Crape Myrtle slimline

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Band Saw Box

Passed Away Dec 8, 2021
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Here is another one of the pans with a blank that I cut and dried myself. This is another Crape Myrtle, this time I dyed the blank to match the flowers on the tree while it's not an perfect match it's very close. I'm not all that happy with the finish but I didn't notice the problems until I had the pen assembled so it will have to do Evelyn like the pen and that all that really matters. This project was a problematic I got this one pen from 4 tries I wont go into details. All C&C are welcome
 

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TonyL

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i like it and think you did a great job matching the color. How did you dry it?
 

Band Saw Box

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Thanks Tony it did take a bit of playing around. As for drying I cut a limb off tree then cut it to the size plus about an inch and I have a blank. I weigh the blank using a digital scale that will weigh in grams and write the weight down. I wrap the blank in a paper towel and microwave it for 30 seconds and weigh it again and write down that weight. I continued to repeat these steps until the weight no longer drops. This blank took about 6 times to dry. Evelyn says I need to have a microwave in the shop to dry wood for blanks.
 

OZturner

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Nice one Dan,
Love the colour you acheived.
The Crepe Myrtle, has made an interesting Blank.
I can share with Evelyn's desire that you get a microwave for your workshop. I have one in mine, and the smells that come from and linger in the Microwave, you wouldn't want it anywhere near food you were going to eat.
Great Fit and Finish, I can't see any signs of problems.
Brian.
 

Band Saw Box

Passed Away Dec 8, 2021
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Thank so much, Brian, Leslie, Mark and John for the great comments. Mark the photo below is the first Crape Myrtle pen I did so you can see what it looks like before dying, I used WTF on that one as well.
 

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howhale

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Dec 5, 2019
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Waleska, Georgia
Very excited to find these threads discussing Crepe Myrtel. Have used them hand clean and shape walking sticks and canes for a while now. Just started pen turning and decided to try Crepe Myrtel for a pen blank and was quite pleased so far. Have never had much luck staining or dyeing the wood as it is so dense and hard. Loved the pink color above and would like to know the technique to get the wood to take the color so well. When we bought our current home found the shrubs, etc. severely overgrown. Cut it all back and had a huge deposit of scrap Crepe Myrtel. Felt there had to be some way to use it. Until I found this forum, never had much luck researching uses.
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