• Thanks for visiting The Penturners Forum today.

    There are many features and resources that currently you are unable to see or access, either because you're not yet registered, or if you're already registered, because you're not logged in.

    To gain full access to the forum, please log in or register now. Registration is completely free, it only takes a few seconds, and you can join our well established community of like-minded pen makers.

Repeat commission

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,455
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
This is part of the second order from this particular customer. His family had to fell a laburnum, so everyone must have a pen (obviously).

This is a gold and gunmetal Sirocco made from some of the laburnum he sent me. It's finished with tung oil, which after a few coats, although the result is satin I have found gives a better finish on Laburnum than my usual melamine method, because the wood is so dense.

gold-gm sirocco in laburnum.jpg

gold-gm sirocco in laburnum2.jpg
 

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,455
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
This is part of the second order from this particular customer. His family had to fell a laburnum, so everyone must have a pen (obviously).

Quick question.... so how long between the tree coming down and the blank being usable?:thinks:

Kevin :banana:

I don't know when the tree was felled to be honest - suffice to say the wood he supplied was more than seasoned enough to use, in fact drier by a couple of percent than the stuff that sits in my workshop. I think if it's planked, it's no quicker or slower to season than many other woods, which as a rule of thumb is about a year per inch if thickness.

Good looking pen
Never used Tung oil on a pen
How many coats do you use?

Peter
I apply a 50:50 diluted first coat, then 4 or 5 subsequent coats at full strength, which I can do off the lathe, with about 12 hours between coats. My workshop is heated to about 15 or 16 degrees so I find I can get two coats on in a day. The more coats, the greater the drying time - although I realise that being a furniture maker you know that Peter, but others may not.
 

Phil Dart

Moderator
Executive Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Posts
5,455
Location
Colebrooke, Devon
First Name
Phil
I use Tung oil a lot but have never diluted. Water? And how does that first coat behave? It's a poor day when you don't learn something new!

Not water - spirit or turps substitute. I use white spirit. Tung oil is quite gloopy, so it helps the oil penetrate the wood as a first coat. I've experimented with danish oil instead of tung oil, which give a good result but it's too smelly for a pen
 

rayf6604

Registered
Joined
May 1, 2014
Posts
2,726
Location
Narrowboat dweller Willington, Derby
First Name
Ray
I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to make pens, it’s been so long. I loved turning laburnum, especially if it was cross cut. As and when I get to spin wood again I’ll have to get some of your new pen kits Phil :thumbs:
 
Warning! This thread has not had any replies for over a year. You are welcome to post a reply here, but it might be better to start a new thread (and maybe include a link to this one if you need to).
Top