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Turning Oak?

Turning Oak? (post #152567)

MichaelDavid on Fri, 05/28/2010 - 18:32

Turning and Carving

I build furniture, but do not turn. My brother-in-law is a beginner turner. I have scraps I would like to give him to turn pens. I know he can use ash, walnut, cherry and maple. How about white and red oak? Is that useful to turn pens?

Thanks,

Mike

White oak is similar enough (post #152567, reply #1 of 8)

by forestgirl in reply to MichaelDavid [original] on Fri, 05/28/2010 - 21:12

White oak is similar enough to ash that it'd probably work OK. I have my doubts about red oak. Big open pores, hard to finish. Once he gets going, he'll be wanting more figured or otherwise interesting woods. You might suggest that he look for a local chapter of the American Association of Woodturners (if he hasn't already). I'm sure ours isn't the only chapter that has wood sales at their meetings, and he might well find a mentor or other turning buddy who'd share some good scraps.

forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

Let him tell you (post #152567, reply #2 of 8)

by sapwood in reply to MichaelDavid [original] on Mon, 05/31/2010 - 07:56

One could turn a corn cob if one wished. Red oak isn't any different. The wood has open grain issues, true. But it will simply yield a different look. Give him the scraps and let him try them out. Perhaps things of beauty will emerge.

People often say, "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear." Well.... give me the sow's ear and I can pretty much guarantee you I'll make a damn fine looking sow's ear purse out of it.

Is it worth the hardware? (post #152567, reply #3 of 8)

by forestgirl in reply to MichaelDavid [original] on Mon, 05/31/2010 - 23:10

Yep, pens can be turned out of any wood probably, but the parts cost money, so at some point he'll decide whether the plain-Jane look of red oak is worth the cost of the hardware. Guess I have a slight predjudice there, eh? Exacerbated by spending 2 hours last Wednesday night at a pen-making demo with the local turning club. The member who presented highlighted, with sample pens, the striking difference between relatively plain woods and those with more contrast (e.g., Pacific Yew) or figure (burls, etc.).

forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

pen turning (post #152567, reply #4 of 8)

by RalphBarker in reply to forestgirl [original] on Tue, 06/01/2010 - 06:48

I thought about trying to turn some pens, but decided it was cheaper to simply cover Bics with wood-grain shelf paper. ;-)

Ecconomy pens (post #152567, reply #5 of 8)

by BruceS in reply to RalphBarker [original] on Tue, 06/01/2010 - 07:05

Now there is a thought!! I will have to investigate. Using Bic "guts" to make a pen. The long hole may by a "bit" of a task though.

Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

Bruce S.

simple solution (post #152567, reply #6 of 8)

by RalphBarker in reply to BruceS [original] on Tue, 06/01/2010 - 08:07

The simple solution, Bruce, is to use the Bic for a few weeks to partially drain the ink tube, and then simply cut off the excess. Then, just chuck up a long W.L. Fuller brad point.

NEW! Faster Search Option

Turning Oak?

White oak is similar enough (post #152567, reply #1 of 8)

Let him tell you (post #152567, reply #2 of 8)

Is it worth the hardware? (post #152567, reply #3 of 8)

pen turning (post #152567, reply #4 of 8)

Ecconomy pens (post #152567, reply #5 of 8)

simple solution (post #152567, reply #6 of 8)

Gee, turning octagons (post #152567, reply #7 of 8)

bic pen (post #152567, reply #8 of 8)

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