Buckeye Burl

[nebens]

First attempt with stabilized wood. Managed to turn blank round but not comfortable with proceeding. Round carbide seemed to work best but would welcome any tips or suggestions for drilling, final turning, and finishing. Thanks.

Ernie

 

[Lucky2]

I'm sorry Ernie, but, I don't understand your question, I always drill my blanks before turning them round. And I use a drill press myself, where a lot of turner's use the lathe to drill their blanks.

Len

 

[nebens]

Len, I usually turn my blanks round and then drill on lathe with collet chuck. I'm just looking for any tips for working with stabilized wood.

Ernie

 

[1shootist]

I turn all my blanks round first then drill to needed size as you.
Asfar as turning stabilzed blanks, I dont do them any different than non stabilzed, I notice more "dust" and I may have to take smaller cuts at times but the process doesn't really change.
I use carbide and I'll trim the blank down fairly close to size at which point I switch to a squared carbide with radius and finish.

 

[greenacres2]

Yep, i approach them like wood (as opposed to acrylic etc) as well--though i do as 1shootist does. For non-stabilized wood i finish with a skew in a scraping presentation. As to finishes--for pens usually CA, but sometimes boiled linseed oil followed by wax or friction polish. For bottle stoppers, usually friction polish--though i've just begun experimenting with sawdust burnishing followed by a paste wax finger burnished in. Looks great, and SHOULD be okay since it's stabilized. We'll find out about the longevity!!
earl

 

[Lucky2]

Ernie, I do the same as the previous two gents have mentioned doing, I treat stabilized pretty much the same as I do wood.

Len

 

[keithbyrd]

When you turned it round did you notice anything different than other woo turning? Proceed with sharp tools and light cuts

 

[nebens]

Keith, the wood produced more dust than other woods and was more difficult to turn partly due to the blank being out of square and slightly
twisted.
Ernie