Junk Blanks???

[rej19]

I've noticed the term "Junk Blanks" tossed around occasionally here. Being a new turning I wondered what you might consider junk. I know that sometimes ones mans trash is another mans treasure. Is anything not unusual or just common wood considered junk? By that I mean, walnut, elm, sycamore, maple etc etc that has no unusual pattern to it considered throw away, junk or practice blanks. I know you can buy boat loads of some of this type wood for very little. What your thought on what junk wood is? Or is there such a thing?

 

[Skye]

For me it would be almost all non-figured wood. Even uncommon wood, more often than not, will be considered junk wood if it's unfigured. For myself, it's all about the grain pattern.

Now, the term 'junk' is a loose term. I've used even what I consider junk (almost figureless olivewood) as a centerband because of it's creamy hue. Also, because it was only a quarter inch or so, even a very patterned wood would have lost it's appeal. So, even what I wouldn't make a whole pen from can serve in other ways.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

There's no such thing as junk wood in my shop...everything I turn has to be brought in at great expense, so it's all going to be used for something!

The only 'junk wood' is pine and cedar, as it's very very common around here...and even that gets used for bonfires and furniture!

 

[workinforwood]

You take that "junk" pine and cedar, slice it up by various angles and glue it together into some segments, you'll have a nice pen, and if you glue some walnut veneer in between you'll have an awesome pen!

 

[Wildman]

Junk blank, can mean different things to different people. Some folks think plain wood blanks are junk. They forget things can be done to turn a plain blank into something exciting. Others refer to wood blanks that give them fits as junk. Of course there are acrylic blanks that just don't have the color we thought it would have, or it turns out just plain ugly.

 

[gwilki]

It depends on the context, but frequently it refers to blanks full of voids and holes that have been pressure cast with PR to render really nice and unique looking blanks.

 

[Texatdurango]

I've noticed the term "Junk Blanks" tossed around occasionally here....

I used this term just the other day in one of my threads so allow me to explain what I meant in that context just to give you one idea.

I have been involved in several gatherings and have participated in several "blank swaps" or item swaps in general and while most participants will contribute some nice stuff, inevitably someone thinks this is a great opportunity to get rid of some of their undesirable blanks that they themselves wouldn't make a pen from and get something nice in return. I guess that's just human nature, I don't know.

In this context, "Junk blank" is one that has some flaws, cracks, very little grain, character or simply put, probably the last blank you would pick to make a pen from if you had to use up all your blanks.

This sort of thing has been happening with our local turning club and has all but wiped out our "bring back" table.

We have a table where someone brings a bowl, vase, platter, pen, etc and raffle tickets are sold. The ticket winners get to choose what to take from the table with one catch… the next month they must bring something back! Well, for a long time there were nice things being turned and won but over the past year it has gradually degraded to junk being brought back and no one wants to buy raffle tickets for junk. Our last table consisted of a few logs, a couple slim line pen kits and one or two small trinkets. Sad!

 

[greenmtnguy]

Are you refering to worthless wood. That is another thing altogether. It is wood that is unusable as it is, but stabilized, or cast in plastic makes some super blanks. Do a search for worthless wood and see what comes up.

 

[nava1uni]

I use all kinds of wood and other things. I think the term "junk" is in the eye of the turner. I use little corian samples for bands, finials; pieces of pipe for the same, other bits to use between segments for color or contrast. I think that it depends on one's imagination. I tend to not pay attention to terms, but try to envision the result I want to achieve.