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Post by sachbvn on Nov 15, 2009 23:24:24 GMT -6
Hey guys - just curious. Do you normally buy your pen blanks one at a time - do you buy packs of 5 or 10 if you can get 'em that way. I bought the "assortment A" from Woodcraft.... 16 different kinds - two of each kind - 42 bucks I think. I was ok with that - I hadn't ever used anything other than domestic woods. I'm thinking I may start to buy individual blanks because from www.woodturningz.com/Pen_Kits.aspx I can get many of them for like 95 cents each - so, that is cheaper than Woodcrafts prices. Just curious where/how you get your blanks. Anyone buy whole boards and cut 'em up? Some of the really neat woods are pretty pricey.... they look nice - and I could spend 4 or 5 bucks on a blank for a particularly nice gift, but I'd dang near break my heart to bust apart on the lathe! Zac |
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Post by TDHofstetter on Nov 15, 2009 23:27:55 GMT -6
I mostly cut mine from raw boards - when I see nice fiddleback figure in local maple, that's prime for pens. Sometimes I buy exotics in 2"x2"x24" sticks, though, and cut 'em out of that. I've even got a bagful of black piano keys that I've tapped into for a few pens. Trust me - don't take a piano apart for the material. The black keys were nothin' more than a consolement prize.  |
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Post by sachbvn on Nov 15, 2009 23:31:20 GMT -6
lmao - now I'll be keeping my eye out for crap to accidentally tip over so I can use it for turner stock!  Zac |
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Doug B
WoW Member
[b]Rescued Firewood[/b]
Posts: 1,938
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Post by Doug B on Nov 16, 2009 2:00:39 GMT -6
BOW blanks I buy the blanks. Everything else has been from lumber purchased at the hardwood lumber place (they have exotics too) or from trading with someone or collecting my own material locally (and wherever I happen to be traveling as well  ) I have collected so much wood that I will never be able to use it all..but I'm trying If I saw something I really liked, I would not hesitate to buy the blanks. Like recently I bought some "money" blanks (those are going to be pretty neat I think) and before that I bought some Rattlesnake blanks. Woodturningz always has interesting looking blanks, and Arizona Silhouette does too. Over at IAP (Penturners.org) there are a lot of guys selling all kinds of pen blanks. Ain't this fun? ;D |
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Post by sachbvn on Nov 16, 2009 7:10:48 GMT -6
Sure is fun - yeah - those money blanks made with shredded currency - those are pretty neat, I did think about getting one of those just to check it out! Zac |
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sawduster
Moderator 
The Motley Crew
Posts: 1,831
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Post by sawduster on Nov 16, 2009 9:27:29 GMT -6
Some of the hardwood places that deal with exotics will have a bin of "shorts" that are a decent price and can be cut into pen blanks. Like DougB, about the only ready cut blanks I buy are BOW.
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Doug B
WoW Member
[b]Rescued Firewood[/b]
Posts: 1,938
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Post by Doug B on Nov 16, 2009 13:17:25 GMT -6
Sure is fun - yeah - those money blanks made with shredded currency - those are pretty neat, I did think about getting one of those just to check it out! Zac I'll let you know how they turn out Zac. I got one as a freebie a long time ago and made a pencil with it for an accountant type at work. She loved it! I got 5 blanks this time so I'm going to try a few different things. |
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