I suppose something had to happen...

[MDWine]

Sooner or later.

Here's the history...

Wood came from an old chair, someone gave it to me. I thought I would grind it up for practice, at the very least.

When I got past the finish, it looked interesting enough, so I thought I would make a pen out of it for her. (Her husband is getting me some nice fruit woods from a farm he knows... good PR!)

So, I turned the dowel, sanded to 800, put some cellulose sealer on it, and it captured the dark color of the sand paper...

Hmmmmmm... OK, I started sanding all over again, 150, 220, 320, 400, 600, 800... put a light coat of sealer back on, then finished with the Master's ... I thought it looked pretty good.

Took the barrels off of the mandrel, put the pen together... still looking OK (which means I don't know if these lines were visible at that point, I didn't notice them)

I didn't see the "lines" until I got upstairs (5 minutes or so)

(picture link at bottom of message)

I'm a bit disappointed, but not devastated (really, I'll be fine, I just need a moment alone...)

I'm just wondering where these lines came from. I will say that the wood seemded to be "very" dry, seemed to be dryer than any of the pen blanks I've turned to this point.

I did a cedar pen prior to this one, and it is really neat! (Pen pics will be posted after I get two or three more done... patience please! )

comments/suggestions/opinions graciously considered

http://www.penturners.org/oldalbums/MDWine/pic12b.JPG

 

[Fred in NC]

I had it happen to me before. The wood was porous.
The lines were always at the end of the barrel where the wood is thinner, and there are voids. The voids were filled with glue and or/ finish, and maybe some sanding dust from the bushings.

 

[Old Griz]

<b>Did you wipe the blank down with mineral spirits or lacquer thinner between sanding grits like someone taught you to do... [}][][}] ... HUH HUH HUH?????</b>
Looks like an open pored wood and if you were touching the bushings while sanding, you got some metal dust into the pores...
You also mention getting the dark color of the sandpaper in the wood... DO NOT use black paper on light wood.. the sanding grit that comes off will fill the pores... I only use Klingspore rolls that are light tan color or Flintac from CSU for sanding blanks...

 

[MDWine]

YES! I did wipe them down with DNA in between.
I tried to avoid the bushings when sanding, and the dark sandpaper is all that I have at the moment. I've been looking for light paper, but not much luck thus far.

I see HUT has rolls (variety packs) that go from 300 up to 2000, I was thinking about getting those, but they don't mention color of the grit.

I'll run out to CSU and check on that too...[]
Thanks!

 

[lkorn]

Michael, Go straight to Klingspore's for sandpaper, Get the good stuff. Their "Gold" paper comes in rolls is reasonable and won't screw up your pens.

 

[DCBluesman]

Wiping with DNA or not, I'm betting it's bushing dust. That's one of the reasons I use compressed air to clean the blanks. Just my thoughts.