning. Turned down with very gentle cuts to just under a mm from bushings. Soaked in thin CA. Down to bushings oh so gingerly with skew. It was then a case of loads of CA and sanding back repetitions. All the little black dots you see are pores in the wood, so kept soaking up the CA. Was it worth it? If you ask me in a couple of days I might say yes!!!

 

[renowb]

Yes, it is a beauty and well worth it!

 

[Justturnin]

If you ask me I would say yes, it was worth turning it. Nice work.

 

[boxerman]

Beautiful pen.

 

[booney0717]

NIce. Well worth it

 

[Dale Lynch]

If you think crosscut was fun you should try anglecut.Nice lookin pen,I like the zebra.

 

[ren-lathe]

Nice pen. The best way I have found is to use one of Mesquite man's stabilizers. Makes life way easy

 

[robutacion]

If you think crosscut was fun you should try anglecut.Nice lookin pen,I like the zebra.

Cross-cut in 99% of woods is the most fragile and difficult cut to work with, as it at 90° from the grain direction (for burls works differently...!), any of the most common diagonal cuts, either 45° or 60° from the grain direction, represents a proportional difficulty and fragility degree, what I mean is, if straight cut or cut with the grain as commonly known, is the 0° or beginning of angle cut rotation, the higher the angle the higher the degree of difficulty and fragility of the workability in the vast majority of wood/timber species.

The biggest risk of destruction of the cross cut pen blank, is precisely while the blank is still in one piece, where dropping it or bending it will snap it in half, reasonably easy (some more than others, off-course) therefore, as soon as the blank is cut in 2 pieces, the risk is reduced greatly and the drilling if assisted as a precaution with some good wrapping tape, it will drill effectively without any dramas, the destruction risk is then totally resolved with the proper gluing of the brass tube(s).

The second stage or, blank destruction possibility is when the blank is attempted to be turned from square to round, particularly at too slow speeds (faster the better, here) with aggressive tool contact and non-sharp cutting tools. If the wood survive the square to round turning, getting it to the final size and shape is without some great risks, particularly if the tube wasn't glued properly to the wood.

Extra care is required to handle cross or diagonal cut blanks/woods, no doubt but, for those that are willing to use whatever works best, safer and quickest to get the job done "SUCCESSFULLY" I strongly suggest that you try the "Flap disc system" and make your own judgment of its effectiveness on these fragile or difficult to turn blanks/woods...!

Now, in regards to Twissy Zebrano pen, feel your pain mate but, if you have finished it is because you were determined to get to the end of the job and have a usable pen, that seems you have achieved so, congrats, it looks pretty good...!

Cheers
George

 

[Dale Lynch]

If you think crosscut was fun you should try anglecut.Nice lookin pen,I like the zebra.

Cross-cut in 99% of woods is the most fragile and difficult cut to work with, as it at 90° from the grain direction (for burls works differently...!), any of the most common diagonal cuts, either 45° or 60° from the grain direction, represents a proportional difficulty and fragility degree, what I mean is, if straight cut or cut with the grain as commonly known, is the 0° or beginning of angle cut rotation, the higher the angle the higher the degree of difficulty and fragility of the workability in the vast majority of wood/timber species.

The biggest risk of destruction of the cross cut pen blank, is precisely while the blank is still in one piece, where dropping it or bending it will snap it in half, reasonably easy (some more than others, off-course) therefore, as soon as the blank is cut in 2 pieces, the risk is reduced greatly and the drilling if assisted as a precaution with some good wrapping tape, it will drill effectively without any dramas, the destruction risk is then totally resolved with the proper gluing of the brass tube(s).

The second stage or, blank destruction possibility is when the blank is attempted to be turned from square to round, particularly at too slow speeds (faster the better, here) with aggressive tool contact and non-sharp cutting tools. If the wood survive the square to round turning, getting it to the final size and shape is without some great risks, particularly if the tube wasn't glued properly to the wood.

Extra care is required to handle cross or diagonal cut blanks/woods, no doubt but, for those that are willing to use whatever works best, safer and quickest to get the job done "SUCCESSFULLY" I strongly suggest that you try the "Flap disc system" and make your own judgment of its effectiveness on these fragile or difficult to turn blanks/woods...!

Now, in regards to Twissy Zebrano pen, feel your pain mate but, if you have finished it is because you were determined to get to the end of the job and have a usable pen, that seems you have achieved so, congrats, it looks pretty good...!

Cheers
George

Well george that reads all good and well but first hand exp tells me otherwise.It took one try to make a sr gent with crosscut and 3 blanks of angle to do a jr gent.One blew apart drilling and the other turning.Also I did the gent entirely with the skew but had to switch tools to a carbide scraper for angle because the tearout was so bad from the skew on the jr.

Happy turns,Dale

 

[Twissy]

Thanks for the input gents, some useful info there thanks. I did blow out one blank when drilling, but that was my fault for rushing. I hadn't thought of using any form of tape when drilling, but that is a really good idea.
I used Gorilla glue for the tubes, which is my preference for any delicate wood, but that's just a choice thing.
I think the key things are sharp tools, speed, and respect for the material you are working with. Oh and did I mention sharp tools!!

 

[SDB777]

Whew....sounds like you had some fun(even though you didn't think it was at the time). The timber on that kit is great!




Scott (you should do five more now:biggrin B