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Thread: Getting the croc jaws ready
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26th October 2011, 09:44 PM #1
Getting the croc jaws ready
Well after arranging for more permits etc I finally got another shipment of saltwater crocodile jaws - 370 of them . So today Gawdelpus (John) came around and brought a wok gas jet for me to heat the big drum I have (my croc pot ) to boil the croc jaw bones. I filled the drum with 20gals of water and 1 gal of bleech, then boiled the bones for 6 hours in the carport, certainly not a good smell to have inside . I’ll let them cool overnight and then spread them over some bird wire mesh to dry for a month or so. Then I will bake them in the camp oven before casting with the coloured resins.
While we waited for the bones to boil we cast some Cholla Cactus and some Cedar seed pods I collected whilst in Melbourne (look similar to sheoak pods) to make even more pen blanks . While they were setting in the pressure pot, I made a pen (actually a pencil) using a rotten wormy piece of Mango.
This was the first trial of wood I had stabilized by impregnating it with "Cactus Juice" resin under vacuum that makes it turn hard and holds it all together for turning. The worm holes, spalting mould and the timber itself makes for amazing grain . I'm still waiting for another 2 gal of the Cactus Juice to arrive from Curtis in the USA (head moderator for IAP forums) as I have a heap more stuff to stabilize. The pen is finished with CA as usual.
CheersNeil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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26th October 2011, 10:16 PM #2SENIOR MEMBER
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beaut looking bit of mango neil, i was wondering if that catus juice would ever make it over here!
cant wait to see more of those jaw bone blanks
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26th October 2011, 10:29 PM #3
Gotta admit the smell of boiling bones and bleach was not so good hehe, but if the process helps make some more great pens then that is a small price to pay The cigar pencil was a good test of both the efficiency of the stabiliser and the skills of the Turner ,in this case Neil (dai sensei) Certainly a nice pencil in any ones book
cheers ~ JohnG'day all !Enjoy your stay !!!
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27th October 2011, 08:18 AM #4
I am going green here, looking forward to the cocodile blanks, meanwhile that is just an amazing piece of work on the wormy mango! Amos
Good, better, best, never let it rest;
Til your good is better, and your
better, best.
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27th October 2011, 08:41 AM #5New Member
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Crock Pot - very punny
Hi Neil
You and John are the only people in the world I know who boil up their pen blanks. I must say the crock pens are very impressive. Whowouldhavethunkit.
Is there no end to what you guys come up with for making pen blanks?
Thanks for sharing at the Melbourne wood show and showing some of your unusual pens to the audience. I am sure it expanded their horizons as well as mine.
Love youre work.
Theo.
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27th October 2011, 08:52 AM #6Skwair2rownd
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Must get down to see those in person. They look good from here but a close up would tell me more!!
Well done again!!
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27th October 2011, 04:17 PM #7
Master !
Neil, you really are "dai sensei', The Master. Your feats of Penmastery are wonderfull to see, and try to aspire to. Your amazing finished products show by example, the huge effort you put into every detail from start to finish.
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27th October 2011, 06:39 PM #8
Nice work Neil, look forward to seeing your latest creations.
Reality is no background music.
Cheers John
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27th October 2011, 09:19 PM #9Old Fart (my step daughters named me)
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OK it looks like I am the only one not to see the croc jaw pens before. I really can not imagine what they look like but I sure am very interested. While I have heard of cooking up a plan I have never heard of cooking up a pen before. Unusual indeed. Really looking forward to seeing the end result.
Cookie
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27th October 2011, 10:36 PM #10
Yep, there is no end to the different things you can make a pen out of. I am making a special one for Ubeaut Neil, but what it's made from is a secret .
Today I took the jaws out of the pot and cleaned each one individually under the pressure hose. Many had black stuff and some even had fly maggot pupa stuck in the teeth holes , so needed some prying with a sharp stick. All are now stacked on some mesh hanging off the carport roof beams drying where they get a good flow of air.
I couldn't resist turning the cedar pods we cast yesterday into a Sierra , unfortunately the pods were different colours, but should look better on the full length blanks I cast.
See here for my previous ones
CheersNeil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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27th October 2011, 11:25 PM #11
Amazing Pens Neil absolutely stunning !! I love your work.
Keep it coming.
Cheers
Tony.
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28th October 2011, 09:25 AM #12Deceased
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28th October 2011, 11:09 AM #13
If the "U-Beaut" special is what I think it is ,will really test the stabilize tank lol. Cheers ~ John
G'day all !Enjoy your stay !!!
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28th October 2011, 08:25 PM #14
Couldn't resist turning another cedar pod blank, this time a Cigar. Some parts look like a crocodile skin .
It actually has to be finished with CA, but Neil will understand when he knows what it is made from , although I will sand back and refinish with Shellewax to remove the shiny look.
CheersNeil____________________________________________Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new
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30th October 2011, 05:16 PM #15
Great looking pens. very unique and excellent work as always.
Reality is no background music.
Cheers John
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