Repair for Pick out

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Mark Hulette

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I've got a slight dilemma here... I'm turning a stabilized burl blank I got from Mr. Baumbeck and was using a skew to smooth out the blank in preparation to sanding. I didn't realize that I'd gotten a bit of a pick out and am not really sure why it happened (had just sharpened the skew). So anyway, what's a good repair method for a stabilized burl? Just use CA after sanding like a normal blank? This is a very special pen and I want it to be as close to perfect as I can make it so your help is greatly appreciated!
 
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pen-turners

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Mark,
There is a couple of things you can do. It really depends on the type of burl it is.
#1 is to try filling the chip with the shavings from turning the pen. While the pen is on the lathe, just fill the divot with thick CA than rub a pinch of the shavings into the divot. Spray with some accelerent and turn down or sand to match. If done correctly, this makes the hole invisible. Then just polish as normal.
#2 is to accent the portion that is chipped out. Anyone who has turned pens for any amount of time knows that burl is some of the hardest stuff to turn. It does not matter how sharp your tools are - you cannot fight nature and the inherant properties of the wood. To accent to divot, You can either use some crushed stone and apply it to the portion of the pen in the same manner as the shavings above.
Or you can do something a little different and inlay the piece with polymer clay. Just make the chip a little deeper using your skew point. Press the clay into the crack or divot and bake it in your oven (tube and all) as directed. Afterwards, pull it out and cool it off and turn down flush. Then finish as always.
I have used this technique on some spalted buckeye burl that has chipped out on me. I inlayed it with mother of pearl clay and it came out beautifully!!! Hope this info helps, if you have any questions, let me know.

chris
 

jeff

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Chris, where do you get the mother of pearl clay? I turned some buckeye last weekend and I spent more time filling voids and chipouts than I did actually turning, sanding, and finishing. It's beautiful, though.
 

Mark Hulette

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Jan 8, 2004
Messages
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Location
Frankfort, KY, USA.
Originally posted by pen-turners
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There is a couple of things you can do. It really depends on the type of burl it is.
#1 is to try filling the chip with the shavings from turning the pen. While the pen is on the lathe, just fill the divot with thick CA than rub a pinch of the shavings into the divot. Spray with some accelerent and turn down or sand to match. If done correctly, this makes the hole invisible. Then just polish as normal.

Chris- thanks for the tip. I've done that with some punky nonstabilized cottonwood and it works well. I got a chance to get back to the shop this afternoon and followed your advice. I believe it came out about as well as I could expect. I'll post pics when I get it assembled.

Thanks again!
 
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