Thread: Amboynia Burl `

I haven't. I've been eyeing the burls at woodcraft as well though. It seems all the nice ones are $75-$100 though. I'll do it one of these days.

I going bump up my hobby to a small home business and I think if you want to make any money at this you have to use the HIGHEST quality of timber specimens.

This last chunk that I cut up cost me about 1.75-2.00 per 3.5 inch blank. Im sure it could cost a lot more. Boy I'll tell you that I had beads of sweat on my forehead when I powered up the table saw and made my first cut through the burl. I did learn to be very discriminating (and the need to be more) when touching the saw through a board that costs 120+ per board foot. I was very satisfied with the results of my first experience. Ohhhhh.. ahhhhh.. woooow... cool... beautiful! ..

The other timber that I have my eyes on is Curly Koa... WOW. A friend has a source for this and I'll tell you it is some amazing wood.

So if you have a source and want to keep it tight.. Email me!!

Jim

You might want to try here

http://www.exoticwoodgroup.com/

There ya go Pat

You're spot on about it making very sellable pens, Jim.

One of our resident darksiders, Auld Bassoon (may he RIP) commissioned me to make a pen for him, supplying a piece of Amboyna. It went onto a very expensive kit and made a drop-dead gorgeous pen. Steve was a bit worried about how it would turn, as apparently it doesn't plane very well, tending to pull the grain. He needn't have worried; it's a pleasure to turn.

Sadly, before he could pick it up, well... Still, I have a beautiful reminder of a really nice bloke. A few people have seen it and offered some hefty prices when told it's not for sale... I really should make more!

Some lovely wood there, should turn some good pens. Amos

Originally Posted by Jiminidaho

Pen Addicts alike

Anyone have a good source for burls in the US? I just purchased a chunk of burl for 50 bucks at WoodCraft and cut out enough for 30 pens (polaris/serria style).

Boy I'll tell ya.. I think i found my wood of choice for pens. They are make a remarkable and VERY sellable pen.

Thanks

Some nice looking wood, there!
I haven't had the greatest luck with Woodcraft or Rockler for getting wood blanks. Pen blanks are fine, but the larger pieces (bowl blanks, 2x2x18 etc) seem to look great on the shelf, but when cut or turned are full of cracks or dry rot. I'm not sure how the rot happens in a waxed piece, but I've got several hundred dollars worth or sourgum, ambrosia maple, kingwood and silky oak that I can't do much with except try to trim down for pen blanks.
I've got two beautiful bowl blanks that shake the lather SO bad that it won't stay on the table.. there's a void in those blanks somewhere, but I can't turn it to find out.

I like the lignum. I've seen people talk about it here for ages, and I finally bought some. I love the smell! And the weight.. turns almost like olive. I went and bought all I could find and made some gavels, perfume pens, atomizers and such ..beautiful stuff. (thanks guys..)

The tan and brown .. is that cocobolo? I saw tons of that at Rockler and they were cranking it out for about $1 a board foot because it isn't the nice brown/orange finished stuff that everyone wants. Hey .. I can trim, too!

Nice pics .. let's see some toothpicks when you're done!

NL the tan and brown is Cocobolo

Unfortunately for me theses are not my stock just pictures I sourced from my link above to show what is available on that web site