Is there interest in hempwood??

[ed4copies]

I have a skid lot of hempwood in various sizes. I have had it for nearly a year, but have not listed the wood because it is difficult to drill and turn successfully.

If there is interest and you agree to purchase it at your own risk, I can make it available. Please comment on this thread and vote in the poll.

 

[Darrin]

I've had success with it through one manufacturer. If it's the same one (I'm guessing it is) I'd be willing to take a few blanks off your hands.

 

[darrin1200]

I am interested in trying it out Ed. Are the pieces you have, from Hempwood in Kentucky? I only ask, because if there is multiple manufacturers, then I may try each to see if there is a difference in turnablility.

 

[leehljp]

You left one answer off: "Yes, I turn for fun and the challenge itself!"

 

[Monty]

I'd be interested in trying some. Can't even count the number of times I've had blanks blow out on me and I've never thought about asking for one to be replaced.

If you want to send some free samples I'd be willing to try some and give my feedback .

 

[Darrin]

I am interested in trying it out Ed. Are the pieces you have, from Hempwood in Kentucky? I only ask, because if there is multiple manufacturers, then I may try each to see if there is a difference in turnablility.

That's who my guess to supplier was. I've used them and had success.

 

[Dieseldoc]

My good friend. Jim gave me couple blanks of Hemp wood of which one I turned as a seam ripper. Lot of problems working with hemp. wood starting from drilling and keeping alignment of the hole, Drilled on lathe with collet chuck got it done but not easy.. Turning is a new experience as the wood fiber require several soaking of CA to get a half way round blank. Now when blank gets to size then there is more CA sanding work need to do for building up a smooth non ripple finish.
For me I would pass on this material and there is so many great timbers out there to turn. Just my twelve cents worth.

 

[carlmorrell]

I had no issues drilling and turning. Everyone that sees the few I made, wants one.

 

[penicillin]

As far as I know, Hempwood is the only manufacturer. Hempwood has one or more patents on their process, but that doesn't mean that others can't license the patent(s) or find a process that doesn't violate the patent(s) someday in the future.

Reel Lumber is a lumberyard that is very close to me. Reel Lumber is a distributor of Hempwood's products. Other lumberyards may follow suit in the future, especially if Reel Lumber is successful at it. I buy hardwood lumber from them anyway, so they would be my choice, but only because of their location and convenience.

ExoticBlanks (@ed4copies) is assessing whether there is sufficient demand for hempwood from Penturners.org members. Ed wants to know whether it would be cost effective for ExoticBlanks to become a hempwood distributor.

-> If I didn't live so close to ReelLumber, I would buy my hempwood pen blanks and other hempwood products from ExoticBlanks. ExoticBlanks (read: Ed and Dawn) are a great asset to our community and deserve our customer loyalty.

 

[Dieseldoc]

I had no issues drilling and turning. Everyone that sees the few I made, wants one.

That's great, how about showing your hemp wood pen's

 

[MRDucks2]

One of things that has to be weighed if it is not straight forward easy to turn is customer complaints/returns. I suck at turn palm. Never blamed the supplier or even the wood, I just haven't figured it out yet.

Ed has to weigh the risk of returns/complaints even if he adds a disclaimer.

Will never the local restaurant that bought their fresh vegetables from the grocery where my wife was produce manager. They would load up on veggies and a few days later return what they had not used due to it not being fresh enough. Owners didn't want to cause a fuss but eventually banned them from the store.

 

[Aces-High]

Do people have the same issues if stabilized?

 

[Dieseldoc]

Do people have the same issues if stabilized?

Jason:

I have extra blank and I was also thinking about stabilizing it today. Will report results.

Charlie

 

[carlmorrell]

That's great, how about showing your hemp wood pen's

The green one, I dyed with food coloring. The one in the middle of the three is crosscut/dyed and stabilized. I honestly forgot who I got it from (Ken Frisbie?). The one on the right in the three is "natural".

 

[ed4copies]

As I said, I bought it nearly a year ago, directly from HempWood. I then turned several pens and a couple bottlestoppers. It is a challenge, and yes CA is required. I also blew up a few!!

I have tried to stabilize and dye--it can be done but takes a long time. I have not had time to dedicate to putting CA down the hole to reinforce from the inside, but that would be my suggestion. Dying with food coloring on the lathe also looks cool, Carl!!

We will make it available in 5 x 5 planks so you can cut in whichever direction you prefer. Hopefully by next weekend. Also will have bottlestopper size and pepper mill size.

Thanks for the feedback!!

 

[mmayo]

I bought four blanks and two stoppers. We'll see if I can turn them.

 

[penicillin]

One of things that has to be weighed if it is not straight forward easy to turn is customer complaints/returns. I suck at turn palm. Never blamed the supplier or even the wood, I just haven't figured it out yet.

Ed has to weigh the risk of returns/complaints even if he adds a disclaimer.

...

It never occurred to me that companies would replace pen blanks if you mess them up. The lumberyard doesn't replace a board if you mess it up.

As I said in a different thread, it took me three tries to master inlace acrylester. When I broke the first two inlace acrylester pen blanks, I went to the store and bought another one.

For very challenging pen blanks, sometimes I buy two. The second one is "insurance" in case I mess up the first one. If not, then I can use the spare to make another pen.

Why would anyone expect the seller or store to replace a pen blank that blows up on your lathe?

 

[MRDucks2]

It never occurred to me that companies would replace pen blanks if you mess them up. The lumberyard doesn't replace a board if you mess it up.

As I said in a different thread, it took me three tries to master inlace acrylester. When I broke the first two inlace acrylester pen blanks, I went to the store and bought another one.

For very challenging pen blanks, sometimes I buy two. The second one is "insurance" in case I mess up the first one. If not, then I can use the spare to make another pen.

Why would anyone expect the seller or store to replace a pen blank that blows up on your lathe?

Completely agree but it has been commented on here. Blanks chipping, cracking or blowing up and people blaming the blank, the company, the seller, etc.

 

[JohnU]

I had the honors of turning / playing around with some of the Hempwood Ed received. My wife loves the color orange so I turned this Atrax ball point down, used a little denatured alcohol mixed with orange Rit dye and sealed with a GluBoost finish. You can't force the drill bit or get real aggressive with it but it can be turned, and has a very unique character. I was going to do the next one green but I think the wife will grab it too so it will probably be left natural for me.

 

[eharri446]

I wood like to get a couple of pieces as well. Let me know how to order.

 

[hcpens]

I am in, as long as we can buy a replacement blank, learning is always fun.

 

[Darrin]

 

[ed4copies]

pen blanks are now available here: https://www.exoticblanks.com/hempwood-pen-blanks.html
or 5 x 5 inch slab is here: https://www.exoticblanks.com/hempwood-slab.html?category_id=516
also have bottlestopper and peppermill sizes, search
"hempwood" on ExoticBlanks.com

 

[PaulWitmer]

I can take a few blanks off your hands.

Paul

 

[Marko50]

I'm currently stabilizing a batch of Hempwood blanks. I'll report back if it makes any difference in how they turn. It is indeed a difficult composite to work with. Not for the faint of heart, for sure!

 

[Dieseldoc]

I'm currently stabilizing a batch of Hempwood blanks. I'll report back if it makes any difference in how they turn. It is indeed a difficult composite to work with. Not for the faint of heart, for sure!

I have stabilized several and it does help keep fibers together. still need super sharp skew on the shear mode.

 

[Marko50]

I turned some of the stabilized Hempwood over the Memorial Day weekend and it was a successful endeavor! It's critical to start from the middle of the blank and work out. Razor sharp traditional tools work best and slow, methodical, thin cuts produce the best finished product. I sanded from 220g all the way to 600g, followed up by applying a GluBoost CA finish followed by a Micro-Mesh wet-sanding and then a six step Magic-Juice polishing regimen. It produced a glassy, hard finish as you can see from the pictures.

Stabilized Hempwood blanks are now available in my Etsy shop by clicking here:

Stabilized Hempwood Pen Blanks Made From Pressed Hemp With Burl Like Grain Structure. Challenging but Satisfying to Turn 5.25 X 1 X 1 - Etsy

Hempwood® is an engineered wood product, made from broken down fibers of Hemp and bound together using a combination of binders and soy protein, heat and pressure. Stabilized and cured in our small shop. Cut to enhance the structure pattern and produce a beautiful pen when properly turned on a

www.etsy.com