Questions about turning stabilized wood

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Danny Linguini

Danny Linguini

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Nov 26, 2025
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My apologies if this has already been addressed, but I'm having a very hard time finding help anywhere. What I'm looking for is any tips for turning stabilized wood blanks. I have some colored stabilized maple burl and box elder on order that I'm hoping to use to make a couple of special pens for family members. I've only turned hardwood blanks so far, so before I plunge into these stabilized blanks, I'm looking for any info I can find on how best to tackle it, from drilling to turning to finishing. All I get from Google is sales ads and how to stabilize soft woods, but nothing at all about turning.

From what I've read about acrylics, I need to use a slower lathe speed and a very light touch with the tools, which is how I plan on approaching these blanks. I have up to 600 grit sandpaper, and mesh type pads that go up to 3000, so I think I'm covered there, and then finishing with EEE and Shellawax. Is there anything else I should be looking out for or be extra careful with that I as a noob might not be thinking of?
 
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Danny Linguini said:
My apologies if this has already been addressed, but I'm having a very hard time finding help anywhere. What I'm looking for is any tips for turning stabilized wood blanks. I have some colored stabilized maple burl and box elder on order that I'm hoping to use to make a couple of special pens for family members. I've only turned hardwood blanks so far, so before I plunge into these stabilized blanks, I'm looking for any info I can find on how best to tackle it, from drilling to turning to finishing. All I get from Google is sales ads and how to stabilize soft woods, but nothing at all about turning.

From what I've read about acrylics, I need to use a slower lathe speed and a very light touch with the tools, which is how I plan on approaching these blanks. I have up to 600 grit sandpaper, and mesh type pads that go up to 3000, so I think I'm covered there, and then finishing with EEE and Shellawax. Is there anything else I should be looking out for or be extra careful with that I as a noob might not be thinking of?
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Danny -
I am sure there are tons of opinions on this, but your comment on slow speed and light touch is only half right to me. I turn stabilized blanks with a VERY light touch but with the speed cranking at one of the highest speeds I feel safely to turn at. Typically I am turning at around 3,500 RPM, but slow and light with the touch. I also suggest really sharp tools and depending on the material, will stop and sharpen mid-way through the turn once again - maybe just a quick honing, but a good touch up to maintain the sharpness of the tool. One other suggestion I find helps is that if you have the ability, break the corners of the blank with a bandsaw or sander. Rounding off the corners before you put the blank on the lathe reduces the impacts on the blank during the initial cutting since the blank is already partially round.

Good luck with the pens - I am sure they will be an appreciated gift!!

Kevin
 
+1 for all of Kevin's (@NJturner) comments.

One more thing, depending on what was used to stabilize it and how long ago it was done, you should wear a 1/2 face respirator with VOC canisters on it. The last one I turned was nasty smelling. It turned out great, but stunk for a while during and after turning it.
 
Thank you for all the most helpful advice. The blanks arrived today, but I'm waiting for the mini 4-jaw and drill chuck so I can drill these out on the lathe, so I have a few more days to practice up my technique on regular wood, then sharpen the bajeezus out of those tools. I'll drop in again with updates.
 
Fast. Light touch. Will generate more dust than shavings. And, any new wood or material i work with--i often use the first pen to practice finish cuts and finishing. Get the blank to round, and while it's still "fat"--do a finish cut and put your finish on it. Provides an opportunity to see if there are tool marks, see how CA versus friction polish look and so on. Gives me a chance to adjust my process while there's still plenty of "meat on the bone".

You'll do great--the base product literally grows on trees!!
earl
 
I think the "turn it fast with a light touch" horse is beaten flat so I won't add any more hits to it. I turn all my stuff with carbide so I don't have a horse in the HSS race. (yes, double horse joke)

If you're uncertain about turning any new material I would recommend that in the future if your budget allows, buy a 2nd blank to play with. you can turn it, sand it, finish it, cuss at it, etc without worrying about doing anything to the "finished product" blank. Rarely do two pieces of wood, stabilized or not, ever turn exactly the same but they'll be close.

The suggestion from David (@d_bondi ) is a good one. Leave the blank fat and practice your desired finish with it. I'm a CA guy so I can't give any advice on anything other than that.

Another habit I've put myself in over the last couple of years with any stabilized wood is to get 2/3 or 3/4 of the way down to what I want my finished profile to look like and then stop and really look carefully at all surfaces on the blank. Many times you may find a void, pit or something that you'll need to stabilize. Ultrathin CA and some sawdust or shavings from your turning will be your friend. Pack it off and use the CA to bond it. When you arrive at finished diameter you'll never know it was there. A general stabilized wood may not have any voids but I love turning burls for their figure and you can just about plan on voids in those a percentage of the time. Even after that, sometimes voids show up. I had a really pretty buckeye burl that I turned for a pen this week that was great when I check it and when I got down to finished diameter there was a small void that showed up.

Before someone asks or comments. I buy nearly all my burl blanks from Exotic Blanks because I feel they do a nice job making sure all their blanks are as stabilized as they can get. Occasionally I've gotten something from Craft Supplies and they've been good too.
 
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