Fuki urushi cherry burl FP

[FGarbrecht]

Cherry burl FP, fuki urushi finish, Bock #5 black nib

 

[Manny]

Wow great job. I like the shape. The timber is outstanding. The Urushi finish really makes it pop. How many layers is it? How long did it take. Threads are clean as well. Did you use a metal lathe or Die? Awesome!

Manny

 

[NT_2112]

I like it. Makes me really want to try Urushi.

 

[FGarbrecht]

Thanks! I used 9 layers of transparent urushi. I started the work on Jan 6 so from start to finish about 6-7 weeks. The urushi is actually still curing, so it will stay in the furo for a couple more weeks I'm guessing. Lots of problems working with the burl; had to completely restart when I got to the threading because there were some punky areas in the threading area that blew out; altogether I made 5 complete sections before I got one where the section threading didn't blow out. I did the initial turning to size and final shaping on the wood lathe but pretty much everything else on the metal lathe. Threading was done using a high speed threadmill attached to the metal lathe (part to be threaded held in place at the headstock and the thread mill mounted on the cross-slide).

 

[FGarbrecht]

I like it. Makes me really want to try Urushi.

Urushi is fun but it's pretty hard to get much info unless you speak Japanese (or can read it). If you decide to jump in, there are a couple of folks here who are making tremendous urushi pens (Teo, Manu Propria, Pierre). I'm just a bare beginner but am happy to share whatever meager information and resources I have if you actually want to give it a try.

 

[PenHog]

Goodness, that's nice.

I too have been wanting to try urushi, but (i) work is unrelenting and there's currently no time for the extensive trial-and-error that I suspect would be needed, and (ii) I've got so much acrylic material to turn, I feel I shouldn't move onto new endeavors before going through some more of it. Some day, perhaps.

 

[dpstudios]

I love this pen. It is new , but it looks like a well loved and cared for antique. Very good job.

 

[mark james]

Superb!

 

[FGarbrecht]

Goodness, that's nice.

I too have been wanting to try urushi, but (i) work is unrelenting and there's currently no time for the extensive trial-and-error that I suspect would be needed, and (ii) I've got so much acrylic material to turn, I feel I shouldn't move onto new endeavors before going through some more of it. Some day, perhaps.

One of the fun (but occaisionally frustrating) things about urushi is that it does require a good deal of trial and error and experimentation, but you can keep going with the same pen stock and keep adding layers and keep learning with each layer. The first pen I did with a urushi finish started last October and I just finished it, largely because I was never satisfied with it. It has over 30 layers, each requiring at least 24 hours in the furo, some sanding or polishing before the next layer, etc. That pen even spent 2 weeks in a jewelry tumbler because I got disgusted and threw it in just to see what would happen. Here's a picture of it after all my trials and errors. The form of the pen is admittedly a bit funky, but the finish turned out pretty interesting and has a beautiful depth to it. This pen started out as an attempt at maki-e, and you can see some of the sprinkled gold peeking through in places.

 

[PenHog]

Nice second pen too. Is that a gold band on the section, or an optical illusion?

(sigh) If you keep posting these things, I will probably pursue urushi (I don't really need my job, right? ) But seriously, it's nice to know that you can just keep working on it in the background, thanks.

 

[FGarbrecht]

Nice second pen too. Is that a gold band on the section, or an optical illusion?

(sigh) If you keep posting these things, I will probably pursue urushi (I don't really need my job, right? ) But seriously, it's nice to know that you can just keep working on it in the background, thanks.

Good question about the section. I made the pen as I was learning how to do kitless and I had not learned how to make a section yet, so the one on the 2nd pen is a Bock section that I purchased. When I threw all the parts in the jewelry tumbler, some of the finish on the section came off revealing metal underneath, which I basically left alone.

I'm afraid you're going to have to pursue urushi. I have two jobs so not a lot of shop time. On 'urushi days', I work in the morning for maybe 15-60 minutes doing polishing or urushi application, then pop the work into the furo to cure where it can stay for days (or weeks!) if I'm not able to get to it because of work. Plain urushi application doesn't take too much time especially if you are doing fuki which just requires that you wipe it on and then off again, and put in furo for curing, come back in 24 hours and repeat. Sanding and polishing is where a lot of time and care is required, and of course if you are wanting to do something more decorative like maki-e, much skill and time is also required. For the cherry pen the majority of hands-on time was spent working with the wood; the urushi finish was the home stretch and just takes more curing time than hands on time.

 

[J_B]

Ohhh geese I love these pens. The time spent was well worth it, great job. I have been wanting to try this so bad an have been watching youtube videos of the Japanese and Chinese master pen makers using maki-e and urushi and been drooling all over my keyboard at work...not a good look in the work place. What is "furo to cure" Do you have any go to videos that actually help learn the process rather that just have music playing the entire time like I have only found? ahh What open end mandrel is best?

 

[FGarbrecht]

Ohhh geese I love these pens. The time spent was well worth it, great job. I have been wanting to try this so bad an have been watching youtube videos of the Japanese and Chinese master pen makers using maki-e and urushi and been drooling all over my keyboard at work...not a good look in the work place. What is "furo to cure" Do you have any go to videos that actually help learn the process rather that just have music playing the entire time like I have only found? ahh What open end mandrel is best?

Thanks! I'm not aware of any step by step videos in English or any books with step by step instructions in English. I've picked up what I know from those Japanese language videos and a few other online resources, and from asking questions here.

A furo is just a humidified box. Urushi doesn't harden by moisture evaporation like standard lacquers or paint, but cures by polymerization requiring high levels of humidity. So while you are waiting for your shipment of urushi to arrive from Japan go ahead and make a box to use as a furo....

 

[J_B]

I will do that, thank you for the information.

 

[lefyldepens]

Wow Gorgeous

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

 

[Penultimate]

Beautiful pens, the wood threads look great.