soft wood pens

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Woodnknots

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I just turned this cedar pen today, and I like the look, but even with the BLO/CA finish (I don't think I'm doing it right) it still has a dull look to it. I used Carnuba wax after everything was said and done, but it didn't seem to help much. I just can't help feeling disappointed with this pen. Any advice??

2005221214410_cedar.jpg
 
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Take a look at my album. I have done many cedar pens/pencils and a letter opaner. Looks like you sanded through the CA. What is your CA/BLO process? I don't even see any CA in the groves?

There is a nice article in the articles section of the IAP, check it out see if you are skipping any steps.

Ryan
 
A turner that I Respect very much, suggested rubbing the Cedar with the side of an oval skew. It will burnish the wood and make it shine. If you don't have that type of skew, you could use the back of a gouge.

Something else you might try, to get a high gloss finish is CA glue.

Bruce
 
I used the procedures outlined by Fred Munday, but I guess I wasn't clear on what the outcome should have been before I stopped applying the glue. I only went over it 3-4 times with CA glue after the BLO. What should I be looking for as an indication I put on enough glue? Do I apply it in a steady stream, or a couple of drops every few seconds on the pad?
 
Dave, you might try reducing the size of your photos too. This one would be better reduced about 50%. Just a suggestion.
 
Dave,
What sanding technique did you use before you applied the CA/BLO? I did a cedar pen a few weeks ago that came out pretty good by sanding thoroughly using standard sandpaper, some Abranet, and MicroMesh. I also wiped it down a few times with denatured alcohol during the sanding to make sure the surface was nicely clean. I also followed this up with EEE, then some Shellawax. With just these steps, the blanks looked almost as shiny as with the CA. As for your question regarding the glue, my understanding, and it is only an understanding since I've only done a handful of pens (and have had 2 that I had to refinish because I wasn't happy with the first CA/BLO application), is that you want to add just enough to coat each blank without drenching it. This gets repeated a few times (3 or 4). That's where I stopped, but from what I understand if you add something like TSW on top of the CA/BLO, it will really pop.

BTW, I agree with Coach, I like the grooves. Coach, someone else mentioned using a pipe cleaner to cut grooves (take off the fluffy stuff for the part you're rubbing against the wood, but the rest provides insulation).
 
Alright, I had to go into the shop and try it! I used my skew chisel faced with the longer point on the bottom and made grooves. It came out fantastic!!!! I did touch up the grooves after each sanding, and after EEE and Shellawax. Now I need some calipers to make them all perfect!
 
I cut most of my grooves with a 1/4" skew held upright to the wood .
Another trick I use to polish up the grooves is to get a ball of "cotton" string and use a piece of that to polish each groove individually . When it gets worn , just break off the bad section and start all over again .
 
Originally posted by coach
<br />Did you do those grooves with a parting tool? I love that look.
Click to expand...
I actually did those grooves with my skew chisel. I was doing some experimenting with different cutting techniques, and came up with those. I think I will make that a semi-standard feature on my future slimlines,thanks.
 
Originally posted by coach
<br />Did you do those grooves with a parting tool? I love that look.
Click to expand...
I actually did those grooves with my spindle gouge. I was doing some experimenting with different cutting techniques, and came up with those. I think I will make that a semi-standard feature on my future slimlines,thanks.
 
These pens are Ponderosa Pine Burl. There isn't a wood much softer
than this. It becomes a suitable wood for making a pen with
two (2) saturations of CA glue, one just before, and the other
just after the final sanding. It doesn't take detail very well,
so I avoid the grooves and other fancy things and lett the wood
grain speak for itself.

2005222151945_PPPen3.jpg
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For posting pictures in posts, there are two qualifiers. First, the photo must be less than 90k in size. Second, the file name must be composed of letters and numbers. The parentheses and hyphens in these pen names are the problem, I believe.
Originally posted by RussFairfield
<br />For some reason, I cannot get a photo to post to a message without getting the dreaded Red-X. The photos go to a file called "Downloaded Files" and refuse to be transferred anywhere from there. However, I can post a photo into the album without any problem. Any suggestions on how to resolve this.
Click to expand...
 
I have some cedar and juniper that I'll be turning "one of these days," but lilac is about the same hardness. Here's a pen my wife and I turned out of lilac and finished with Mylands cellulose sanding sealer and Shellawax, then a shot of Ren wax: http://tinyurl.com/69w2z
 
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