The "Unusual Material" thread

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Skye

Skye

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So, I like wood as much as the next guy......... that didnt come out right..... you know what I mean, but everyone turns wood. What are some more unusual ideas you may think might work? Snakeskin was a great idea, I saw someone turned a pinecone, corncobs are great, flattened bowling balls are great ideas. What about some new ones? Maybe skateboard wheels glued together? Pool balls? Peach pits glued? Crushed pecan shells?

What's your off the wall ideas?
 
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JimGo

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Someone did a pen made of glued-up Mountain Dew bottles. Hundreds of laminated slices of the outside of the bottle. Seemed a very time consuming task, IMHO.
 
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DFM

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Spike made a pen from a pool ball, and a pen from what he called "bouncy" ball I think.

I turned a pen from a golf ball. I occasionally use tagua nut slices as center bands, but for a Christmas present, I glued up a pen blank using tagua nuts and ebony to make mu own version of a piano pen.

I saw a pile of wine bottle corks and thought they would make an interesting pen. I think the cushion of the cork would make a comfortable grip.

There is only one limit to imagination.
 
Skye

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Badum-dum-ching! lol

How about garden hose applied like snakeskin? Hey, it doesnt have to look good, just be neat. [:p]
 
btboone

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Carbon fiber would be cool. Tough stuff to work with though. Aluminum ones can be made with normal woodworking tools. Don't try titanium with those though.[B)] There are a lot of things like fabrics, skins, or papers chat could be built up with CA glue and turned. The reconstituted stones like Tru Stone make striking pens as well. The same turning techniques apply.
 
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Mudder

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I've made pens from Coffee ground, bird seed, & tiny little seashells to name a few. The coffee pen idea was one someone had mentioned. I also know of someone who cast a pen from rice.

http://www.turtlewoodworks.com/pmggallery/hertzogkgal1.htm

Think I'll try a pen out of grits?
 
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Ryan

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I have seen an IAP member do rope. It looks pretty neat.

I am waiting for someone to do Coconut.[:D][B)]

Ryan
 
Skye

Skye

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Originally posted by Mudder
<br />I've made pens from Coffee ground, bird seed, & tiny little seashells to name a few. The coffee pen idea was one someone had mentioned. I also know of someone who cast a pen from rice.

http://www.turtlewoodworks.com/pmggallery/hertzogkgal1.htm

Think I'll try a pen out of grits?
Click to expand...

Thats the kinda stuff I'm talking about! Love the toothpicks! I'm gonna have to get off my butt and knock some of these things out. I'm thinking of all kinds of wacky stuff to put in a PR mix! [:0]
 
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leatherjunkie

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csusa has a blank made out of crushed sunflower seed hulls.
you need really sharp tools to turn this material. its very dense.
but it polishes up great. i used satin gold for hardware. forgot to take a picture of it before selling it.

csusa also has blanks made out of newsprint and soy products.
check out their website.
 
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driften

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Originally posted by btboone
<br />Carbon fiber would be cool. Tough stuff to work with though....
Click to expand...

I see a lot of high end pen companies are selling carbon fiber pens. It would be nice to do one. For a slimline maybe a carbon fiber arrow shaft would work or some other premade blank.
 
btboone

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Jeff, the proper way to do it is mold it, but I have seen graphite come in a ropelike form. It could be stretched around a mandrel and coated with CA or polyester like a snakeskin.
 
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driften

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Originally posted by btboone
<br />Jeff, the proper way to do it is mold it, but I have seen graphite come in a ropelike form. It could be stretched around a mandrel and coated with CA or polyester like a snakeskin.
Click to expand...

Normally is done like fiberglass right?
 
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smoky10

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I have made pens of aluminum, rifle shells, denim, baleing twine, knitting yarn, corn cob, antler, and banksai pod. I'm sure there are other things but I can't think of them now. Oh, also of wood and plastics. [:D][;)]
 
Skye

Skye

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Originally posted by smoky10
<br />I have made pens of aluminum, rifle shells, denim, baleing twine, knitting yarn, corn cob, antler, and banksai pod. I'm sure there are other things but I can't think of them now. Oh, also of wood and plastics. [:D][;)]
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What does the pod look like if you mill to the center? I was wondering about that myself. [?]
 
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rtparso

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I think I saw a carbon fiber pen made of an arrow. BTW as a health alert I found the following from the linked web site
http://www.midwestproducts.com/carbonfiber.htm

Helpful Hints about Using Carbon Fiber
Cutting Carbon Fiber
Avoid side cutters, as this can crush it and separate fibers! These fibers can explode into the air as very fine particles that can enter the skin and eyes. ALWAYS wear safety goggles AND gloves! Do not inhale the dust created when sawing and filing. ALWAYS use a face mask!

The use of an Abrasive Cut-Off Wheel is highly recommended.

Sanding Carbon Fiber
Goggles and a dust mask should be worn anytime you are sanding this material. Carbon Fiber dust may cause irritation to the upper respiratory tract.

Be very careful when sanding carbon fiber. Loose ends or fibers are still very strong and can easily penetrate the skin. Avoid sanding carbon fiber with a flat sheet of paper - always roll the paper up in a tube and then sand. Avoid rubbing your hand across the surface to feel for smoothness.
 
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Spike

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Originally posted by DFM
<br />Spike made a pen from a pool ball, and a pen from what he called "bouncy" ball I think.

I turned a pen from a golf ball. I occasionally use tagua nut slices as center bands, but for a Christmas present, I glued up a pen blank using tagua nuts and ebony to make mu own version of a piano pen.

I saw a pile of wine bottle corks and thought they would make an interesting pen. I think the cushion of the cork would make a comfortable grip.

There is only one limit to imagination.
Click to expand...
The pool balls work great. the bouncy ball did not.
 
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HeatherA

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A man in our turning club brought in the neatest little weed pot, about 1" tall. He wanted us to try to guess what it was made of. I thought it was that suhflower hull stuff. Turns out it was a a naturally made organic composite. It was a moose dropping! He had to use lots of CA but they are really pretty dense and dry. I guess you laminate a few together for a pen!

HeatherA
 
Skye

Skye

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Originally posted by HeatherA
<br />A man in our turning club brought in the neatest little weed pot, about 1" tall. He wanted us to try to guess what it was made of. I thought it was that suhflower hull stuff. Turns out it was a a naturally made organic composite. It was a moose dropping! He had to use lots of CA but they are really pretty dense and dry. I guess you laminate a few together for a pen!

HeatherA
Click to expand...

You shoulda said "That pot really looks like s#1t! LOL
 
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Spike

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Originally posted by Bev Polmanteer
<br />How about glueing a stack of CDs together or using a magnet for a centerband - or even making the whole pen out of magnets!
What about buttons glued together!
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I have glued togeter some cds for a cb. I havent had a chance to turn it yet. A whole pen is crasy. I was going to do 1 then i found out that it would take some were around 52 pieces of cd!
Magnets would be neat. but how?
 
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tnilmerl

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When the musician son of a friend graduated from high school, I found a place where I could purchase bulk guitar picks. Laminated 173 picks of various colors and thicknesses into a blank. It was softer than acrylic, but turned beautifully. A lot of work, but he only graduates from high school once. Now I'm worried how I'll top it when he graduates college.
 
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Rifleman1776

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Originally posted by driften
<br />
Originally posted by gerryr
<br />I've thought about leather and also feathers. How about a weinie pen?[:D]
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What "oosic"? I know many knife makes use that. It sure would be a conversation topic for the user...
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I can't tell you on a family forum what oosic is. But, let is suffice to say that collection of it makes male walrus very unhappy. [:p][;)]
 
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