Things that just click ...

[Willee]

Been turning pens for about 10 years.

I always think that I know what I am doing when I start a kit but sometimes things just dont click and the pen seems flat ... boring ... uninspired.
I put together some woods that I think will knock your socks off ... and it dont!

Then when I am just goofing around with some scraps of wood along comes a pen that is just flat out stunning. What is it with wood?
In spite of my experience and judgment some of the worst looking blanks have turned into some of the most beautiful pens.
Combination's that you dont think would look good ... turn out to be spectacular.

I guess you just cant fool with mother nature after all.

I bet others have turned what they thought was going to be a so-so pen from a oh-hum blank only to find a real gem on their lathe after finishing.

 

[Brooks803]

I totally agree. I don't turn much wood but I pulled out a blank that I got from either a blank trade or somewhere here on IAP. Anyhow, I didn't think much of it but I just hoped it was a diamond in rough...well sure enough it was. I know the saying "no pics, didn't happen" so I'll have to get out the camera later, but I messed up the cap so I may ruin it trying to fix so I'll snap a couple before i try. A good rule of thumb is to always stock extra tubes of your best kits. That way you can always try out a blank without really committing it to a kit without know what it will look like. I'd love to see other peoples examples if they're willing to post them.

 

[robutacion]

Been turning pens for about 10 years.

I always think that I know what I am doing when I start a kit but sometimes things just dont click and the pen seems flat ... boring ... uninspired.
I put together some woods that I think will knock your socks off ... and it dont!

Then when I am just goofing around with some scraps of wood along comes a pen that is just flat out stunning. What is it with wood?
In spite of my experience and judgment some of the worst looking blanks have turned into some of the most beautiful pens.
Combination's that you dont think would look good ... turn out to be spectacular.

I guess you just cant fool with mother nature after all.

I bet others have turned what they thought was going to be a so-so pen from a oh-hum blank only to find a real gem on their lathe after finishing.

Absolutely Willee, and that principle doesn't apply to pen making solely, every type wood turning can reveal those GEMS if not already staring at you in the first place...!

I said this a million times and I will repeat it again, the best colours and grains are within or around voids, imperfections, flaws, natural cracks and many other natural gems "houses". A simple presence of some wood eating creatures are sufficient to add stunning effects and colours, wood contamination from many foreigner objects or other are one of the initiators of interesting results...!

Sure, not everyone likes or know how to deal with blanks that require a little imagination and filling techniques, and that extra time to make some special, and this is the reason why experiments like the ones where "worthless" bits of wood are mixed/filled with resin/colourings and other additives, have become so successful.

The same principle does apply to bigger blanks and or bigger turnings, I can honestly say that I spend more time "repairing" blanks that I select for turning, then time spent turning "clean" blanks. I have the option of either one but, my first choice are always the "challenging" ones, sometimes I succeed sometimes I don't and they disintegrate in the process but, those that make it, are indeed something else that no man or machine can ever copy...!

Cheers
George