Wood with a story!

[BSea]

A friend of mine has spent the last several years bringing a youth hostel to Little Rock. He knew I made pens, and he wanted to make some for the board members, and a few other key volunteers. He brought me part of an old beam that was salvaged from another old building that is undergoing renovation. That building was built sometime in the 1890's. The salvaged beams were used in some of the modifications to an old fire station that will be the new hostel.

I really wasn't expecting much as the old beam looked in pretty bad shape. But once I cut the beam, I knew it would be something special. I crosscut the beam to show the tight growth rings. I decided to make a long clicker. But I didn't have any blanks long enough. So I added some walnut on each end of the blank separated with some aluminum flashing.

 

[tjseagrove]

Where is mine? I'm bored... :biggrin::biggrin:

 

[keithbyrd]

That came out very nice - good job!

 

[walshjp17]

Well done, Bob. I like the crosscut pattern of the blank.

Gives a whole new meaning to a "Beam" blank.

 

[TimS124]

Nice job of stretching the wood...good looking results there as well!

 

[OZturner]

Brilliant Pen Bob,
Love what you did for the Blank.
I enjoy seeing Timber with a History or Story, being used.
Excellent Fit and Finish.
The Board Members and Volunteers should be delighted.
Brian.

 

[Phillip Kelley]

Very nice save!

Excellent save of repurposed beam! Excellent work, design & finish! Got an extra one for PITH in May?

 

[Band Saw Box]

Beautiful blank and pen, you did a awesome job and your work will allow the building it came from to live on.

 

[vakmere]

Thats different with artistic twist. What pen kit are you using?

 

[BSea]

Thanks for all the nice comments. I should have mentioned that the pens for the board members & volunteers will be sierra stylus pens, not segmented clickers like the one shown. My friend made his 1st pen using this wood on 1 of the Sierra stylus kits. But he took it before I could get a picture.

Excellent save of repurposed beam! Excellent work, design & finish! Got an extra one for PITH in May?

I might have a few blanks available. I'm hoping my friend will come to the next meeting. Its really up to him if there will be blanks available. He might supply a kit with 2 blanks to anyone who will make a pen for the hostel to sell as a fund raiser. You can keep 1blank as long as you make the other blank into a pen using the supplied kit. I'm going to suggest that to him anyway. They will probably be sierras. Or maybe cigars if I can get longer blanks.

And to answer your question, no it won't be my pith pen. But I do have mine finished.

 

[BSea]

Thats different with artistic twist. What pen kit are you using?

It's a long clicker from timberbits. CSUSA also sells them.

They are my favorite click kit.

 

[TDE]

Really nice Bob. Makes a nice pen then the story behind it makes it even better. Ted