Pen Turners' Swap #4: We're going international with this thing...

It just seems to me that Nova Scotia to California would be a good next leg.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

Lee, I’m thinking a stop in Minnesota on the way to California would be most logical.

-- Maplewood, MN

I don’t turn pens, but this travelogue is downright fun.

-- If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a darn fool about it.

I wish I did turn pens but, like Russel, I am enjoying this as well. Not quite the same as actually participating in this swap but it is the next best thing.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

well… you still have time to get learning before the box comes your way (you can just trade blanks to gear up for your foray into turning!)

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative

Tim, It could be organized in groups limited to eight or ten, and each box goes around twice. There could be several groups depending on the level of interest.

-- Maplewood, MN

Blackwood is out, Walnut Burl is in! (pens that is)

The Walnut burl is from Treebones, he traded me a bunch of it in return for a couple pens, which he’ll soon have, after this preview here!

I’ve selected the blanks on the right, the bottom set of 5 is from Karsons grab bag of fun for us to share, blackwood, maple and oak crotch, osage orange root and smoke bush (top to bottom)

Above that are the pieces i’m trading for : Pecan, blue corian, purple heart, bloodwood and bing cherry.

My additions, on the right, from bottom to top – a (long) piece of mesquite perhaps a blank and a half or two, (from BSB in TX)

Above that my piece of my figured maple that I’ve used in a project or two – my bottle stoppers was the most recent) theres four, if not 5-6 blanks in that piece (or one big MASSIVE pen!)

Above that on the right, is what I believe to be walnut. I bought some blanks on eBay a year or more back, and have forgotten what it is. I thought they were a few different things, but seems to be walnut – I’d appreciate knowing if other.

And lastly, to the right, some goodies salvaged from the day job. 4 pieces of red oak – offcuts of stair treads, and offcuts of spindles (as previously posted here) not sure what those are I just added those for fun. They used to be laminated from strips of pine, but now are made out of whole, if not fingerjointed hardwood – akin to the “hardwood craftwood” you can get at the art store, as best I can tell – some pieces are darker or greyer than others, all different sorts of grain. Salvaged things can be a surprise, fun even.

Anyhow, Happy turning!

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative

Well we are starting to get a real mix of things. Kind of what I envisioned when I threw in a bunch of wood for people to select from.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

I would love to see it come around again, by then the weather should break and I will be able to get out to the shop and make a few higher quality pens for trading. I placed an order with craft supplies the other day so I will have some really nice kits to work with.

-- Frank Auge---Nichols NY----"My opinion is neither copyrighted nor trademarked, but it is price competitive."

This is turning out great, very cool to see the box growing – lot’s of nice woods to select from.

Rikkor – I thought the same thing, about 10 to a group would put the box at about a month to cycle. I think I’ll post another thread to see about getting new people in the loop.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I like the idea of this going as far flung as possible – but was surprised to see it come in at 8.95 (in the flat rate box) and head up to Canada at 23.00 (in the same box)- granted this is still cheaper than buying new and interesting blanks or kits – even if we are swapping out what we have a surplus of – and it is fun to see how our stuff compares, and actually see other jocks handiwork. I also like being able to see what the different styles of pens really look like (outside of the catalogs) before investing in new kits, bushings etc.. and getting something that might be bigger or smaller than we’d expected (and already got a dozen of)

that said, I’d still vote in favor of not limiting future swaps to a single country, (No reason to exclude – love the potential for diversity) but just make sure our box crosses any borders as few times as possible, and makes the shortest international jumps it can (or we take turns filling out the customs paperwork)

Oh, and the box is currently at 6 pounds!.. but there still is a little room to pack in more (I managed to squeeze in a few packing peanuts.)

Looking forward to round 2!

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative

Lee, that’s easy for you to say when someone else is paying the shipping from Canada to California! :-)

Actually, we laid things out to make the easiest geographic trip to save time and $$$.

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

Tim, nice job on the pen swap. Karson and I have extended the swap by sending each other assorted pen blanks. We talked to each other on the phone to make sure that there was no duplication. He and I both had wood that the other guy didn’t have. I would be willing to go for a second round. By now my mind has gone blank with all the turns that the box has made. I hope to get bearing on tight or I will have to pen myself a note. Way to have fun guys!

-- Genius is immediate, but talent takes time.

I can hardly wait, I,m also looking forward to see my fellow jocks handiwork.

-- Andy Stark

Don’t have to wait long Andy….

Jeff, I can’t believe anyone has wood that Karson doesn’t have. Wow!

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative

Well I used to be an international ferry pilot and like long distances. I did not think or realize that there would be a big difference in shipping costs between NA and MN and NA and CA.
I’m interested in seeing the box when it gets back here.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

Scott. Local woods from Jeff. Wild pear, Curly Mahagony and other exotics.

Most of all my woods are local grown from local sawmills. With a smattering of imported woods. Macacauba and Chechem

Macacauba

Chechem

These are some pictures of some wood I’m proposing a trade with a guy in Arizona. Not an LJ’er

The other pictures of the different boards are here

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

I’m still amazed at how many different woods there are out there. I made a bottle stopper with Bocote last night – first time I’d used it – what an amazing pattern in the wood…

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

I just picked up some highly figured snakewood. My brother dropped off some moose, elk and deer antler racks and I will be cutting some of that up to turn into pens. Those will go into the back of the garage for several months and then I will stabilize and turn. If you make buddies with folks that do counter tops you can get their discarded corian pieces—these turn well with sharp tools.

-- Genius is immediate, but talent takes time.

Karson, the pear looks nice, but Jeff says it smells like, well, you’ll see ;)

I’ve got to make friends with some local arborists.

Just made some more pens out of walnut, and one out of mesquite (well it’s turned, not assembled yet) – that is one nice wood to turn! Almost smooth enough to skip sanding, despite being so hard. and smells great to boot.

I’m looking forward to round two – as soon as I get some more pen kits, I’ve got the blanks covered for now!

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative

I traded messages with Relic and he hasn’t seen the box yet. He’s a little worried it turned into a campfire as it came across the border.

I’m a little jealous of the freezing temps actually. Weather here in Atlanta has been apocolyptical lately. 60 degrees and sunny one day, followed by rain, then snow, then tornadoes... seriously. I guarantee I’m not skipping church anytime soon.

Hopefully he’ll get the goodies before much longer!

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

ZZZZZzzzzzzzz….....

Nooooo, we’re didn’t fall asleep over here. Looks like our pen box took off over Easter to see the sites in Canada. It has been traveling a lot lately…

Relic says he thinks the box is waiting for him at the post office and he’ll keep us posted as soon as he knows.

We’re still at it, we promise!

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

The anticipation mounts….

-- Maplewood, MN

I just got the pen box last night. I am just now going through it and will send it off asap.

-- Andy Stark

Who’s next?

-- Maplewood, MN

Its you, is there any thing you’d like, (besides a speedy delivery)me to send along.

-- Andy Stark

Not really, from the sound of things it is pretty well stocked already. I just need to head down and get a couple of pens knocked out.

-- Maplewood, MN

Some local Canadian Timber. Paper Birch. Tough to keep the bark on though

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com

good thing I saved that delivery confirmation slip. Glad we didn’t need to invoke it’s power!

-- The opposite of war isn't peace. It's creation. -- Wood T's: http://www.printfection.com/snbcreative