Brooks Blanks

[Brooks803]

Hi Everyone! For those that don't know me my name is Jonathon Brooks and I'm the maker of the "Brooks Blanks" on ExoticBlanks. With the new vendor forums I can tell you all a little bit more about myself and how things came to be what they are today.

First a little about me…

I was born and raised in the small town of Aiken, SC. I still reside there today with my wonderful wife and 1yr old daughter.

I haven't been into pen turning for very long. I started back in Sept. 2009 and have loved every minute of it since. Growing up I would always spend the weekends at my Grandfathers house. During the day we would always be out in his woodshop. He'd be working on something and I'd be his little helper. I was much to young to do any real hands on, but I enjoyed the smell of the sawdust and being able to spend the time with him. He did some spindle work here and there, but I was always interested in the saws, lol. After he passed when I was around 10 I fell away from woodworking until I was 27. I don't remember what drew me back to it, but my wife and I decided to take a class on pen turning and got hooked instantly. The rest kinda evolved from there...

How did a Brooks Blank come to be ?

I've always had the want to be artistic, but could never find the right medium to which I could really express myself. I just wasn't happy with my work.

When I first got into pen turning I would only turn wood. I hated to turn acrylics. The Inlace would always blow up on the drill press, or on the lathe. The Acetate blanks would smell up the entire house. Plus the pen itself would have that odor for a very long time! Not to mention it was hard to find something in certain colors as well as something that is different than what everyone else was turning.

So I started to look into casting my own blanks. Everything I learned about it came from right here on the IAP. There wasn't a tutorial, or specific directions on how it was done, but enough of a basic guideline that I could build from.

Needless to say I had found the perfect medium for me :biggrin:


Failures and Success…

I never thought that I'd be where I am today when I first got started. I didn't have any aspiration to become a home cast blank seller. That was something that basically snowballed once I started to get the hang of casting. With any new process there's always a learning curve. It's different for everyone. I know I went through GALLONS upon GALLONS of resin to get the hang of color separation, gel times, pigment ratios, etc.

Even today I have failures. There are so many variables to casting and it's easy to mess up! My local turning clubs really enjoy when I do bc I box up all the bad blanks and let them take their pick.

One thing I have done for myself to help reduce failures is I now cast EVERY blank under pressure. I have 5 pressure pots now. 3 - 2.5gal, 1 - 5gal, and 1 - 7gal.

Thank You…

Much like JohnU I don't really sell my pens. I've never done a show or anything like that. For me the pens are a byproduct of what I enjoy most which is making the blank. Kinda like the frame for a painting.

Through the support of the IAP and each and every ExoticBlanks customer I've been allowed to turn my blank sales into my main source of income. I've even been able to make a blank specifically for my daughter's future. Every penny of profit made from her blank sales or if I happen to sell a pen with one of her blanks the money goes straight into her college fund account.

I'd like to thank IAP for allowing me to learn and become who I am today. IAP has helped me make so many friends. On and offline. I'd like to thank Ed and Dawn at ExoticBlanks for allowing me to become a partner and sell my product. Also for allowing me to have artistic freedom with what I make for them. I know I probably drive Dawn crazy with the numerious new blanks with each shipment. I know she enjoys doing all the work, but I know I make her work ALOT :wink::biggrin:

I'll be adding many more posts on tips/advice in regards to my blanks. One of the subjects will be reverse painting and it's effects. If you can think of any questions you'd like to ask about my blanks please ask away.

Thanks so much for everything!

Jonathon Brooks AkA: Brooks803


Sorry JohnU, but I had to borrow your layout! Your page was so nicely done it made my life a lot easier trying to put everything into words. I'll also add a few pics of some of my favorite works!

 

[JohnU]

{"Sorry JohnU, but I had to borrow your layout!"} LOL !

Love your blanks and reading about how it all came to be. Your work is true ART and sure makes our pens look great! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks for the info Jonathan.

I have a question: are their certain blanks that you make all the time vs limited availability? IE are their standards?

Also, are the blue blanks on either of the first two pens you are showing here currently available? I want them!! Awesome.

 

[Jim15]

Nice write up. Happy for your success.

 

[brownsfn2]

I have made some pretty nice pens from what he calls failures (or pieces from the reject pile). Keep up the great work Jonathon. I am sure that you blanks are the the reason why my pens sell. They are unique and stunning!

 

[Brooks803]

Thanks for the info Jonathan.

I have a question: are their certain blanks that you make all the time vs limited availability? IE are their standards?

Also, are the blue blanks on either of the first two pens you are showing here currently available? I want them!! Awesome.

Thanks Dan. Great question! Ed and Dawn were nice enough to let me pick and choose what blanks I want to make and send them. Even though I have the freedom to do that there are a handful of blanks that are extremely popular that I try and send with every shipment. Combustion, all the vintage colors, Hothothot, Ayden's Pink, and USA are the ones that popped in my mind first. This last shipment didn't have any of the vintage colors bc I was out of my pigment and waiting for it to be shipped in. What many don't know is that I have those colors specially made just for me :biggrin:. They'll definitely be with the next shipment!

One GREAT thing about these vendor forums is now the public can interact with the partners (me in this instance) and ask for certain blanks to make a comeback. I keep notes on blanks and can reproduce them.

If the two you're referring about are the first two pictures showing those blanks are Mystic Abalone (stretch rollerball) and Vintage Blue (emperor). I'll be sure to send Exotics plenty of them in my next shipment. If you're not already on their mailing list to be notified when my blanks come in you'll want to do so. It takes me about a month to cast all the blanks I send them...but they're all gone usually in 2-3 days!

I have made some pretty nice pens from what he calls failures (or pieces from the reject pile). Keep up the great work Jonathon. I am sure that you blanks are the the reason why my pens sell. They are unique and stunning!

Thanks Ron! I've been hearing that from many turners. That's the best part of it all. I'm selling blanks....you're selling pens! :biggrin:

I'm sure many in the reject pile are hidden gems! My problem is there isn't a way to tell until they're turned...kind of a catch 22. Can't sell what's been turned! Oh well...it's always fun to empty out the box and make someones day.

 

[Carl Fisher]

I for one love his throw away blanks. I've sold some fairly pricey pens for my market with his cast aways.

Something to note that I don't believe he touched on (or I didn't see it) is that you should never judge one of his blanks by what the outer skin looks like before turning. If you are ever in doubt about what it will look like, simply turn off the outer skin and get to the meat of the blank and you'll get a good idea.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks for the response.

I have an idea for Ed and Jonathan which you may or may not like...

Given Carl's comment about not being able to tell about the turned blank from the untouched version, maybe Jonathan would consider allowing ed and dawn to use some of his completed pen photos on the exotics product page.

I can guarantee it would help me buy more!

If there are good reasons why not, I understand. Just wanted to mention it.

 

[ed4copies]

Thanks for the response.

I have an idea for Ed and Jonathan which you may or may not like...

Given Carl's comment about not being able to tell about the turned blank from the untouched version, maybe Jonathan would consider allowing ed and dawn to use some of his completed pen photos on the exotics product page.

I can guarantee it would help me buy more!

If there are good reasons why not, I understand. Just wanted to mention it.

Thanks for the comment, Dan!!

This can lead to another interesting subject: When we post pictures, how close to that photo do you expect YOUR blank (posted under the photo) to be??

Years ago, I bought lots of blanks from vendors and received lots of "two-tone" pens (one half one color, the other half the other color). The pictures they showed were swirled. I never complained, figured it was the "luck of the draw". But, since we have had Exotics, I have had complaints that the manufactured blank did not have as many swirls as the picture we show.

Is this a reasonable complaint? What should a customer expect and what should WE show???

Thoughts???

 

[edicehouse]

I like Jonathon am a guest on exotics and I have gotten his blanks. There is a drawback to showing his blanks made into pens, backpainting his blanks changes them so much, which is awesome, it is kind of hard to be able to copy. For a lot of people that is what makes his so different. The following pens were made by me and the other by my daughter. They were from the same blank (1 blank 2 pens). I backpainted mine pink, and she backpainted hers black.

This brings into question if Ed & Dawn make a pen with a blank should they backpaint it, or just leave the tube as is? I think they should leave it as is, so that way us the customers can get our own surprise when we turn them.

 

[Carl Fisher]

There are so many variables with all resins. I don't think it's unreasonable for a customer to question this, but I do believe it's unreasonable to not accept that every mix is different, some will have more character than others, and as shown above a simple thing like reverse painting and colored tubes can drastically change the final product.

I would almost consider a disclaimer page that is linked to by all resin blank pages (acrylic, aa, pr, alumilite, etc...) that explains this. It won't solve the issue, but it may cut the number of enquirers but at least a few.

And if you do show a finished pen wearing a blank, perhaps also state that the blank was reverse painted with x color.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

I like Jonathon am a guest on exotics and I have gotten his blanks. There is a drawback to showing his blanks made into pens, backpainting his blanks changes them so much, which is awesome, it is kind of hard to be able to copy. For a lot of people that is what makes his so different. The following pens were made by me and the other by my daughter. They were from the same blank (1 blank 2 pens). I backpainted mine pink, and she backpainted hers black. This brings into question if Ed & Dawn make a pen with a blank should they backpaint it, or just leave the tube as is? I think they should leave it as is, so that way us the customers can get our own surprise when we turn them.

That is a huge difference! What color is that blank suppose to be? Ha.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Good discussion. Maybe just rounding and polishing a blank would give a better idea too? I was trying to save somebody extra work, but I do think a polished picture would sell more blanks. It would to me anyway.

I understand and expect variation I think back painting color advice would be a great idea.

For Jonathan's blanks for example, he could suggest one solid choice for each blank color and then customers could experiment as they like.

 

[edicehouse]

I have seen where he said he painted the tube black and backpainted white,

 

[Turned Around]

Thanks for the info Jonathan.

I have a question: are their certain blanks that you make all the time vs limited availability? IE are their standards?

Also, are the blue blanks on either of the first two pens you are showing here currently available? I want them!! Awesome.

+1 to that. pictures 2 and 6 for the win. I've been trying to get those blues for myself, but every time I browse the usual vendors to re-stock the 'ol bank inventory, I seem to always miss out on those.

 

[ed4copies]

There are so many variables with all resins. I don't think it's unreasonable for a customer to question this, but I do believe it's unreasonable to not accept that every mix is different, some will have more character than others, and as shown above a simple thing like reverse painting and colored tubes can drastically change the final product.

I would almost consider a disclaimer page that is linked to by all resin blank pages (acrylic, aa, pr, alumilite, etc...) that explains this. It won't solve the issue, but it may cut the number of enquirers but at least a few.

And if you do show a finished pen wearing a blank, perhaps also state that the blank was reverse painted with x color.

This is the practice that I have been attempting to employ!! I will admit that sometimes I am actually excited about a pen and will forget to mention what I did to it---USUALLY, I use plain brass tubes or black chrome, or white. Basically, I have an inventory to choose from-- so I take out something and make a pen (yes, it is a lot like penturners' heaven and I know I am incredibly lucky!!)

I WILL try to be more vigilant about disclosing any tricks I have used, this is a very valid point!!!!

Thanks again to all!!!

 

[Brooks803]

Wow this has become a great discussion! Lots of great points being brought up.

Thanks for the response.

I have an idea for Ed and Jonathan which you may or may not like...

Given Carl's comment about not being able to tell about the turned blank from the untouched version, maybe Jonathan would consider allowing ed and dawn to use some of his completed pen photos on the exotics product page.

I can guarantee it would help me buy more!

If there are good reasons why not, I understand. Just wanted to mention it.

Carl is right...you can't judge the blank just by looking on the outside. If there is a blank that I've turned myself I do send a picture of it to Dawn to be added to the product page. I just took a quick peak to see if they're there on the new site and some are (Exotic Blanks :: Guest Artist's Blanks :: Brook's Blanks :: Brooks' Ayden's Pink) and some aren't anymore. We can get that straightened out though. I send a CD of all the images with every shipment so I can burn a new one with all the turned pens. I'm pretty sure they didn't transfer when they redid the new site.

On the flip side of that. It is hard to find enough time to turn down and finish that many blanks. I always try to do something new so I have to divide my time wisely between casting and turning.

There is a message on each blanks page that reverse painting is required, but it doesn't say anything about recommended color choices. That's something I can easily write up for Dawn to add to the page.

I'm currently working on a quick video on reverse painting that will hopefully help everyone. I'm trying to show everything from the effects of color choices to the actual technique of painting.

I like Jonathon am a guest on exotics and I have gotten his blanks. There is a drawback to showing his blanks made into pens, backpainting his blanks changes them so much, which is awesome, it is kind of hard to be able to copy. For a lot of people that is what makes his so different. The following pens were made by me and the other by my daughter. They were from the same blank (1 blank 2 pens). I backpainted mine pink, and she backpainted hers black. This brings into question if Ed & Dawn make a pen with a blank should they backpaint it, or just leave the tube as is? I think they should leave it as is, so that way us the customers can get our own surprise when we turn them.

That is a huge difference! What color is that blank suppose to be? Ha.

On that particular blank it has Purple and Pink with white swirls throughout.

To add a quick note on Ed's comment about his pink paint selection on the one pen. If he had used purple the blank would have almost no pink in it. Since purple is a darker more dominant color it would have shaded the pink areas to purple except where the white swirls are. Now would that ruin the blank, absolutely not. Well, unless you really wanted to keep the pink.

I have seen where he said he painted the tube black and backpainted white,

Ed, are you saying that's something I've said? If so I think you have me mistaken. I avoid white paint unless it's a white blank. Even then I would use a light silver paint instead. White washes out color and makes them pastel.

 

[jsolie]

I'm currently working on a quick video on reverse painting that will hopefully help everyone. I'm trying to show everything from the effects of color choices to the actual technique of painting.

I, for one, am now looking forward to that video!

 

[edicehouse]

Wow this has become a great discussion! Lots of great points being brought up.

Thanks for the response.

I have an idea for Ed and Jonathan which you may or may not like...

Given Carl's comment about not being able to tell about the turned blank from the untouched version, maybe Jonathan would consider allowing ed and dawn to use some of his completed pen photos on the exotics product page.

I can guarantee it would help me buy more!

If there are good reasons why not, I understand. Just wanted to mention it.

Carl is right...you can't judge the blank just by looking on the outside. If there is a blank that I've turned myself I do send a picture of it to Dawn to be added to the product page. I just took a quick peak to see if they're there on the new site and some are (Exotic Blanks :: Guest Artist's Blanks :: Brook's Blanks :: Brooks' Ayden's Pink) and some aren't anymore. We can get that straightened out though. I send a CD of all the images with every shipment so I can burn a new one with all the turned pens. I'm pretty sure they didn't transfer when they redid the new site.

On the flip side of that. It is hard to find enough time to turn down and finish that many blanks. I always try to do something new so I have to divide my time wisely between casting and turning.

There is a message on each blanks page that reverse painting is required, but it doesn't say anything about recommended color choices. That's something I can easily write up for Dawn to add to the page.

I'm currently working on a quick video on reverse painting that will hopefully help everyone. I'm trying to show everything from the effects of color choices to the actual technique of painting.

I like Jonathon am a guest on exotics and I have gotten his blanks. There is a drawback to showing his blanks made into pens, backpainting his blanks changes them so much, which is awesome, it is kind of hard to be able to copy. For a lot of people that is what makes his so different. The following pens were made by me and the other by my daughter. They were from the same blank (1 blank 2 pens). I backpainted mine pink, and she backpainted hers black. This brings into question if Ed & Dawn make a pen with a blank should they backpaint it, or just leave the tube as is? I think they should leave it as is, so that way us the customers can get our own surprise when we turn them.

That is a huge difference! What color is that blank suppose to be? Ha.

On that particular blank it has Purple and Pink with white swirls throughout.

To add a quick note on Ed's comment about his pink paint selection on the one pen. If he had used purple the blank would have almost no pink in it. Since purple is a darker more dominant color it would have shaded the pink areas to purple except where the white swirls are. Now would that ruin the blank, absolutely not. Well, unless you really wanted to keep the pink.

I have seen where he said he painted the tube black and backpainted white,

Ed, are you saying that's something I've said? If so I think you have me mistaken. I avoid white paint unless it's a white blank. Even then I would use a light silver paint instead. White washes out color and makes them pastel.

Honestly Angelina's pen was awesome and I do not like the "pink" one I made. However my wife was proud of Angelina for the pen she made, but she loved the one I made. Angelina loved her pen, and thought the pink one was okay, but not as pretty as the one she made. Marley (my youngest) like the pink one more. I guess the rambling I am doing is trying to say, it doesn't matter if you like the colors, because someone else will.

I could have sworn I have seen where you have back painted one color and painted the tube another.

 

[Brooks803]

Ok Ed, I know what you're talking about now. What I said was that I would use a lighter colored paint on the first coat and then follow behind that with a darker coat of another color (usually black) for the reverse painting. I don't paint the tubes.

This is something I'm going to try and cover in the video I'm working on.

 

[brownsfn2]

You don't paint the tubes? I am always scared that I will scratch the paint job inside the blank and the tube will show through. So I paint the tube, paint the blank on the inside, and tint the epoxy. Probably overkill?

I would say that you might need a turned blank (no kit needed) for new colors or patterns that you stock. It is hard to tell sometimes what is under the immediate surface.

I do however think it is unreasonable to expect all blanks to look like their outermost layer when turned to final dimensions. Just like when I pick a piece of wood I do not expect the seller to be responsible for any lack of grain below the surface. They can't control it. Just like you can't totally control the exact swirl pattern of a blank on the inside.

Now I do think that some blanks that I have had (not Brooks) before ended up with a glob of color on the inside that made one half of the blank a solid color while the other side was normal. This kind of defect is a little much and can't be worked around.

Next time when I place an order maybe you should paint the inside of my blanks for me to protect your creative genius. (LOL. I am lazy)

 

[arkie]

This can lead to another interesting subject: When we post pictures, how close to that photo do you expect YOUR blank (posted under the photo) to be??

Years ago, I bought lots of blanks from vendors and received lots of "two-tone" pens (one half one color, the other half the other color). The pictures they showed were swirled. I never complained, figured it was the "luck of the draw". But, since we have had Exotics, I have had complaints that the manufactured blank did not have as many swirls as the picture we show.

Is this a reasonable complaint? What should a customer expect and what should WE show???

Thoughts???

If you're showing pictures of individual blanks, they should be of decent quality and show the "worst" side if there is one. If you're showing representative pictures, as of BOW blanks, I don't expect any a LOT worse, but I don't really expect many a LOT better. You and Dawn have always done well in this regard.

Most of us know that a blank is like a box of chocolates....

 

[Brooks803]

You don't paint the tubes? I am always scared that I will scratch the paint job inside the blank and the tube will show through. So I paint the tube, paint the blank on the inside, and tint the epoxy. Probably overkill?

I would say that you might need a turned blank (no kit needed) for new colors or patterns that you stock. It is hard to tell sometimes what is under the immediate surface.

I do however think it is unreasonable to expect all blanks to look like their outermost layer when turned to final dimensions. Just like when I pick a piece of wood I do not expect the seller to be responsible for any lack of grain below the surface. They can't control it. Just like you can't totally control the exact swirl pattern of a blank on the inside.

Now I do think that some blanks that I have had (not Brooks) before ended up with a glob of color on the inside that made one half of the blank a solid color while the other side was normal. This kind of defect is a little much and can't be worked around.

Next time when I place an order maybe you should paint the inside of my blanks for me to protect your creative genius. (LOL. I am lazy)

Nope. I never paint the tubes, lol. I guess I like to live dangerously. :tongue:

And you're absolutely right. I could turn off a few MM's and have it look one way but once turned to final size it could look completely different. You really can't control the swirls that much. I like to say I do a good job at it, but I'm so used to my blanks that I can tell just by looking at it that I poured to soon or to late for the effect I want.

Turning samples of new blanks isn't a bad idea at all.

 

[Donnie Kennedy]

Maybe turn them round, sand them down to 320 or 400 and take a picture... that would give an idea as to what the color would be and not heighten expectations at the same time. Common sense dictates that the swirls and such are going to vary from blank to blank.

 

[brownsfn2]

It just occurred to me that it is funny that we are offering all this advice but if you kept doing the exact same thing you are doing today then your blanks would still sell out within days of posting.

 

[edicehouse]

Ron I was just thinking that. JB's blanks are known, the ones that are different color sell out rather quick. Let's be honest, why take the time to turn down, sand, polish a dozen blanks that he could sell. That's more of a win for people buying them, because it is more available.

 

[Dan Masshardt]

Guys, just to be clear on what I was asking - I wouldn't ask or expect each blank to be processed.

What I'm saying us that looking at a blank on the site, I have very little use if what the pen could be like.

One sanded / polished blank would do it for me. Maybe with the disclaimer that they will vary.

 

[Joe S.]

In pictures of blanks in general, I like the idea of showing a range. One blank that turned out better than "normal" and one on the lower end, then explain you will MOST LIKELY to get a blank between these two. This would work for most any blank (wood,acrylic,ect) and let people know to expect any number of outcomes, and not expect it to "look like the picture".

Just my 40% of a nickel.