PSI Red Oak Pen Blanks

[oneleggimp]

PSI has a "deal" on Northern Red Oak Pen Blanks. 100 for $69.95 with free shipping. Has anybody bought these? What were they like? Worth the money?

I'm thinking "TANSTAAFL" (There Aint No Such Thing As a Free Lunch) but I have been pleasantly surprised with their Bethlehem Olivewood Offcuts so maybe this is okay as well but 100 red oak blanks is a lot of red oak to me.

Inquiring minds want to know????

 

[Skie_M]

Oak is a decent hardwood, and it can have beautiful grain patterns ....


The problem is that this is an open grain structure, that WILL require filling to achieve a smooth surface.


Take this pen, for example ...

It's made of oak, which was then ebonized. In order to get a smooth enough surface to apply the thin blue line decal I made, I had to apply 8 coats of CA. You can STILL see the grain of the wood in the barrels, and there are some places that aren't level with the rest of the surface of the pen.


On the other hand, if you prefer a nice "wood grain feel" ... it's hard to beat oak for that. It's common, easy to identify, and is quite durable. You may even choose to leave it unfinished, and let it weather and stain naturally in the hands.

 

[jcm71]

100 blanks of any wood is quite a bit. Try going down to your lumber yard or even Lowe's or HD. Pick out a small piece of scrap and make your own blanks. Turn one or two to see if you like it before investing in 100 of them.

 

[hanau]

Thats what sbout 8 bdft of oak
think that would be around $20 or less.
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=271986455612&alt=web

 

[mark james]

Hi Ernie:

Just another option for you!

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f156/gift-pen-blanks-postage-134762/

PM me if interested.

Mark

 

[TurtleTom]

I've learned a lot about red oak this year. A huge limb fell from a friend's tree which I cabbaged onto. It is the most used oak for furniture in the USA because of it's low cost compared to the white oaks.
It spalts easily and I actually have some pink spalting in some of mine.
Skie was understating when he said it had an open grain structure. A bowl made of unfinished red oak will empty itself of water through the open pores. I've had good luck filling the open pores with CA before the last skew pass.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I've learned a lot about red oak this year. A huge limb fell from a friend's tree which I cabbaged onto. It is the most used oak for furniture in the USA because of it's low cost compared to the white oaks.
It spalts easily and I actually have some pink spalting in some of mine.
Skie was understating when he said it had an open grain structure. A bowl made of unfinished red oak will empty itself of water through the open pores. I've had good luck filling the open pores with CA before the last skew pass.

I don't have a vacuum chuck system, but made up a home made one using my shop vacuum... you can't vacuum chuck red oak, unless you can seal the pores some. I tried, it don't work.