# Bill....(or anybody)



## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Got in an order of wood from your Ebay guy..Beautiful stuff, but one problem. He threw in some Spotted Tamarind as a 'freebie' and it looks beautiful but it feels and cuts as light as balsa.. Drilling blows 'em out pretty quick.. Any suggestions on how to stiffen it up?. It's too pretty to junk...


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

That stuff has to be stablized. There are places that will do it. It is best to have it done under pressure to keep the bubbles down. Home depot has some stuff that I can't remember the name of it now that you use to harden rotted wood. It will work but you have to delute it with DNA so it will soak good.


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

That's just the way that wood is....it looks wonderful when finished. Cut your blanks a little larger and if it blows out the end, you still got the area you need (go slow and keep the drill clean), just trim the ends and it will work. I would like to get some more of it....it turns like butter so be sure of your cuts  Once you do one, you will get the hang of it. He had some bowl blanks...I have been tempted LOL The heartwood is used in some flooring.


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

Oh...BTW never seen a bad "freebie" LOL


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

http://www.preservation-solutions.com/product.php?product_id=1003&category_id=1000&source=GreenWood&keyword=WoodStabilizer

http://www.rrpwhite.com/stabilizing%20page.htm

http://www.stabilizedwood.com/

I have personally used the folks in the last link. I think I had even made a knife for Shawn out of black palm, that was stabilized by these folks.

it's been several years ago, but if they are still in business, it should mean something.


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

that knife has redwood burl scales, not black palm. we had talked about using black palm though.


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Thanks for the leads, Guys... Got a bottle of thin CA here I'm not doing nuthin with so I think I'll give that a try...along with some SHARP tools..(LOL..thanx Bill).. It's just too good lookin to let it go to waste...but don't think I wanna go 12 bucks to stabilize one blank...lol... As to post on black palm...been there, done that...same results as this wood. Started splintering bad when I got into it, so I'm skipping palm unless I run across some stabilized sticks somewheres...

Gracias, Amigos.....


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## BertS (May 21, 2004)

honestly, from the quality work you do, $12 seems like a small price to pay, to keep the wood together........

don't scrimp on the quality......but then, I know you are aware of that......

try it out one time, and see if you dont' like it much better.......


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

Thanks, Bill...and everyone else for suggestions... Decided to go with Bill...cut the blanks half inch too long and sure enough, blew out two more...but just the last quarter inch. Easy to trim up and tube and square.. Sharpened up the ol' Spindlemaster and worked very gently...didn't even TOUCH the gouge..:smile: . I think they turned out great..

Did make a modification for my procedures..went back to the basics. I know you are supposed to cut the blanks down to just 'a little proud' of the bushings and then finish with sanding, but I had gotten impatient and been just turning the blanks all the way down to level with the bushings with the tools.. Bad idea..Must have been slowly grinding away at bushings because it got to where when fitting together, the tip of the pen wasn't a smooth fit with the body of the pen...Stopped by the Rock on the way home and invested another two bucks in a set of new bushings and now all is perfect again.. Just gotta learn not to be so impatient... 

Pix are some slimlines I whacked out this AM with the blanks from Bill's source he posted on Ebay...That wood is wonderful.. even the 'freebie' spalted tamarind I was having such heck with..
From left to right...the Spalted Tamarind, next the Mai Kai, next the Marblewood, and finally some real nice Asian Black and White Striped Ebony.. That guy has some BEAUTIFUL wood...and the price is right...AND he was having a 50 percent off sale... Waiting on some more BIG blanks he's cutting for me to try out on the big pens I've gotten addicted to.. 

(Lord....I AM a blowhard..LOL)


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## dicklaxt (Jun 2, 2005)

For future reference,try Polycryl, about 15 to 18 $ per quart but you cut it with water,,,,I have used it with good success on bowls that were punky.

dick


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## Surf Hunter (Sep 28, 2006)

Very nice! I love the black/white ebony. Great job! 
Shannon made me a designer pen over the weekend with all ebony and gold harware, can't really see wood grain, but it looks fantastic.


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## bill (May 21, 2004)

Those look GREAT! Marblewood.....dang it..when will I ever quit finding stuff I like?? Looks like a dyed burl...and we know how I feel about burls


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## Bobby (May 21, 2004)

I'm like Bill I really like that Marblewood


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

My bad....Think I got them mixed up a little... The burl is Mai Kai and I think the other is Marblewood.. TOO MUCH wood around here..LOL.. In any event, both are pretty nice woods..

Just back in from trying a Churchill with the spalted Tamarind.. Kinda stretching it a little on size.Got her drilled and tubed OK, but blew out a little on the end squaring. Glued it back up and hoping for 'rescue'... If it works, I'll show it off...if not, I'll just shut up.. Dang it...it was going so good, too....Gotta learn a little patience somewheres... Oversized blanks should be coming this week.. Bill, that guy is really nice to do biz with and ships FAST....


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## speckle-catcher (May 20, 2004)

yep - you got'em mixed up. the second one is marblewood. I have a piece at home.

I


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## Tortuga (May 21, 2004)

speckle-catcher said:


> yep - you got'em mixed up. the second one is marblewood. I have a piece at home.
> 
> I


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Yep, Spec..you're right.. Mea Culpa....

Tried to rescue my Churchill/Spalted....baaadd idea...Ya just can't get a big 5/8 pen out of a 6/8th blank..LOL...Oh well....mebbe next time

Hijacking my own thread...:spineyes: Just realized that I am reading and typing on the puter WITHOUT my glasses... Hallelujah !!!... Guess that one worked.. Man, I can see all the way across the room to the TV and everything on this board without a 'window' hanging off my nose.. Thanks, Doc K...:doowapsta


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