Curly Oak Board, Should I cut it up for pen blanks?

[Marker]

Have any of you ever turned curly oak? If so how did the pens look?

Was it easy to turn? would you recommend it?

I am thinking about cutting this board up to make some pen blanks. It is 73"x7"x1 1/4".


Would you cut this up into pen blanks? or try to make something else with it?

I got this board from my place of work.


Thanks

 

[EarlD]

Should make some spectacular blanks. Good find!

 

[Akula]

lot of good ideas depending on what you can do...I'm not a fan of oak as a pen

 

[Haynie]

Sweet piece of wood.

IMO pen blanks would be a waste of that wood. Make blanks out of what is left over after you make something that will highlight it.

Resaw for book matched curls. I can think of so much to do with that.

 

[greenmtnguy]

Curly Oak will turn ok. If chipping is an issue, turn close to finished size and sand the rest of the way. I would use the board for something else and use the trim for pen blanks.

 

[76winger]

I've made a few pens from white oak and it turns OK, just a little heavy gained, needing filled with CA as yo finish it. I'm thinking some of that would make some really nice blanks for bigger pens, with that curly look to it. If yo do try it, only cut a short bit and and try a couple pens with it to get a feel for it first. If it doesn't come up looking good, then you can find a different purpose for the rest of it.

 

[Mack C.]

Would you cut this up into pen blanks? or try to make something else with it?

Hello Mark; That chunk of wood is much too gorgeous to cut into pen blanks.

My thought would be to make pen boxes from it. By the dimensions of the wood, there is the potential for a dozen pen boxes. Make 10 boxes, and use what's left for pens.

 

[glen r]

Mark, I agree with Mac. The grain on that board is too nice to be used entirely for pen blanks. It should be used for things that will highlite the beautiful grain, like pen boxes or bigger turnings (bowl or vase).

 

[TellicoTurning]

I agree with those who do NOT advocate pen blanks... if you can get good joings, make a couple of pepper mill blanks... should glue up 3 x 3 x whatever length you want to work with... I've had an oak burl that made a spectacular pepper mill.... with that much curl, you want to showcase the wood as much as possible... pen boxes, jewelry boxes, pepper mill etc...

 

[SDB777]

I'd cut it in a heartbeat, I've cut similiar pieces and made some excellent pens.

Scott

 

[Robert111]

I want some pen blanks whether you make something else or not. I've used figured oak before and I think its color variations and grain swirls make it one of the most attractive pen blanks going.