Antler - beam vs. tine
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alamocdc
Member
Aside from usually being larger in diameter, the beam will have a larger marrow. Depending on the species, this could result in a less than desireable result.
sbell111
Member
It also should be noted that it depends on the look that you are going for. I've seen a number of pens that showed the marrow to terrific effect.
LabTrnr
Member
The species is more important than beam vs. tine. Elk is larger and is almost all marrow unless you use the tips. I've been fortunate to have access to reindeer which even at the beams is at most only half marrow. I haven't turned any whitetail, it's harder to find a long enough piece that is straight enough. If it's a large rack I can't bring myself to cut it up.
When you turn into the marrow you need to stabilize with CA, this then gives the antler some interesting colors. Every piece looks different and unique.
When you turn into the marrow you need to stabilize with CA, this then gives the antler some interesting colors. Every piece looks different and unique.
Sometimes the antler marrow just works, you dont allways know until you get down to it. 
hmmmmmmmmmmm..............better photo
hmmmmmmmmmmm..............better photo
JohnU
Member
Something to keep in mind, tines make a nice pen because, like above, less marrow, but if you can get a small rack with lots of stubble at the base, its nice to drill off center and get some natural antler texture in your pen surface. Another idea is to make chain pulls out of the base if its to large for pens. Ive included of a pic of that. Its one the first I made so the shape is lacking but you get the idea. I also included whitetail tine pen and elk tine pen. Elk marrow has a nice look to it as it shows through the outter antler. Remember you never know what your going to get with antler until you turn it down. Colors can be grey, red, purple, white, yellow, etc.
Dario
Member
As posted above, it all depends on the antler specie, size, and what effect you like to go for.
Tines are (almost always) smaller in diameter than the main beam. If you want the solid outer part or the natural outer stag look, go for the smaller and almost exact diameter that you can find for the project at hand (be it beam or tine).
Axis deer antlers have small vein inside and very little marrow. If you want solid white (almost ivory like) look, you can get it both from beam and tine sections. BTW, If you want that look, avoid the intersection areas where the tine branches of the beam.
Also read this post about antler straightening by boiling.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=27804
Good luck!
Tines are (almost always) smaller in diameter than the main beam. If you want the solid outer part or the natural outer stag look, go for the smaller and almost exact diameter that you can find for the project at hand (be it beam or tine).
Axis deer antlers have small vein inside and very little marrow. If you want solid white (almost ivory like) look, you can get it both from beam and tine sections. BTW, If you want that look, avoid the intersection areas where the tine branches of the beam.
Also read this post about antler straightening by boiling.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=27804
Good luck!
jskeen
Member
I will add that both axis deer and sambar deer have very dense antlers with little to no marrow almost anywhere in the antler. Elk, mule deer, whitetail and New Zealand red stag Have fairly large marrow in the beams and larger tines.
James
James
I'm fond of beam antler, I drill it off center and I like the look of marrow showing up on one part of the blank only. I find that pens that show some marrow, or better yet showing some bark, sell better than perfect surface tine antler pens. Deer hunters seem to prefer some character in the antler.
Recently I traded some pens for a large pile of corn fed, farm raised whitetale antlers. The grain fed whitetale have almost no marrow in the antlers. If these antlers had been perfect with buttons they would have been very valuable in the taxidermy trade, but they were mostly broken, mis-shaped, or otherwise not good enough; they make great pens, but they do tend to be grey, not white like a elk antler.
Recently I traded some pens for a large pile of corn fed, farm raised whitetale antlers. The grain fed whitetale have almost no marrow in the antlers. If these antlers had been perfect with buttons they would have been very valuable in the taxidermy trade, but they were mostly broken, mis-shaped, or otherwise not good enough; they make great pens, but they do tend to be grey, not white like a elk antler.
sbell111
Member
I have some antler in the garage, but I'm not sure how to feed it corn.
alamocdc
Member
You wanna see large marrow in deer antler? Check out some Fallow antler.[:0] You'll be lucky to get 1/4" of dense material aound the perimeter.