99 pen blank pack from PSI

[NotURMailman]

I was just looking for some input from anyone that had gotten the pack of 99 pen blanks from PSI. The reviews on their website are mixed, but I tend not to trust reviews on the actual seller's site, as they have license to delete any they don't like.

I prefer hand picking blanks, but for $1 each it is tempting. However the only time I have ordered blanks from PSI I was dissapointed in the quality compared to blanks of the same species I had gotten elsewhere. But, since I only ordered from them once I can't say that is or isn't the norm.

 

[Andrew_K99]

A few things to consider ... They are 5/8" square, you can't use them for all pens and drilling may be difficult. Unless you make a lot of pens to sell you probably won't want to make 9 from the same plain wood blanks (x11 varieties).

If it were me, I would spend the same on ±20 blanks that'll show a lot better.

Just my 2¢

AK

 

[pianomanpj]

A few things to consider ... They are 5/8" square, you can't use them for all pens and drilling may be difficult. Unless you make a lot of pens to sell you probably won't want to make 9 from the same plain wood blanks (x11 varieties).

If it were me, I would spend the same on ±20 blanks that'll show a lot better.

Just my 2¢

AK

+1 on what Andrew said. There's a reason that they're only a dollar a blank and sold in bulk. I'm not saying that they're junk, but they're nothing special either.

 

[Justturnin]

yepers, that a lot of the same thing and small. You will sure be limited on the kits you can make unless you are drill spot on then you may add 3-4 more kits.

 

[NotURMailman]

Thanks, that's what I wanted to hear. I'll pass.

 

[sbell111]

My experience with blank packs like that is that a quarter of them sell pretty good and the rest are table fillers.

 

[LagniappeRob]

I've never tried the PSI set... but I do have an order in at CSUSA for their 50 blank "Premium assortment" pack for $40. They are also 5/8" (minimum). Did it on a bit of a whim, I need to do a few matched Slim/Trim pen/pencil sets as well as stylus and stylus/slimlines.

Assortment may include but is not limited to: Tiger Striped Myrtle, Eucalyptus Burl, Figured Ash, Figured Poplar, Lignum Vitae, Madrone Burl, Fiddleback Catalpa, Acrylic Ivory/Horn, Pau Ferro, Fiddleback Maple, Pau Rosa

Turners Choice Premium Pen Blank Assortment 50 Pack | Pen Making | Craft Supplies USA

I'll update when it arrives if anyone's interested.

 

[sbell111]

I noticed that Woodcraft has their 50-pack on sale for $19.99 from 11/23 to 12/24.

 

[dankc908]

I don't usually buy a lot of wooden pen blanks. It is more cost effective and better quality to buy a board and cut my own blanks. I, also, have the ability to cut in such a way as to maximize the use of 'grain' in my turnings.

Dan

 

[LagniappeRob]

I noticed that Woodcraft has their 50-pack on sale for $19.99 from 11/23 to 12/24.

Dang, I missed that!! Those are 3/4" Linked for the lazy: Buy Mostly Exotic Pen Blank Assortment 50-piece at Woodcraft.com

Edit - and where to get the Black Friday pricing for sale items: http://www.woodcraft.com/offers/blackfriday.aspx

 

[Ulises Victoria]

Well my package of 99 blanks is scheduled to arrive in 2 more days. I thought its a great value for your money. I surely won't use them all in my next turning session, but I am sure to have a nice supply of wood for many months to come.
I of course use other woods for my top of the line pens.

 

[plantman]

Take a look at griffin exotic woods. Jim S

 

[Rodnall]

I ordered a smaller pack. there were some nice blanks but then there were some very plain pieces I may not ever use.

 

[flippedcracker]

I bought the pack, and it was perfect for what I was looking for. There's definitely some plain stuff, but also some good stuff. But if you're looking for bigger stuff, or only "interesting" stuff, look elsewhere.

 

[TerryDowning]

You can always the plain ones and extras that won't make it into pens into a bowl.

http://www.tahoeturner.com/instructions/pdf/penblankbowl.pdf

 

[NotURMailman]

I noticed that Woodcraft has their 50-pack on sale for $19.99 from 11/23 to 12/24.

Dang, I missed that!! Those are 3/4" Linked for the lazy: Buy Mostly Exotic Pen Blank Assortment 50-piece at Woodcraft.com

Edit - and where to get the Black Friday pricing for sale items: Black Friday Deals at Woodcraft!

That's a much better deal. Where did you see that the sale goes on until 12/24?

 

[yaroslaw]

If you buy any "Pack" from PSI, be prepared to have full table of unknown wood. They do not mark wood, and often they change species and you are getting not the wood in description (and again, you would never know, WHAT wood).

I've had 12 Exotics pack from them, most of the wood I've already figured out after long research and two samples are still mystery. 3 out of six types in description where something else.
Also, 10pack cocobolo from PSI doesn't look good, still have half of that pack, PSI cocobolo is of really low quality.

 

[mdm0829]

Good luck with them. I don't buy anything from PSI since they refused to admit a mistake and told me to take my business elsewhere. I used to get their catalog to see what was there so I could order from one of their resellers, but I haven't received one in a while, even though I have requested one. The last time I checked, the BBB had assigned them an F rating.

 

[navycop]

I noticed that Woodcraft has their 50-pack on sale for $19.99 from 11/23 to 12/24.

This is what I got when I first started just to practice on.

 

[Ulises Victoria]

I often find myself looking for some cheap wood to make inserts or small segments, where the quality of the wood is non important, so if this package has fine and not so fine wood, that's OK with me.

 

[LagniappeRob]

I noticed that Woodcraft has their 50-pack on sale for $19.99 from 11/23 to 12/24.

Dang, I missed that!! Those are 3/4" Linked for the lazy: Buy Mostly Exotic Pen Blank Assortment 50-piece at Woodcraft.com

Edit - and where to get the Black Friday pricing for sale items: Black Friday Deals at Woodcraft!

That's a much better deal. Where did you see that the sale goes on until 12/24?

It's 11/26 from what I've seen... FYI it's available to buy at that price NOW - a day early.

Plus check out the banner - $10 off $25 (non-sale items). Picked it, the 10 pack of "Cobalt Gold" (WTH is that?)solid clip slimlines, and a some bottle stopper blanks for $66 shipped (reg $116 + shipping).

 

[mmoncur]

I ordered the "mostly exotic" assortment from Woodcraft yesterday (too lazy to go to the actual store and fight the crowds today.) I'll post about it when it arrives.

 

[ed4copies]

Hey guys!!

Even if I buy 1000 blanks, SOME are very plain. In a large buy you are likely to pay more than $1 a blank!! So, the "plain janes" need a home, too.

The 100 pack looks like a good way to sell them.

FWIW,

Ed

 

[NotURMailman]

I went ahead and ordered two of the packs from WoodCraft. I figured it can't be too bad for 100 blanks delivered for less than $50.

 

[PTsideshow]

Bought a pack when I went by WC store today, will take a pic in the morning. Looks to be a nice assortment for practice for the turner. You could get 150 blanks for the regular price!
:clown:

 

[bwftex]

As most of us do I love fine woods with with interesting features but a plain piece of wood can still make a beautiful pen. I've had good luck with pens from ordinary wood, solid acrylics, and some out of things like alternate ivory and very plain deer antler.

I had a few very bland looking left over BOW blanks from an order when I first started making pens. So I decided to make myself a pen with one using a chrome new series kit that had a small scratch on the cap. It was was finished with BLO and CA. The BLO in this case helped make bland into beautiful when mated with the simple graceful profile of the kit. I've had some nice comments on the pen and several "how much can you make me one like that for?" type questions. Simple, understated elegant pens work well in the product lines for the likes of Pelican and Mont Blanc so I figure they should work us too.

Anyway there is a place for a well finished plain piece of wood coupled with metal parts that complement or contrast well with it. Those bulk packs of blanks may very well be a bargain and the plain blanks left over do not necessarily have to be set aside or be reserved for only low end pens. The appeal and look of a piece of wood when finished often has much or more to do with the craftsman's plan for it than the wood itself.

 

[PTsideshow]

This is what was in my bundle, I have little knowledge of fine woods other than some of the more common ones . I will sort it out later. It was two of their 25 blank bundles banded together, separate banding on mine.

Not bad for .3998¢ each
I am happy with the assortment. As I have been buying exotics when WC has them on sale, and from the pound pallet when they have something interesting.I figure that there will be a number of members of the local IAP that can help me out at meetings. Since I am only sure of SFP, MDF, plywood, balsa some of the soft carving woods, oak etc.
:clown:

 

[PTsideshow]

I was at WC again today because in the flyer that I got Saturday, they had the Nova live center system on sale MT2 mount and 6 assorted points SKU 148539 it has 3 bearings and a hoillow center for lamp drilling. $13.00 bucks off the regular price!

They also still had some of the 50 blanks bundles at the sale price still available.
:clown:

 

[stonepecker]

Thanks for the photos PT....That helped us alot to decide to place an order.
We need blanks to pratice on and can use the plain ones for that. Also, the son can use them for making pens for his friends on the cheap. We ordered 2 packs.

We think this was a great buy for the beginner.

 

[PTsideshow]

The bundles they put out since Saturday had a couple more of the colored woods in them for the price, I bought another bundle. I figure as you say for practice I can screw all 100 up at the price. The plain ash or other white woods will be used for playing with dyes etc.
:clown:

 

[bigevilgrape]

If you buy any "Pack" from PSI, be prepared to have full table of unknown wood. They do not mark wood, and often they change species and you are getting not the wood in description (and again, you would never know, WHAT wood).

Thats what I got with the pack from woodcraft. I got it to help me learn, which is fine, but now I have a bunch of blanks and no idea what anything is

 

[sbell111]

I noticed that Woodcraft has their 50-pack on sale for $19.99 from 11/23 to 12/24.

Dang, I missed that!! Those are 3/4" Linked for the lazy: Buy Mostly Exotic Pen Blank Assortment 50-piece at Woodcraft.com

Edit - and where to get the Black Friday pricing for sale items: Black Friday Deals at Woodcraft!

That's a much better deal. Where did you see that the sale goes on until 12/24?

It was stated in their mailed ad.

 

[NotURMailman]

I figure it out. UPS says they are at my front door right now...

 

[LagniappeRob]

Personally I liked the CSUSA pack better. Each blank was numbered and a legend sheet was included. The woodcraft came as a bunch of wood with no marking whatsoever.

I'll post pics of both packs tomorrow in the light.

 

[bigevilgrape]

A small sampling of the two packs I got from woodcraft.



DSC_0021.jpg by bigevilgrape, on Flickr


DSC_0025.jpg by bigevilgrape, on Flickr

I picked though the packs they had for the ones with the most red colored blanks. Does anyone have a good resource for identifying cut wood? I have plenty of books on identifying trees while they are still standing... to bad they don't help here

 

[mmoncur]

That looks very similar to my Woodcraft assortment. The red ones are probably Padauk but I haven't identified any others yet...

 

[bigevilgrape]

That was my guess on the red ones too, the yellow I might go out on a limb and guess yellow heart.

 

[yaroslaw]

The most comprehensive source for identifying wood: HobbitHouse Wood ID site

 

[Ulises Victoria]

Does anyone have a good resource for identifying cut wood? I have plenty of books on identifying trees while they are still standing... to bad they don't help here

This book is Hard cover, and is stored in an included hard box. It's 800 pages of first class shiny heavy paper, full of photos. The book shows at the left page the Latin and common name of the wood, the family and a full description of it in English German and French, and the opposite shows 3 photos of the wood: a Transverse, a Radial and a Tangent section of the wood.
At 26+ dollars it's an incredible value.
Only drawback, it's for American woods only.

The Woodbook: The Complete Plates (Taschen 25th Anniversary) (German Edition): Romeyn B Hough: 9783822838181: Amazon.com: Books

 

[PTsideshow]

Here is a steal of a deal,WOOD: Identification & Use - HamiltonBook.com

They only ship to the US. Book is great but the best part is they have it reduced to $9.95 a savings of $20.00. they also have a number of other books on wood working and DVD's on turning and such. The Shipping charges are $3.50 per order plus $0.40 per item. Great book!

World woods in color, by William A Lincoln ISBN 0-941936-20-1, Linden Publishing. Another great one lots of info and clear great photo's.
Amazon may be good for used books but don't limit yourself try the site below. It is world wide and most of the major book dealers and sellers on the internet. I have found some great deals as some sellers think because it is old it is worth a lot of money!
AddALL Used and Out of Print book search

If you would like to see if it is in a library near you then this may be the site for you.
WorldCat.org: The World's Largest Library Catalog
If your library, is a member it's content will be listed. Don't forget to check if your local library has a lend agreement with state colleges, universities and large libraries.

The website in a previous post is also a great source!
:clown: