Spalted Rambutan Burl Pen Blanks

[egnald]

Greetings from Nebraska.

This thread is closed - all 3 lots have been sold. Thank you to everyone. - Dave

I am usually buying blanks rather than selling them, but I was recently fortunate enough to acquire a small chunk of spalted Rambutan burl from a gentleman named Souphong Manikhong from Laos. Rambutan burls are quite rare and the bonus for this one is that it is also spalted. The block produced some very nice blanks so I decided to share some of them with my fellow pen turners.

The blanks measure just under 3/4-inch square (0.73 inches) by 5-inches long using my calipers. For those that are not familiar with Rambutan, it is a medium-sized Southeast Asian tree that produces fruit of the same name. It is a close cousin of the Lychee and Longan fruits with a translucent whitish flesh but it is more flavorful and is much sweeter. Its wood is similar in color and density to Goncalo Alves but it has perhaps more of an orange hue.

I have 3 lots to share, 4 blanks in each lot. I am asking $40 per lot plus $8 to cover shipping. I will be shipping USPS Priority Mail, so only sales to those with shipping addresses in the USA - sorry. Pictures of the blanks follow with the first photo of the dry blanks followed by a photo of them squirted with denatured alcohol to better show the color variations and then finally flipped over and squirted to show the back two sides of each blank.

Thanks for looking. If you are interested, please make a request by replying to this thread and I will send a PM to you so we can exchange the necessary details.

Thanks and Best Regards,
Dave

 

[EricRN]

Hi, Do you think these would need to be stabilized or could they be turned as is?

 

[Swagopenturner]

Very pretty! Let's see one turned.

 

[egnald]

Hi, Do you think these would need to be stabilized or could they be turned as is?

According to the information I have found published about Rambutan wood, it is a very dense and tough wood that requires very sharp tools. Considering how much effort it took to push it through my bandsaw I would have to agree. I will start a pen from a piece today and let you know how it goes. - Dave

 

[egnald]

Very pretty! Let's see one turned.

In process - check back for the results in a day or so. - Dave

 

[egnald]

For those who have asked, these blanks are pretty dense considering how much force it took to push them through my bandsaw and considering how they drilled on my drill press (drilled for 10mm tubes using a standard high speed steel bit). Also, the entrance and exit holes were clean and crisp with no sign of cracking or chipping.

Thin slices on the bandsaw (about 1/16 thick) held together solidly, so I would not consider them to be crumbly at all and the slices were somewhat pliable i.e. they would yield to bending without breaking.

The blanks turned just fine at 3600 RPM with my carbide tools - no catches, chip outs, or anything. They also sanded well with 400, 600, and 800 grits.

They did soak up the first couple of coats of thin CA pretty well, but all-in-all they took the CA finish just like any other wood I have used including non-burls.

With all things considered, since I have the equipment I might stabilize a few this winter when the humidity comes down and I buy a fresh jug of Cactus Juice; however, using them without being stabilized is not a big concern to me anymore since they certainly can be turned successfully without it.

I pressed the blanks into an All Antique Brass Cigar kit that I bought from Turners Warehouse shown below.

Dave

Four views of the finished pen as I rotated it to show the burl's swirls, curls and spalting on all of the sides:

 

[wrjones224]

I'll take lot #2.

 

[egnald]

I'll take lot #2.

Lot #2 is yours. I will send a PM shortly with the details. - Thank You - Dave

 

[KMCloonan]

Can I have Lot #3?

 

[egnald]

Can I have Lot #3?

Lot #3 is yours. I will send a PM shortly with the details. - Thank You - Dave

 

[goldendj]

I'll take #1 if still available. Paypal or Zelle?

 

[egnald]

I'll take #1 if still available. Paypal or Zelle?

Lot #1 is yours. I will send a PM shortly with the details. - Thank You - Dave