Drcal
Member
I ruined a total of about $25 worth of jumbo blanks today.
I am a somewhat experienced pen maker but I have only made Slimlines, Euros, Cigars and Sierras. Today, I was trying to turn a Statesman.
I got through everything just fine until I tried turning the blanks. Before I went to the lathe, I knocked off the edges for roughing and sharpened my roughing gouge. I got the same results with all three blanks: chunks came off, some big enough to expose the brass tube. I could never round the blanks. I tried 3 blanks---2 were Amboyna burl and one was Thuya burl. I have turned both woods before and had some trouble with Thuya but not Amboyna. All three blanks were stabilized.
Tomorrow I plan to try a dyed boxelder burl blank from Bill at Arizona Sil. Any advice? Sure would appreciate it.
Carmen
I am a somewhat experienced pen maker but I have only made Slimlines, Euros, Cigars and Sierras. Today, I was trying to turn a Statesman.
I got through everything just fine until I tried turning the blanks. Before I went to the lathe, I knocked off the edges for roughing and sharpened my roughing gouge. I got the same results with all three blanks: chunks came off, some big enough to expose the brass tube. I could never round the blanks. I tried 3 blanks---2 were Amboyna burl and one was Thuya burl. I have turned both woods before and had some trouble with Thuya but not Amboyna. All three blanks were stabilized.
Tomorrow I plan to try a dyed boxelder burl blank from Bill at Arizona Sil. Any advice? Sure would appreciate it.
Carmen