Sagebrush pen

[Doug B]

My 17 yr old grandson asked me to make a pen for a raffle that a group he belongs to is holding for a fund raiser. The group is called HOSA or Health Occupations Students of America. www.hosa.org/

So I made a slimline pen from some Sagebrush that I got near where he lives in Utah.

[sachbvn]

That sure is a neat lookin' grain there! Looking at the upper barrel, it almost looks like..... someone took thin red paint on a really bristley brush - and rubbed the top of the bristles, splattering real fine dots of red paint over the pen. Is that a good description??? Neat lookin!

Also - is that a "split" that is filled with CA glue on the bottom barrel - just north of the nib? Very neat, looks like a split in the earth from an earthquake or something.... eh - what is it with me being all descriptive? haha!

Ok, back to manly - that's a kick ass pen!

Zac

[deepsplinter]

Nice pen there, Doug. Different

It seems you can make a pen (or tree) out of anything grown locally.

I'll send you a corn cob next harvest season, or maybe some soy bean roots.

[TDHofstetter]

I've wanted to turn some sagebrush for quite a while now. I obviously don't crave it, but thought it'd be interesting to turn.

[sawduster]

Nice, very classy looking wood.

I'd have been inclined to slap one of them caduceus clips on it for a HOSA raffle. Of course that would have meant going with a gold plate kit which might not look quite so good as that kit.

[Doug B]

Thanks for comments every one.

Zac,

That is a pretty good description of the dots - they are brown, not red, but kind of interesting looking. Similar to cross cut Palm, but much more subtle.

The "earthquake split" is actually a knot. For some reason the knots in Sagebrush are sunk deep into the wood, and I just filled it up with some thin, then thick CA. The dark color you see is from the bark left in the knot hole. That is probably not a very good description, but this stuff really is hard to describe

And Zac, thanks for the "manly" comment too


Dave,

LOL - I have tried just about anything I could manage to drill a hole in and stick on the lathe. The vast majority of things have not turned out to be anything special, but a couple of times I found something interesting.

I tried some corn cob one time without much success.


Tim,

I remember I was going to send you some Sagebrush a long time ago. Man I cant' believe I never got around to it. I keep thinking I'll get set up for stabilizing so they won't be such a mess to turn, but who knows when that will happen. I'll send you some to play with.


Jerry,

I have looked at those medical clips too because my daughter is a nurse. That would have been a neat thing to do for the HOSA raffle. I just wish they would make some of those specialty clips in more than just the gold finish.

Thanks again for all the comments guys!

[sawduster]

I just wish they would make some of those specialty clips in more than just the gold finish.

Yep, and for other kits except the slimline and the euro.

My oncologist just got her results for her oncology boards back and passed, so I've got a couple euro kits on order with the doctor clips to give her as a congratulatory gift.

[Doug B]

Oh yeah, I agree Jerry. They need to make those clips for other kits as well as in different finishes! Most of them are novelty items, but the medical clip is one that I really like.

[Joe Lyddon]

Dough, now that you're close to sage brush, which looks good BTW, have you ever tried anything with Manzanita?

Looks like it would be a very pretty wood... on the surface.

[Doug B]

Jan 27, 2010 12:54:06 GMT -6 Joe Lyddon said:

Dough, now that you're close to sage brush, which looks good BTW, have you ever tried anything with Manzanita?

Looks like it would be a very pretty wood... on the surface.

Yes, someone gave me some Manzanita once and it made a very nice pen. I looked for a picture, but can't seem to locate it.

[TDHofstetter]

Manzanita's pretty neat stuff - my ex had a very nice carving in the stuff. It's hazardous, though, 'cause you never know for sure if there's a pebble buried inside it - it's well-known for drawing pebbles up from the bottom & encasing 'em in wood.

[maverick31]

great looking pen doug. I think that split gives it great character.

[Doug B]

Thanks Mav! I really like the knots in Sagebrush...they add a unique look to them.

LOL I was discussing this kind of thing with my brother recently. Most woodworkers eliminate the flaws in their lumber that the pen turner most treasures. He's a carpenter and I'm trying to convince him that those nasty pieces of wood he tosses ourt, are really what I want! ;D