Stablized Pen Blanks

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nkygal

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2012
Messages
2
Location
Kentucky
Hi all,
I am fairly new to pen turning but have turned a fair amount using various woods and pen styles. I usually choose the stablized pen blanks. I prefer wood over plastic and finished as naturally as I can although I step over that line at times as I feel the need. A recent negative experience with a recent order has prompted me to ask if anyone has noticed a difference in stablized blanks. I appreciate your comments and thank you in advance for those comments!
Thank you soo much for this site!
 
Can you be a little more specific Cindy? Was it a blank problem or kit issue? I stabilize my own blanks and there is a big difference!! There has been a lot of chat lately about really hard stuff like Amboyna being stabilized not due to and softness, but due to the irregular grain structure inherent in most any burl. Ha!!! I learned somethinig else!! I have a large supply of Amboyna and it will be getting a bath. Stabilized is good!
 
I ordered stablized crosscut hackberry, spalted tiger oak and red wood burl. I was successful with the redwood burl for my first time turning. I have turned the tiger oak and crosscut hackberry previous. I ordered from a different vendor this time. I drill my pens out on a lathe since I do not have a drill press set up. The hack berry I hardly got the hole started and a huge chunk flew off deeming it for another project. The tiger oak I had down to the final shaping and 2 peices flew off which I can glue and you will hardly know it by the way it came apart. I worked this piece in timeframes so I don't think it was overworked heating and drying it out. I am making executive one piece wood pens. Like I said I have turned these woods before and without any issues. This time the blanks just felt less stable when I handled them before turning but being new and with the variables is why I reached out and see if the quality of stablization could be part of the problem.
T
 
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