# Preferred blanks for pen making



## hilltopper46 (Feb 9, 2008)

What type of blank do you PREFER to use to make a pen?

Edit:  yes, in answer to Ed's question (below) - what is your preference - forgetting for the moment about what sells the best.

There are only room for 6 choices or I would (wood?) have added a couple more!


----------



## hilltopper46 (Feb 9, 2008)

It's my poll so I'll start .

I PREFER to use local / native woods, providing they can be found with good figure or interesting grain.


----------



## pentex (Feb 9, 2008)

All of the above.


----------



## Rifleman1776 (Feb 9, 2008)

Wood all the way. Love all, domestic and imported. I can't vote twice but first two choices are my single choice.


----------



## ed4copies (Feb 9, 2008)

What do you prefer to make???  OR what do you make to SELL???

There is a difference.  IF I could make and sell wood pens at the same rate that I can sell resins, I would enjoy doing that.  I derive pleasure from other people finding my pens "pretty" enough to PAY for.  So, I turn pretty much "anything that doesn't run faster than me!"

I picked "other", so thought I should 'splain what that meant!


----------



## jwoodwright (Feb 9, 2008)

I like to turn it all.  The man-mades do sell better as Ed noted.


----------



## chigdon (Feb 9, 2008)

I always feel like I turn mostly exotics but I really turn mostly rare natives.


----------



## Rudy Vey (Feb 9, 2008)

I turn them all, so "all of the above".


----------



## papaturner (Feb 9, 2008)

I`m with Frank,I love any  interesting wood that I feel I can make a pen with.

Perry


----------



## papaturner (Feb 9, 2008)

I`m with Frank,I love any  interesting wood that I feel I can make a pen with.

Perry


----------



## RMB (Feb 9, 2008)

I'm new at this, maybe around 100 pens, but I've turned mostly exotics, a few peices of acrylic, and a few burls. Haven't found anything locally thats really great. Actually I have some privet burl from a tree at my childhood home that was recently cut, gonna try that.


----------



## stevers (Feb 9, 2008)

I kinda like to turn my own cast PR. I know what to expect and only have myself to blame for screw ups.


----------



## GoodTurns (Feb 9, 2008)

Haven't set up to do my own casting, I think that's my NEXT project.  I was a purely wood guy until I tried a couple of the synthetics.  It is SOOOOO much easier to get a good finish and a beautiful pen, and you can sell them more quickly for more money.  I will continue to turn both and my personal carry pen is wood but I am really getting a kick out of Richard and Ed's plastiques!


----------



## fernhills (Feb 9, 2008)

I like them all if they are domestic wood then i like to make them interesting,or try to,,,carl


----------



## Wildman (Feb 12, 2008)

I voted for using local/native  wood blanks, but also buy acrylic blanks. Because thatâ€™s what I do! 

Have been pleased and not so, buying acrylic blanks from both Berea & Hut. Some acrylics just donâ€™t work for me and others give me a wow factor.  Acrylics can give us, gift recipients, and buyers color options wood can not! Okay have not tried to dye a blank yet.

Would buy those exotic (imported) wood blanks if could walk into a store and select what I wanted.
Catalogs and web sites donâ€™t do it for me. Feel the same way about stabilize wood blanks.

Using wood blanks regardless if native or imported, helps us learn about wood and itâ€™s characteristics.  Whether your selling or giving pens away people like to hear a little bit about the wood too! Just donâ€™t bore them to tears. 

So,  like variety and open for trying anything.


----------



## Rick_G (Feb 13, 2008)

I voted local/native woods but I will use just about any wood.  I really don't like the smell I get from acrylics and the wife likes it even less.  Since the shop is in the basement and on the same heating system as the rest of the house.....  I'll do the occasional acrylic but not in the winter when I can't open the windows or door to the shop.


----------



## spin613 (Feb 18, 2008)

Our mission is to be sustanible. We try to use local woods and stay away from the others. The only exotic woods we use are from recycled lawn funiture[8D]


----------



## Randy_ (Feb 18, 2008)

I like doing heirloom or historical blanks best.

The mechanics of making a pen is pretty much the same regardless of what type of blank you use.  I find the process enjoyable and relaxing which is why I started making pens in the first place.  

But if you start off with a historical piece of wood or a chunk of heirloom wood there is a special feeling knowing that the recipient will always treasure that particular pen above all/most others.  And seeing the appreciation in the face of the new owner is a special  event that is hard to duplicate and does not happen very often.    [^]


----------



## boxxmaker (Feb 18, 2008)

I like anything thats got figure to it and if its free that all the better.


----------



## RonInSpringTX (Feb 19, 2008)

Enjoy doing domestic & imported woods, mainly the koa blanks (that Chris on here sells!!!)


----------



## TellicoTurning (Mar 24, 2008)

I like most woods, but the plastics and deer antler seem to sell well also, so I try to balance what I turn.


----------



## MobilMan (Jun 20, 2008)

I put 'other'.  I like trying anything that's turnable, but don't like repetition on the same stuff.  Burls are my favorite.


----------



## Larry Gottlieb (Jun 20, 2008)

I turn local woods that I have harvested and then cut into blanks. My favorites are spalted maple and cherry burl although I have turned many other woods including cherry, walnut,oak, elm, sumac, buckthorn, lilac, black ash, mountain ash, mulberry to name a few. A good part of the enjoyment of the hobby is harvesting and preparing the wood from my son-in-law's and son's farms.

Larry


----------



## LostintheWoods (Jun 20, 2008)

I checked other, because I'm game to try just about anything (within reason), but I BY FAR prefer to turn a nice piece of wood any day.


----------

