atticus
Member
I have some very lightweight wood I scavenged on a vacation years back. I'm finally making some pens out of it as a memento, but I'm very new to turning.
I cut up a few blanks and turned one of them as a proof of concept, since I wasn't sure if this soft dry wood wouldn't just fall apart. With light cuts and lots (lots!) of sanding I managed to get a smooth surface and it feels okay. The wood almost feels like a balsa wood, or at least that level of density. I didn't fully turn it down since it was splintering a bit at the ends already, and this was just a test run.
I don't think this will hold up to much handling before it starts to splinter a bit and dent, and I'm thinking about simple ways to add some resilience. Would simply adding a few layers of thin CA be a good idea before final sanding? I could do a full CA finish too, but wonder if it will just crack due to the softer wood.
Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated!
I cut up a few blanks and turned one of them as a proof of concept, since I wasn't sure if this soft dry wood wouldn't just fall apart. With light cuts and lots (lots!) of sanding I managed to get a smooth surface and it feels okay. The wood almost feels like a balsa wood, or at least that level of density. I didn't fully turn it down since it was splintering a bit at the ends already, and this was just a test run.
I don't think this will hold up to much handling before it starts to splinter a bit and dent, and I'm thinking about simple ways to add some resilience. Would simply adding a few layers of thin CA be a good idea before final sanding? I could do a full CA finish too, but wonder if it will just crack due to the softer wood.
Any thoughts or ideas are appreciated!