Garden pen blanks

[Fuzzie]

Back in March while I was pruning the jungle I cut a few branches off a nondescript Grevillea growing below the pool deck. Having caught the "I wonder if that is useful" bug I halved it on the bandsaw and put a lick of paint on the ends.

Anyway I have never turned anything yet, total newbie, but I've been fixing up an MC900 lathe and it should be working soon. So today while cleaning up I thought about what if anything I could use this home grown wood for.

I have no idea what is a good starting blank size for anything. I've cut these pieces out of the now dry branch and am wondering if they are suitable for pen blanks. They're about and inch square, but wany along the lengths where the bark came off. I think there should be at least 6" length in them after cutting off possible cracks at the old painted ends.

Can somebody tell me if these are suitable for pen banks and what I should do to them next or should I just thrown them in the firewood pile?

[Grommett]

If you can get 20mm square blanks then you can easily make pens out of them. As to what they will look like? Suck it and see. There seems to be some some figure in a couple and I would certainly have a go. The fun thng about chance finds is dicovering what you have. :2tsup:

[HazzaB]

Hey Fuzzie,

Like Grommett says, 'suck it and see' you never never know if you don't have a go, if you are a bit frightened send me a couple of bits and I'll try them for you.:wink:

HazzaB

[artme]

"nondescript Grevillias" make great looking pens.!!:):):)

I have turned pens from pieces of Honey Gem, Poorinda Pride and Moonlight.

All have great grain, like a smaller version of Silky Oak- Grevillia Robusta.

[bdar]

Fuzzie, you are on your way, Grevillia, Bottle Brush, Banksia are just a few you can use. Like the others have said 20mm square for blanks and 150mm is a good length. If I have branches or blocks 300mm long I leave them that length and just cut my blank from it when I need one. Welcome to the addiction

Cheers
Darren

[corbs]

Turn em into pens, you won't be disappointed:;

[Grommett]

Hey Fuzzie,

if you are a bit frightened send me a couple of bits and I'll try them for you.:wink:

HazzaB

Hazza, thats a very generous offer but given we know it takes 5 days plus to cross the desert perhaps sending them down to Victoria might be better:D
Michael

[Christos]

Did you turn these into pens or are ready to turn these into pens?

I have a few pieces of what I have been told is Silky Oak that I hope once dried I can turn into pens.

[Grommett]

Yes like Christo's says any pens yet? Post if you can. :2tsup:

[Fuzzie]

Sorry guys, no output yet. I haven't had much time in the workshop over the last few months, I've been doing other things. What was the jungle itself is causing me grief now as with all the rain we've had recently there is a bit of water erosion happening which I have to work out how to get under control.

I have however in the meantime resurrected the lump of rust (http://www.woodworkforums.com/f155/jammed-mc900-lathe-speed-adjuster-140083/)which was once a lathe and it's now up and running.

[soundman]

I know the thread is a bit stale...but any news on progress on ya pens from the garden.

Gravillia comes up great....remember silky oak is just a big ass gravilia.

remember anything arround 20mmx20mm is viable pen material, if you are drilling accurately and not making turning mistakes yu will get penso out of 15mm x15mm no problems

25mm x25mm and ya into salad servers and bigger cutlery....20 x 20 will do smaller cutlery.

And while you are in the garden.

look out for camelia......a great smooth, fine grained, creamy white wood to turn, dries well without splitting cracking and makes a reasonable substitute for ivory.

Some of the ornimental pines come up realy nicely.....i turned a pen up from some unidentified pine that was yanked out of a metes garden by the bobcat.......oh the figure was marvelous, and the realy special thing is it changes coulour with body heat......it looks good on it own but leave it in your inside jacket pocket for half a hour and the grain just livens up.

all this from a shrub less than 4 feet high.

Oh and don't forget the fruit woods.

cheers

[Jonnydubbs]

I agree. I have lots of blanks cut from the root of a kaffir plum that blew over in my property several years ago. Really beautiful red colour with nice figuring. Will offer some for sale soon.

[Fuzzie]

Thread is a bit old, but I did get around to using some of this branch a while back as handles for a couple of skew chisels
http://www.woodworkforums.com/f152/wip-skew-chisels-dovetailing-193217-post1853191#post1853191

http://www.woodworkforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=343542&d=1427785404&thumb=1