Nothing to see here, it's just red oak!!!

[CharlesH]

JUST KIDDING! :biggrin:

Hey guys,

This has to be one of the most difficult piece of wood I worked with so far. It is extremely spalted red oak with bug some bug trail and punky spots.

Colors range from orange, green, really striking spalting lines, frankly I never liked oak but this one is something else!

I'd rather work with non-stabilized wood, so I applied thin CA between cuts and I took extra time to make it, well worth the effort and it is a keeper. I included a macro shot of the grain, look how wonderful this wood is.

20 something coats of medium CA with lots of sanding to make a glass like finish.

Thanks for looking and clicky the thumbnails for a bigger picture.

Charles

 

[firewhatfire]

Looks pretty good for just a plain ol piece of Red Oak.

 

[Drstrangefart]

There's a piece of timber that truly lives up to the finish. I had a random idea. Try gluing up a stack of playing cards into a blank and then turn it and nail a finish on it. It'll probably be a pretty boring blank, just a vehicle for the finish.

 

[McBryde]

Charles that looks dang good! Too bad that wasn't one of the good looking pieces, LOL.

E

 

[boxerman]

Wow nice looking pen.

 

[ed4copies]

Charles, it deserves a better name, so, if you try to sell the pen, list it as very figured, spalted Quercus borealis. Now, the "borealis" will bring to mind the northern lights, so your potential customer is thinking "great beauty" rather than "common wood".

It's a beautiful pen!!

 

[Tom D]

Beautiful piece of wood and a great finish.

 

[CharlesH]

Charles, it deserves a better name, so, if you try to sell the pen, list it as very figured, spalted Quercus borealis. Now, the "borealis" will bring to mind the northern lights, so your potential customer is thinking "great beauty" rather than "common wood".

It's a beautiful pen!!

The title was sarcasm and the point was to catch people's curiosity.

Thanks for the latin name, I would never have thought of this.

C

 

[islandturner]

Who would ever have believed that red oak could look like that. It almost seems like you can see down into it. Your's has to be the nicest CA finish I've ever seen ...

Steve

 

[CharlesH]

Who would ever have believed that red oak could look like that. It almost seems like you can see down into it. Your's has to be the nicest CA finish I've ever seen ...

Steve

You can actually see the cells! I could look at wood like this for days, Nature does things to a level human cannot match. How can I not make the nicest finish with such a pretty and tortured piece of wood?!

C

 

[MartinPens]

Another glassy wonderful pen. How you manage to get your hands on such awesome blanks is amazing. I have a couple from you that I'm hoping to turn into some nice double closed-end pens.

Would you be willing to post photos that don't have the background in black and white?

Regards,

 

[CharlesH]

Another glassy wonderful pen. How you manage to get your hands on such awesome blanks is amazing. I have a couple from you that I'm hoping to turn into some nice double closed-end pens.

Would you be willing to post photos that don't have the background in black and white?

Regards,

I can't wait to see the afzelia burl.

I just look on a daily basis for woods, I send mails here and there. I am obsessed with pretty woods, they are simply attracted to me.

I could change the way I take pictures, on the other hand it's my distinctive style and you would be distracted by my messy shop.

During the summer I take non b&w background photos. I should get a tripod, a non point and shoot camera, a light tent... I am just lazy and I'd rather spend my time and money on pretty woods! ;-)

C

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2.

 

[Florida Marine]

When I was hunting yesterday I was hanging in over the most burl ridden tree I have ever seen, it was a red oak...had me pondering what it would look like. There were 5 burls up the entire trunk of the tree and it was tied in with another tree where they leaned into each other.

I have a bunch of spalted oak in the firewood pile...didn't think it was worth messing with. Looks good.

 

[SDB777]

It's the crosscut.....makes any wood go crazy(but it is a PITA to work with, unless your patient and have plenty of thin CA to put on between turning slowly)....which you did if I read correctly.


Your finishes are truly inspiring. That's for showing us mortals how it's done:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:






Scott (I like the topic title...catchy) B

 

[CharlesH]

Yesssss I am masochist and I ordered more of that wood!

Regarding the finish, just trying my best!

C

It's the crosscut.....makes any wood go crazy(but it is a PITA to work with, unless your patient and have plenty of thin CA to put on between turning slowly)....which you did if I read correctly.


Your finishes are truly inspiring. That's for showing us mortals how it's done:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:






Scott (I like the topic title...catchy) B

 

[glen r]

Very nice pen and a beautiful finish to go with it. Love all the colors in the wood.

 

[BW Design Works]

Awesome

wow Charles! Great looking pen. I got some blanks from Emerson as well and they are nice. I turned one for my brother in law and had a hard time putting it in a gift box for him. The darn thing wanted to go straight to my pocket :tongue:.

Very nice work though! You get such a great finish on your pens.

 

[McBryde]

Charles and Bryon, you are both doing that wood I sent you a great service with the caliber of pens and finishes you are making and putting on them. They look GREAT!

Emerson