Red flame Boxelder question

[treeturner1962]

Hi,

My first time working with red flame boxelder NON-stabilized and I noticed something in the blank.

It turned very easily and left some nice contrasting colors of red and cream colors on the blank with some very slight GREY lines throughout. As I continued to sand finer and finer, more grey showed up and became more pronounced. It looks ok, but just not as I had envisioned with the original blank.
I guess my question is...... Is that normal in flame Boxelder or is there a problem with my finishing/sanding technique? Thank you for the help.

JOhn

 

[Monty]

First let me welcome you to the black hole (that's what all your money will be disappearing into).
The grey is most likely fine metal particles from sanding your bushings. Either get you some delrin bushings made for when you sand, remove the bushings before sanding (mandreless turning) or be careful not to sand the bushings.

 

[treeturner1962]

Thank You for the help, I think you are absolutely right.

Oh Yeah, pen blanks..... it seems I collect more and more than I even have for pen kits... must be a disease or something

John

 

[1080Wayne]

John
Grey and red frequently coexist in box elder . Wayne

 

[jkeithrussell]

John
Grey and red frequently coexist in box elder . Wayne

That's what I was thinking too. As you sanded down further, you could have simply exposed more of a natural grey line. Wipe the blank down with acetone or scrub it with steel wool. If it cleans up, the problem was your sanding. If it doesn't, then it's just the natural colors of the blank.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

You do know that the red flame turns brown within a year or two.

 

[JerrySambrook]

If you bleach the box elder with two part wood bleach, the grey gets lighter, the white stays whiter, and the red stands out more, and does not turn brown as quickly. Also, CA and many oils will usually make unbleached box elder turn yellowish.

These are tricks I learned from a couple of old-timers.

Jerry

 

[treeturner1962]

Thanks, I feel a little bit better, as I was very careful the second time around as still found the grey areas.

 

[treeturner1962]

Oh No, I was hoping it would stay more or less the same color ;( Thanks for telling me, I had no idea. I am just too inexperienced to know these things

 

[hewunch]

The pink is affected (negatively) by UV light. So, keep it out of the sun

 

[Midi]

Brown....?

You do know that the red flame turns brown within a year or two.

I have a beautiful piece of flame box elder that I have already turned and waxed. Do you recommend BLO and CA - would that stop the brown?

Thanks -Midi