Wood for turning pens

[sandking]

I keep spending money on blanks being new to this because I'm not sure what kind of wood is good for pens. I recently picked up some pieces of Sepel and Carribean Rosewood. Has anyone every used these before? I would like to know what they might look like.

Also is walnut good for pens? It seems like it is a very open wood, just wondering.

 

[Dario]

Sapelle is very nice...especially if it is xylay or pomelle figured.

Haven't used Caribbean Rosewood but in my experience all rosewood are worth turning.

Walnut makes great pens...I've made a few and they are among my favorites. I do use CA finish on them and all the pores are sealed that way too.

 

[sandking]

Thanks for the input. Can I ask how you seal the pores with CA. So far this is my process.

I sand with 150, 220, 330, 440 and wipe with Denatured Alcohol between. Then I move my pulleys to run at 500 RPM take some thick CA glue on a piece of paper towel and wipe on the blanks turning the headstock by hand. I then turn the machine on, and use 220 grit to sand the CA down (everyone talks about a slurry, but i find that the CA dries on my sandpaper and I can't tell if it fills the pores). I then go through to 1000 grit sandpaper and hit it with the 8000 and 12000 micro mesh pads I have.

Lastly I move the pulleys to 1200 RPM and then apply the thin CA with a paper towel. I usually put on three or four coats.

Am I doing this right?

 

[bnoles]

Joe,

Leave off the wiping with DNA and you will get better slurry.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

IMO - If you like the way the wood looks - It ok to turn it into a pen.

 

[Skye]

Originally posted by bnoles
<br />Joe,

Leave off the wiping with DNA and you will get better slurry.

But you'll also get a lot of sanding residue in the finish, wont you?

 

[wdcav1952]

Sandman,

I agree with the elimination of the DNA. Clean your blanks with compressed air. DNA can have water contamination and leave the blank with residual moisture under the CA, and ruin the finish.

With regards to the sanding slurry, try this: When you get to 400 grit paper, cut off the dust collector and let sanding dust collect on the paper. Set the lathe to the slowest speed. Put the sandpaper with the dust under the blank. Drip thin CA on the blank and sand with the "dusty" 400 grit. Move up and down the blank, making sure the entire blank gets sanded while wet with the CA. This makes the slurry, and seals the pores. Your method has problems on two accounts, in my opinion. First, the paper towel will act as an accelerant to the CA so it is partly set when you use the sandpaper. Second, the thick CA does not pick up the sanding dust and fill in the pores as well as the thin CA does.

FWIW,

 

[Dario]

Originally posted by sandking
<br />Thanks for the input. Can I ask how you seal the pores with CA. So far this is my process.

I sand with 150, 220, 330, 440 and wipe with Denatured Alcohol between. Then I move my pulleys to run at 500 RPM take some thick CA glue on a piece of paper towel and wipe on the blanks turning the headstock by hand. I then turn the machine on, and use 220 grit to sand the CA down (everyone talks about a slurry, but i find that the CA dries on my sandpaper and I can't tell if it fills the pores). I then go through to 1000 grit sandpaper and hit it with the 8000 and 12000 micro mesh pads I have.

Lastly I move the pulleys to 1200 RPM and then apply the thin CA with a paper towel. I usually put on three or four coats.

Am I doing this right?

First I don't want slurry in the pores. I want it as clear as possible.

What ever works for you is okay but here is what I do (since you asked).

Turn to size
Sand to 320
Clean with acetone or CA accelerator (I had problems with DNA)
Let dry for 5 seconds or so
Apply thin CA (once or twice) until all pores are covered. lathe running at slowest speed
Sand to bare wood (now there should be no open pores)
sand up to 400 then MM
Apply thick CA
Sand, MM and I am done.

Hope this helps

 

[sandking]

Dario,

2 questions,

1) when you apply the thick CA, is the lathe running and at what speed?
2) how many layers of thick CA do you put on?