Modified slimline

[NGLJ]

I came across a small piece of Southern live oak (quercus virginiana) 5/8" x 1 3/8" x 2 3/8" left over from a board that a friend gave me. How the board found its way to western Canada is a mystery since you can't buy it here as far as I know. It had been "floating" around in my shop for some time. I kept it because the end grain showed very clearly what it was. Other hints were the weight (63 lb/ cu ft) and the hardness. Supposedly live oak was used to make the USS Constitution ("Old Ironsides"). Though I read that live oak is difficult to use to make straight boards, curved work best. If it is true about the USS Constitution I can verify how hard the wood is. I have turned a number of heavy, dense hardwoods but this is the hardest so far.

I decided to put it to better purpose and cut the piece down the middle and stuck a piece of ebony (an offcut) down the middle. The result is attached in the form of a modified slimline with black chrome plating. If you come across this wood you must be patient and take very light cuts with the sharpest of tools, such as carbide. Otherwise it is likely to chip and ruin your efforts. If you are patient you will find that it sands and finishes nicely.

 

[sorcerertd]

Looks good. I like the grain and the wider center with the custom band is always more appealing to me. Thanks for the tip on turning it, too. What did you finish it with?

 

[NGLJ]

After sanding to 600 grit with Abranet, I used Yorkshire Grit Microfine (supposedly 1200 to 1500 grit) to polish and then Shellawax Liquid for a final finish. I used to use EEE-Ultra Shine Polish but switched to Yorkshire Grit because it is cheaper and works just as well. Besides as a transplanted Tyke (Yorkshireman) I had to try it . Todd being in the southern US you may be able to get Live Oak.

 

[Woodchipper]

My complements on the shape, wood choice and finish. I have Shellawax and this makes me want to use it for more pens.

 

[NGLJ]

There is no question that CA provides the most durable finish for pens but some people don't like the shiny appearance. They prefer the more natural look. Also, applying Shellawax is so much easier and quicker. I still use CA on occasion but use Shellawax most of the time.

 

[Edgar]

Very nice! I really like the shape of it, and the fit & finish are flawless.

You're right - Southern Live Oak is quite dense, and takes a bit of patience. It's so common in my area, that it doesn't get the life it deserves for pen turning. I have a number of live oak trees on our property that are well over 200 years old & they are beautiful trees that keep their leaves year round (at least most of them).

I made this pen from an old piece of live oak a few weeks ago. It had a couple of knots that gave it some crazy grain patterns. It also had several checks & small holes that I filled with coffee grounds. I used teak oil to bring out the grain & friction polish to preserve the natural look of the wood as much as possible.

 

[NGLJ]

Very nicely done! I would never have thought of using coffee grounds to fill gaps in wood. What do you use to secure it? I am envious that you have such wood on your property. Living in a rainforest area most of the local species are softwoods. Local indigenous hard woods are mostly maple and alder. Maple can provide some interest as a burl, which is highly prized.

The standard shape for slimline kits has never appealed to me and I have never made one that way. Anyone short of center rings? I have lots . I try to get a shape that flows nicely starting at the nib. Of course, you get better at that with practice and I like that every new species that you try adds to the challenge. Two pieces from the same source will likely even turn differently. That's the beauty of wood, which is quite an amazing material. It is even more amazing when you realize that without extractives all wood would be a very bland as cellulose that makes up the structure of wood.

 

[Edgar]

I used CA to attach the coffee grounds. I carefully turned the blank close to finished size, then pressed coffee grounds into the holes & cracks then flooded that area with thin CA. I let it sit overnight to cure well then turned some more. I had to repeat twice more to get all the little voids filled, but when I finished turning to final size, all evidence of CA had been turned away.

The black coffee grounds blend well with the actual grain of woods like this. I also keep shavings of various woods in old medicine bottles when I need to fill voids in woods where I don't want to use a black filler.

I make a lot of slimlines with a similar shape, but I usually use a streamline center band. I really need to make my own like you did - that really looks nice.

I am definitely blessed with a wide variety of nice hard woods on my property. Pecan, Mesquite, Huisache, Sycamore, Honey Locust, Osage Orange, Hickory, Persimmon, Elm, Eastern Red Cedar, and several species of oak, just to mention a few - at least 40 different species.

 

[NGLJ]

Wow now I super jealous. Are you allowed to cut down what you wish? I didn't make the band separately. It is part of the blank. I only make single blank slimlines these days. That way you don't have to worry about alignment at the center if there is a wooden band. You can also just use a blank big enough for both tubes plus an allowance for the missing center piece. It took some practice to get it right every time but now I rarely miss. That way you can also vary how "fat" it is at center if you wish.

 

[Edgar]

I thought it might be a 1-piece, but I wasn't sure. I've made a few of them, but it's been a while & I just used a single piece of wood. I really like the look with a different wood in the center.

There are no restrictions on what we can cut, however, we mostly only process limbs that fall on their own from nice trees. We do cut a lot of "brush" trees & some of those have nice wood, especially Mesquite. We do have some pecan trees that are 300-500 years old, and when they drop a limb, it might be as big as a normal tree.

 

[NGLJ]

You have a wonderful place. I also like a contrast wood in the middle and often cut a blank in half, insert a piece and glue them together. That way when it is turned you have a perfect fit.

 

[Jans husband]

After sanding to 600 grit with Abranet, I used Yorkshire Grit Microfine (supposedly 1200 to 1500 grit) to polish and then Shellawax Liquid for a final finish. I used to use EEE-Ultra Shine Polish but switched to Yorkshire Grit because it is cheaper and works just as well. Besides as a transplanted Tyke (Yorkshireman) I had to try it . Todd being in the southern US you may be able to get Live Oak.

I see that Yorkshire Grit has been acquired by Easy Easy Wood Tools, and has certainly had a substantial price increase here in Yorkshire

 

[NGLJ]

Yes that is correct. It only became available here locally quite recently. In my youth I spent many happy hours trainspotting in Doncaster. I was born in Brayton near Selby and moved to Leeds when I was 11. The family immigrated to Canada in 1981.

 

[Jans husband]

Yes that is correct. It only became available here locally quite recently. In my youth I spent many happy hours trainspotting in Doncaster. I was born in Brayton near Selby and moved to Leeds when I was 11. The family immigrated to Canada in 1981.

I probably saw you at Doncaster station
2 years younger than you but I was a trainspotter as a child/teenager
Nothing like the steam trains made in Doncaster Plant Works! Flying Scotsman etc.
Happy days
Mike

 

[NGLJ]

Mike, that could be true. How the world turns . Once diesels became the norm I lost some interest. When I was 2 my parents moved to Barlby Rd on the other side of the toll bridge from Selby. I used to sit on the fence next to the railway spotting the trains as they came from or approached Selby station. On one amazing Saturday I saw ALL of the A4 Pacifics (streaks). Also, used to buy a platform ticket for Selby station and spot from there.