Hello from Tasmania (the little forgotten island below Australia, lol)

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DiemenDesign

Member
Joined
May 9, 2020
Messages
12
Location
Tasmania, Australia
Hello Everyone,
I've been making Pens for a couple of years using kits from Timberbits in Australia, and more recently kits from PensKitMall.
After looking at some of work other members here are producing, I have a lot to learn, and appreciate the opportunity to share and learn more of this craft.
I mostly use Timbers from tree's felled on my own property, and have been lucky to receive other Timbers from locals either from clean ups, or making them something like a Bowl or even Pen in return for Timber. I have not as of yet gotten much into Resin's, mostly due to preferring to work with wood.

I'm hoping there are other Australian, and mostly other Tasmanian Turners and to have meet ups and more social offline contact.

Most of my work gets posted on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/diemen_design/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/diemendesign).
I do occasionally post videos to YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTx4a5pEpU1VB0USpPAs7TQ) where I try to post original projects, at least to me, or I try not to repeat the same content, I'm sure we don't need 50 Bowl making videos on the same channel, lol.
I also sell off Facebook, and my website (https://diemen.design/).

Pictured is one of my latest pens, a Rollerball made of Chestnut Burl and finished with CA Glue and top coated with spray on lacquer.
 

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magpens

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
Messages
15,913
Location
Canada
Hi Dennis !! . Warm welcome to IAP !!! :)

It's great to have you aboard, and I hope you will meet some other Aussies from Tassie .

I am a naturalized Aussie ... lived in Adelaide for 10+ years of my working life ... a thoroughly enjoyable experience without any doubt.

Would love to learn more about woods in your part of the world. . Also your finishing technique, with lacquer over CA.

Thanks for all the links to your work ... All the best !!!
 

Woodfreak

Member
Joined
May 5, 2020
Messages
26
Location
London, UK
Hello Everyone,
I've been making Pens for a couple of years using kits from Timberbits in Australia, and more recently kits from PensKitMall.
After looking at some of work other members here are producing, I have a lot to learn, and appreciate the opportunity to share and learn more of this craft.
I mostly use Timbers from tree's felled on my own property, and have been lucky to receive other Timbers from locals either from clean ups, or making them something like a Bowl or even Pen in return for Timber. I have not as of yet gotten much into Resin's, mostly due to preferring to work with wood.

I'm hoping there are other Australian, and mostly other Tasmanian Turners and to have meet ups and more social offline contact.

Most of my work gets posted on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/diemen_design/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/diemendesign).
I do occasionally post videos to YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTx4a5pEpU1VB0USpPAs7TQ) where I try to post original projects, at least to me, or I try not to repeat the same content, I'm sure we don't need 50 Bowl making videos on the same channel, lol.
I also sell off Facebook, and my website (https://diemen.design/).

Pictured is one of my latest pens, a Rollerball made of Chestnut Burl and finished with CA Glue and top coated with spray on lacquer.
A warm welcome Dennis, from the UK. Have peeked at your links, will look further. Have only been here a couple of weeks, but have met some nice guys. Always willing to give advice. Here is my Website, if you want to take a look. woodfreak.co.uk
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2010
Messages
1,798
Location
webberville, mi
Welcome from Michigan, USA.
Hope the weather there is tolerable - I have a daughter & family in New Zealand (near Dunedin - I know, it's a different country. But you're close!). They moved there last year and they are just approaching their first winter. Seems VERY strange to be getting ready to "move outside" here and you guys are getting ready to pull up the comforters. Stay safe.
Best
 

Dehn0045

Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Messages
1,533
Location
US
Nice looking pen Dennis. You have a lot of nice Tasmanian/Australian materials to choose from for penmaking. Tasmanian blackwood is one of my favorites -- lots of folks consider it a Koa substitute, but to me it is the other way around. Don't get me wrong, Koa is fantastic, but I like Tasmanian Blackwood even more! Also, maybe you have a downed Huon Pine on your property? If so, can we be friends? :p :p :p :p

Good to have you here!
 

howsitwork

Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2016
Messages
2,299
Location
Thirsk
Welcome from the UK. Never got to Tassie when we were in Australia , there wasn't the time I am afraid😢

I would,love to work some of the burrs I saw for sale as firewood along the coastal highway between Melbourne and Sydney . The burr timber you have is exceptional in its beauty and abundance!
stay safe and healthy
 

Alan Morrison

Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
3,062
Location
N Ireland
Welcome to the forum, Dennis, from N Ireland.
I lived in NSW for 12 years and spent a couple on weeks landscaping a garden on Bruny Island, so have been through Tassie.

Alan
 

sorcerertd

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2019
Messages
2,655
Location
North Carolina, USA
Welcome from North Carolina, USA. That is a beautiful pen. Love the wood. I'm partial to the wood over resin, too. Some of the "plastic" type blanks are gorgeous, but I haven't run across one yet that didn't stink when turning it.
 

DiemenDesign

Member
Joined
May 9, 2020
Messages
12
Location
Tasmania, Australia
Thanks again to everyone, for all the lovely welcome messages.
The weather down here is getting cold, lot's of rain.

Someone mentioned Huon Pine, I've been lucky that the Huon I have used I haven't had to pay for, usually someone asks me to make them something and supply's the timber and I keep what isn't used. Where I'm located, Wilmot, about 30mins North of Cradle Mountain, we don't get Huon growing here, and it is a very, very slow growing tree. A fellow wood turner that's located near La Trobe has had one growing in his yard for over 20 years, and it's not even 1.5 metre's tall.

Someone asked about my Lacquer of CA finish, I do this as some peoples skin reacts to the CA. My process is as follows:
Sand up to 240grit cleaning off sanding dust between grits.
Then use Methylated Spirits/Denatured Alcohol and rub that in to clean the surface and raise the knapp. This works especially well I've found with Tassie Blackwood and Huon Pine.
Then depending on the timber, and whether it has a probability for good Chattoyance, usually Tassie Blackwood or Huon, I'll use Thin CA with BLO, by placing a liberal amount of CA and BLO onto a paper towel, then rub that in until it starts to get tacky and hard to move. Then I let that cure without Accelerator. I got this from Martian Sabban-Smith on one of his older YouTube videos. And as he explains, doing this gets the glue right down into the grain, and beside it which brings out as much of the Chattoyance as possible. The BLO on Huon works well and brings out the golden hue of the timber as well as adding it's honey colour.
Then I go through the grits, usually up to 600, cleaning the dust off between grits.
Then I use 3-4 coats of Medium CA, and let cure with Accelerator, and keep the Lathe spinning so the Glue doesn't pool up.
Then I go through the micro-mesh as per most people do, and cleaning off the debris between grits.
Then I use a rattle can spray of Clear Lacquer, building up the coats, depending on the finish look wanted, usually 2 coats is plenty, and I'll leave te Lathe spinning for about 5 minutes to allow the Lacquer to become tacky and start curing. Obviously, the last coat you want to leave whatever the recommended drying time is without touching the surface. I usually leave overnight, or if cold take the whole Mandrel inside where it's warm, and try to keep the kids hands away from it, lol.

The attached photo is a Huon Pine Rollerball that the above finishing was done on. I've since fixed the center band.
 

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Ironwood

Member
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
1,226
Location
Mackay. Australia
That's a beautiful piece of Huon. I have some stashed away, but use it sparingly.
Thanks for telling your finishing process. Always good to hear how to extract all the chatoyance possible out of the timber.
 

DiemenDesign

Member
Joined
May 9, 2020
Messages
12
Location
Tasmania, Australia
Yeah, thanks to Martin Sabban-Smith for that one.
I want to try it with Shellac, which I've been using on other turned pieces lately along the lines of French Polishing.
 
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