penblanks for segments

[Russ Peters]

Is there a down side to using pen blanks for a segmented vase/bowl? I just received some in the mail and the are enough that i might try this if it is doable.
thanks,
Russ

[Greg Cuetara]

I am certainlly not expert but all the pen blanks I have seen have been rough cut on a bandsaw. Probably not good enough to glue up for a vase or bowl. Do you have a thickness sander to smooth everything out at the same thickness?

One question I would have is the direction of the wood grain when you glue up the pieces. Is there an optimum grain pattern...it may be more difficult or easier depending on which direction the grain is going.

Good Luck
Greg

[Robert McGowen]

As long as the wood is dry, you should be good to go. The only problem that I see with a traditional segmented form, is that you will be very limited in your form dimensions due to the width of the blanks. You may not be able to have any steep angles or any horizontal areas, like at the rim of a vase, and you will need to be very accurate in your measurements.

You might also do a search as I recall a web site where there were some plates made only with pen blanks. Good luck!

[Paul Heely]

Should work fine if the blanks are dry and you can machine them accurately. There is an article on Malcolm Tibbetts' site about doing this exact project. Here's a link to the article; http://www.tahoeturner.com/instructi...nblankbowl.pdf

Good luck and post some pictures when you are done.

--
Paul

[Brian Brown]

I think that everything said here is correct, but one other thing you might think about is waste. When you cut segments, you need some wood on the end of your stock that you can hold onto, and that is long enough to keep it square against the miter guage or fence. Whenever I cut segments, I always have a piece left over that that is long enough to keep my fingers away from the blade. This piece will eventually be used for something, but probably not segments. With pen blanks, you start with such a short segment, that there will be a high percentage of waste. Just a thought.

[curtis rosche]

you should make one that is from end grain, that each peice has the hole in it, that would look neat,

[Russ Peters]

looking at making a bowl not a strainer

[curtis rosche]

use some turquise

[Ken Vonk]

I'm not sure, but I think I remember Malcom Tibetts making a bowl from pen blanks. Could have been Ray Allen? He took the blanks and made a board / plank from them. Then finished for thickness, etc. Then cut half rings on an angle. The angle will establish the shape of the bowl. Glue the halves together, thickness and then stack the bowl. Turn and finish using your favorite mounting method :-)

Ken