| Project by scottb | posted 360 days ago | 330 views | 0 times favorited | 8 comments |  |
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sounds like a comic book character, doesn’t it?
Hawaiian Robusta Eucalyptus Atlas Pen in platinum.
This eucalyptus, native to Australia (where it is known as Swamp Mahogany), was introduced to Hawaii in the 1880’s, and became abundant on plantations across the islands. The wood is reported to be incredibly durable, very resistant to abrasion, rot and decay as well as beautiful – with an interlocked grain that produces a rib-
bon figure of light and dark stripes. Oh the chatoyance!
This is sanded to 2000 and buffed, then finished with several coats of walnut oil and high-build friction polish. Not that this wood seems to need extra finishing or protection! Robusta was used (and outperformed steel for abrasion resistance) on a chute at a sugar mill, and may just outperform pressure treated for ground contact.
I’m really enjoying seeing and working with these different woods, as well as learning about them – history, other uses and such… 1/3 of the way into the month, and so much more to play with, learn about and share! More on Robusta here
This is the 12th item in my 30 day project/challenge
& auction.
four Hawaiian pens in a row, where in the world will the woods take us next…
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
8 comments so far
trifern
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7890 posts in 645 days
posted 360 days ago
Your on a roll, Scott. Another nice looking pen. Thanks for sharing.
-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.
rikkor
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11338 posts in 752 days
posted 360 days ago
Another in an impressive string of great pens.
MsDebbieP
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14090 posts in 1039 days
posted 360 days ago
beautiful pen and I enjoyed the information about the wood as well. Thanks!
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Russel
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2032 posts in 817 days
posted 360 days ago
Very nice work. This 30 day challenge of yours is great. I’m working to get up the commitment to try it myself. I have a feeling that there’s more than projects going on here. So, aside from the great stuff you’ve been turning out, what’s your impression so far?
-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.
woodworm
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7824 posts in 469 days
posted 359 days ago
Beautiful wood looks more beautiful when it is beautifully turned into a beautiful pen like this.
Great work.
-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.
Napaman
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3409 posts in 955 days
posted 359 days ago
love it!!!
-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...
scottb
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3391 posts in 1205 days
posted 359 days ago
Russel, yeah, I suppose you could say a little more than just making projects is going on….
(you might want to grab another cup of coffee first):
http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/scottb/blog/6406
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
Harold
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313 posts in 725 days
posted 356 days ago
I love the colors in Robusta although I have struggled with drying this wood, but when it works, it works wonderfully. I have turned several handles for my chisels out of robusta and it has held up very well. You are so right about the history of the introduced species here in Hawaii. I have read that the early mariners had introduced many of the species we have here today. Patience has a different meaning today, but to consider that some of these species were originally planted as spare parts for sailing vessels a hundred fifty + years ago, only to be usable 20, 30 or 40 or more years in the future, well that’s definitely patient. The early polynesians also introduced species that were crucial to their culture long before this, Milo is one that I’m familiar and enjoy working with.
-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.