Is there such a thing?

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egnald

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Jun 9, 2017
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Columbus, Nebraska, USA
Hello fellow pen turners. There is a 1x8 pine shelf in my garage that has a couple of big knots and a lot of darker brown streaks in it. It also has a figure that looks just like they eyes that one would see in Birdseye Maple, but I am certain that it is Pine, or maybe Fir. I've been thinking about taking it down, replacing it with something less figured, and sawing it up into pen blanks. Is there such a thing as Birdseye Pine???? (Sorry, no picture right now). - Dave
 
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MRDucks2

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Jul 17, 2017
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Bristow, IN
Hello fellow pen turners. There is a 1x8 pine shelf in my garage that has a couple of big knots and a lot of darker brown streaks in it. It also has a figure that looks just like they eyes that one would see in Birdseye Maple, but I am certain that it is Pine, or maybe Fir. I've been thinking about taking it down, replacing it with something less figured, and sawing it up into pen blanks. Is there such a thing as Birdseye Pine???? (Sorry, no picture right now). - Dave
Not sure if it is what they would call Birdseye but I know what you are talking about. I used some wood from a shipping pallet and had some of the same character. Mine seem to be more regularly spaced than birdeye, which seems more random to me. I was thinking it had something to do with the wood being closer to the bark surface. The "eyes" did carry through the turned piece.
 

PatrickR

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Apr 8, 2017
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Rural America
My 1920 house has all pine trim and one piece in a door has the figure. I would call it Birdseye. I have never seen it before or marketed. It must be rare in pine. Use it.
 

1080Wayne

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Feb 5, 2006
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3,339
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Brownfield, Alberta, Canada.
From `Understanding Wood` , R Bruce Hoadley . Dimples - Numerous small depressions in growth rings , especially obvious on split tangential surfaces . Occasionally occurs among certain conifers , notably ponderosa and lodgepole pines .

I have a spruce board with a lot of it . And I`ve seen an occasional dimple in pussy willow . I could be wrong , but it seems to me the only difference between birdseye , pecky and dimples is marketing semantics .
 

jttheclockman

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Feb 22, 2005
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19,082
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NJ, USA.
Yes there is such a thing and it is unusual to find but some areas of the country more easily. It is usually called birdseye knotty pine. Many years ago my Dad had entire bar and wall unit behind bar made from knotty pine and there were many boards in there with small birdseye.
 

egnald

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Jun 9, 2017
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Location
Columbus, Nebraska, USA
Here are the pictures. I suppose I will need to buy a new board and pull this one down to cut it into blanks. - Dave
IMG_1865 Cropped.jpg
IMG_1866 Cropped.jpg
 

1080Wayne

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Feb 5, 2006
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3,339
Location
Brownfield, Alberta, Canada.
Yes , sometimes a person has to make the difficult decision to buy a replacement board . Given the 8 inch width , you have quite a bit of scope for experimentation . I certainly wouldn`t cut the whole thing up immediately . Try lengthwise , xcut and angled on the sapwood portion to start . Just turn them cylindrical , sand and finish as you normally would , see what you get and go from there before starting a pen .
 
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