How long?

[bikeshooter]

I'm working on some more spalted oak blanks and want to be careful not to waste more than necessary. How long should I cut these 3/4" square blanks?

Thanks,
David Womack

 

[bensoelberg]

Are they for your own personal use or are you going to offer them to others? If they are for you, it would depend on what style of pen you wanted to make, if you're going to make some Zen's or long clicks for example you wouldn't have to cut them as long as you would for Cigar's. If you are not sure what you will use them for 5.25 inches seems to be fairly standard.

 

[bikeshooter]

Are they for your own personal use or are you going to offer them to others? If they are for you, it would depend on what style of pen you wanted to make, if you're going to make some Zen's or long clicks for example you wouldn't have to cut them as long as you would for Cigar's. If you are not sure what you will use them for 5.25 inches seems to be fairly standard.

These will be offered on this site - after a fly off, I no longer use a lathe.

Thank you,
David

 

[bikeshooter]

Does cutting to 5 1/4" leave any room for error for the turner?

 

[Andrew_K99]

Does cutting to 5 1/4" leave any room for error for the turner?

Some, but not a huge amount. That size will for for 99.9% of the kits out there.

AK

 

[Justturnin]

The norm is 5.25" mostly dictated by a Small Falt Rate Box. This will fit most to all kits, I can't think of one it wont. Now if you are cutting them for Sale I would do this size but be aware, you need to waste. When I cut my blanks for sale I look for the best blank not the most blanks. I have cut a blank right out of the middle of an 11" long blank to get one nice blank instead of two blanks w/ only 50% nice. I keep the rest for my own use and for practicing my casting or dying or burning or what ever I am doing. Now if they are for yourself, dont cut them down. My personal collection has many blanks still their original length. I cut out what I want when I need it, again sometimes cutting right out of the middle.


One last note, I HIGHLY recommend you up the blank to a minimum of 7/8". Try drilling a 13mm hole in a 3/4" blank and you will understand. Cutting them to 3/4" will cut the number of kits that blank will be compatable with. It's like 5/8" blanks only work on 7mm pens for the most part. Same idea w/ 3/4" but 7/8-15/16 is the way to go. When I cut my blanks I set the BS blade to 1" on the outside of the cut. This leaves a 15/16" blank. If it moves I clean it up to 7/8" if not I leave it at 15/16". If you do this and are looking to sell get yourself some padded flat rate envelopes and a lot of packaging tape, as you will only be able to get a few blanks in a small flat rate box.


One last last note, if you are cutting straight grain wood consider Cross Cutting it. You will change to look of the blanks and a cross cut blank has a nice chatoyency that a straight cut will not.


Just a few of my own personal opinions so dont hold them against me......

 

[ironman123]

How Long

What Chris said. I bought some 5/8 Round predrilled blanks and boy was I limited to what I could make.

Ray