A Christmas gift surprise and Mr. A game #48...!

[edicehouse]

George I am sitting her literally laughing about your response.....

 

[robutacion]

George I am sitting her literally laughing about your response.....

Good, a good laugh is good for the soul...!

PS: I just noticed this, can you use that many "good" words in such a small sentence...?? holly molly...!:biggrin:

George

 

[robutacion]

Hi folks,

The 24th is coming as the closing date to put your name down for this Christmas offer, I'm still waiting for the postal details from the last member part of this gift and he, Csteck00 makes number 41 of the names of this list so I hope he reads his PM's soon and get it over with so that I can post his box.

On another issue, I may need to remind everybody particularly those that put their names down that on the 24th, one number/name is going to be pulled out of the magic safety heat as last time, this is the Mr. A game #48 for December incorporated with the Christmas offer, resulting in the normal AU$100 voucher for the winner of the name pulled from the hat that will also be receiving the 10 blanks gift surprise so, someone will have a great Christmas with these 2 prices...!

Who will be that lucky person...?:biggrin::wink:

The boxes should be getting close to being delivered.

Good luck everybody...!

Cheers
George

 

[whickman]

I'm in and surprise me. Wishing you and yours a merry Christmas and a happy new year and 2018.


Sent from my iPad using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[robutacion]

And the winner is..?

Merry Christmas everybody, the 24th is over, its 15 minutes past midnight so today is the 25th.

I'm going to make this short and sweet and I believe most of you have other things to do than being in front of a monitor and as promised, one of the 42 members that participated in my Christmas Gift surprise would be drawn as the winner of Mr A. #48 game and the number that was drawn was #7 (number of entry) and this number belongs to lorbay congratulations Lin you are the winner of AU$100.00 voucher from George's Bits of Timber.

As for the parcels from the Christmas Gift, the 40 out 42 have been posted last week as advised, the last 2 are yet to be posted (holiday) but the will, soon...!

Thank you very much for all that contributed/participated in my offer, is was done in appreciation to ALL IAP members in particular to those that have been helping me and Merissa these last few years, our sincere thank you...!

Hope Santa is kind to you all...!

Cheers
George

 

[Edgar]

Thanks, George - Merry Christmas to you and Merida.

And congratulations, Lin!

 

[lorbay]

Oh my. I am still in shock I have never won a $100 gift certificate before. Thank you so much George and a Merry Christmas to you and Merissa and to all on IAP and wishing you all a very prosperous New Year.
Lin

 

[MRDucks2]

Congrats, Lin. Now comes the hard part, picking the blanks from George's amazing selection.


Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app

 

[greenacres2]

Congratulations Lin!!

And...Thanks George. Merry Christmas to you and your Bride!!
earl

 

[Scissortail Pens]

Congrats Lin!!

 

[Jeremymc98]

George,

New Turner and new to the forum and I'd love to enjoy your generous Christmas gift. Surprise me with anything and I'll return a pen as a token of your kindness. Can you on me how best to pay you. Lastly, I assume shipping to the states is available?

PayPal sent. Have a blessed xmas

 

[robutacion]

George,

New Turner and new to the forum and I'd love to enjoy your generous Christmas gift. Surprise me with anything and I'll return a pen as a token of your kindness. Can you on me how best to pay you. Lastly, I assume shipping to the states is available?

G'day Jeremy and Merry Christmas.

Thank you for your kind words and welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately for you, this offer has ended yesterday at midnight (Australian time), shipping to the USA is common practice 41 out of the 42 members that participated in this now ended offer were from the USA and 1 from Canada so shipping is not an issue.

While I try to make it fair to everybody and be firm with "ending times" to everything I organize, I understand that some of you with the best intentions have simply missed the opportunity to participate and in the spirit of Christmas, I will offer you an AU$25.00 gift voucher that you can claim at my web-store anytime within 90 days.

I will send you a PM next with the code and instructions.:biggrin:

Cheers
George

 

[Rchan63]

Hi George

I received my package today and the blanks looks fantastic. There're are some interesting wood and can't wait till I turn a few.
Thanks again

Richard

 

[robutacion]

Hi George

I received my package today and the blanks looks fantastic. There're are some interesting wood and can't wait till I turn a few.
Thanks again

Richard

Thanks for letting me know of the parcel arrival, is great to see the parcels starting to arrive...!

Look forward to seeing some pens done with them...!:biggrin:

Cheers
George

 

[Don Rabchenuk]

Got mine package yesterday, great blanks. Thank You George.

 

[Leo S. Long]

Received your package yesterday, very pleased with my surprise package.

Thanks again

Leo S. Long

 

[edicehouse]

I have not received mine yet, but then again my wife may have them hidden from me. The last time I got a package from George I tried making her ride in the back seat of her Journey so the blanks could be in the front while I drove.....

 

[Pen Zen]

I received mine yesterday and I couldn't be happier with what I got. Thank you.

 

[BarryE]

Received the blanks today, what a beautiful selection, looking forward to turning them

Thanks for your generosity George

 

[edicehouse]

Actually got home and they were in the mail box. Awesome looking selection.

 

[robutacion]

Well, that's great new folks, there are many more to be acknowledged as received, I don't expect many to go missing but, you never know, huh...?

As for the blanks selection, apart from 2 members that made specific requests to their preferences, all other 40 boxes were filled with the exact same wood/blanks selection, unnecessary would be to say that despite all that, not 2 blanks are the same...!

Cheers
George

 

[StumpyThumb]

Got mine today as well. I can see this as a bash contest. "Stuff made from George's Christmas gift" Great selection in the box, George. Thanks again!

Eric

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

[robutacion]

Got mine today as well. I can see this as a bash contest. "Stuff made from George's Christmas gift" Great selection in the box, George. Thanks again!

Eric

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

You know, there is not such a bad idea, there are/will be 42 members with these boxes, 40 of which with identical blanks so, the idea of having each person select one of the offered blanks and make a pen, any kind of pen then having each person post a good/single pic of the pen.

This would be made in its own thread so when all pens are entered, I will create a pole vote where each IAP member selects the pen he/she likes the most, votes will determine who the winner will be and with it, an AU$100.00 gift voucher from my web-store.

I will be willing to get this done if the majority of the members that received the parcels are willing to participate so please, let me know here what you think...!:biggrin:

Thanks Eric for providing the initial idea...!:wink:

Cheers
George

 

[g8trbone]

I would be interested in participating in the bash. It would be my first one but with the kindness George has shown with this awesome opportunity, I am all for paying it forward.

I am now anxiously awaiting my package to arrive, but seeing how some are landing now, I can only imagine it will arrive very soon.


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[MRDucks2]

The blanks you sent me are in hand. Thanks George!


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[greenacres2]

My box arrived today as well--thanks George!! The pine "Knot Special" sure looks like a challenge--cross-cut with a rock hard (but very stable looking) 2" knot in the center. Don't know if I can hold my breath long enough to turn it in one session!!

I'd be in for a bash. There is definitely great material to work with!!
earl

 

[robutacion]

My box arrived today as well--thanks George!! The pine "Knot Special" sure looks like a challenge--cross-cut with a rock hard (but very stable looking) 2" knot in the center. Don't know if I can hold my breath long enough to turn it in one session!!

I'd be in for a bash. There is definitely great material to work with!!
earl

I wouldn't call it "bash" IAP has already and annual Bash contest that is part of the IAP calendar so, it would be incorrect to use that name, in my view, off-course.

As for the "knot special" #58 Norfolk Pine, they are part of a series of blanks I processed from some Norfolk Pine tree logs that I found at the local firewood process plant in June 2016. Among them were some very large logs that I sliced discs to harvest the knotted areas only, some of these discs were 4' wide so I single cut the slices about 1' wide with the knots all at its centre (multiple branches coming out from the tree at the same level) the rest was cut up as firewood for the plant owner.

There are knots exceeding 6" in diameter going into the timber/trunk wood almost to the centre/pith but getting narrower as it gets deeper


so, was not difficult for me to harvest pieces that allow me to cut a full-size pen blanks all of solid knot material and everything in between.

These are not those but, some cut from a slice that had nice spalting and smaller knots, all seem fairly firm.

I will next show so pics from 2012 and a very small tree that I asked to remove;


In fact, when the tree is freshly cut any cuts in the tree (trunk/limbs) bleed considerably for some time, a white and very gooey stuff that is hard to clean from your hands and clothes (resin)


but these logs have been cut and stored outside for many years before they were reached for firewood processing so, all the gooey was gone.

When the blanks from that first smaller tree became available so folks have made identical observations as yourself about the possible usability of such blanks so, and not wanting to waste a full-size blank, I had plenty of shorts so I grabbed 2 pieces, one with the knot running along the grain and the other cross the grain, glued them together and turned it with identical shape as a pen, finished with CA and this is how it looked (all 4 faces);



Take your time, be careful, use sharp tools, the rest will happen...!:biggrin::wink:

Cheers
George

 

[Don Rabchenuk]

I would be up for the challenge.

 

[greenacres2]

Great pictures George, and excellent to know the history of the blank. When I took that Norfolk from the box, I told Sue it would be a "sharp & slow" turn--which works as I am normally slow anyway!!
earl

 

[robutacion]

Great pictures George, and excellent to know the history of the blank. When I took that Norfolk from the box, I told Sue it would be a "sharp & slow" turn--which works as I am normally slow anyway!!
earl

Well, not so much the history of the blank as the ones I recently posted are from a different tree, much bigger and much older, however, they are the same tree species and knot composition wouldn't differ that much.

Sometimes I forget to mention important details about stuff (old age) what I mean is, I should have mentioned the possibility of using the "flap disk system" if you want to be on the safe side, after all, this is what I have always said from day one and this system, delicate or difficult blanks to handle/turning have better chances with the flap disc, this doesn't mean, is the only system to use, weight your options and you and only you decided how you want to approach it, simple...!

Cheers
George

 

[napagibb]

George
Mine arrived yesterday. They look great
Thanks
Steve

 

[edicehouse]

Got mine today as well. I can see this as a bash contest. "Stuff made from George's Christmas gift" Great selection in the box, George. Thanks again!

Eric

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Now this is funny. I messaged George with that idea, and then caught up on the thread and saw this.

Well, I've thought you knew of it reason I told you what I did but in the end, your idea is slightly different concept than this one something that I may endup doing both types in due time but for now, I hope everybody holds the blanks they got a few more days to allow me to work out what I will be doing as a contest.

Cheers
George

 

[alankulwicki7]

Haven't received my blanks yet but anxiously waiting!

 

[robutacion]

Haven't received my blanks yet but anxiously waiting!

Yeah mate, I don't think is a reason to panic, they will get there very soon...!:biggrin:

Cheers
George

 

[Rolandranch]

I just came across this thread and want to say what a kind and generous offer this is! I'm sure everyone is/will be thrilled with their blanks and I've already seen some nice pens made from them. Hope you have a very happy new year Mr. Valentine!

 

[Karl_99]

Received my package of blanks today...Thank you!

 

[Rounder]

Received my package today George. Very nice blanks. I am impressed and really appreciate your kind offer to the people of IAP. You are GREAT example of what this website is about. Thanks again kind sir!!!

 

[Imaginethat]

George, received the blanks yesterday, they're great. I love the wood blanks and learning about the wood from Australia. Now I have to get busy and turn some pens. Been out of the shop for a while old age has crept up on me and slowed me down. Anyway looking forward to creating some good looking pens.

Thanks again

 

[gimpy]

Received mine today, Fantastic I will attempt to get in the shop. Wife went to Fiesta Bowl, this will give me some time.

Thanks George

 

[edicehouse]

Haven't received my blanks yet but anxiously waiting!

They were mailed to Suffolk VA