>I am not a turner but I do expect to be making a slew of pen blanks for resale in an effort to simply not waste quality material. Ebay seems to offer 3/4" x 5" or 6" blanks. My questions:
1 - I realize people make different sized pens, but what is the minimum size blank you would make for resale?
2 - Is accuracy or consistency in manufacturing blanks important? If some are 7/8" thick or 6 1/4" long in a batch of "3/4 x 6", would it matter to you?
3 - Using domestic hardwoods, can you use a blank cut so that the long sides are endgrain or will that simply blow up on the lathe? This would open up the possibility of some very nice and interesting color patterns with contrasting heartwood/sapwood. Good idea or not?
I can't think of any other questions right now, but if you think of anything I ought to know, please pipe in. Thanks folks!
>Hi Tom. You have some good questions here. Regarding the size of the blanks, most blanks I see for sale are 3/4" square, and 6" long. With some Pens, like the 7MM Slimline for instance, you can, with careful centering and drilling, get by just fine with 1/2" blanks, but I do prefer to use 3/4" for these, especially if I intend to use some fancy detail when I turn them. For resale however, I would stick to 3/4" square blanks. As far as the accuracy of the size, it really does not matter that much, most of the wood is turned away anyway, but again, that depends on the style of pen. I would shoot for a consistant size, but I wouldn't lose sleep over an 1/8" either way, to be honest. As far as cutting blanks with the end grain oriented along the side, I don't think I have ever seen nor tried to turn a blank with the grain in that orientation. I would think that would, or could, be quite problematic. The wood is turned down pretty thin with most pens, and I think that cutting the endgrain would be a problem. Most, if not all blanks I have seen offered for sale, use the side grain orientation down the length of the blank. Drilling is another problem I see with the end grain running the length of the blank. I would think that with some species of wood, drilling would be a problem. Just my 2 cents Tom, I hope this information helps you. Good luck with the Blanks, there are a bunch for sale on Ebay and other places, and the nice ones always get bids on them. LOTS of folks turning Pens nowadays! Take Care!
Kevin pretty much covered it. If you have some thicker wood, you could cut a few to 7/8" or even a full 1", because there are some big pen kits on the market that could take advantage of such a blank. The minimum I would cut is 5/8", but if I were you I'd stick with 3/4". Try to stay with 6" long if you can, or two shorter pieces of 3" each that are pretty well matched.
As for cutting so end grain is along the side of the blank, yes it is doable. It is not preferred because you open up difficulties in turning such a blank. Those difficulties can be overcome, but it is more work. If you have some wood that would present much better with this orientation, because of grain or dramatic spaulting, then go for it. Some people will stay away from it, and others will jump on it! Some of the most dramatic pieces I've turned have had this side grain orientation. Cross-cut zebrawood is fantastic!
>I have bought a slew of blanks off of E-Bay and so far have had no problems with any of my orders. Just make sure you describe what you are selling and list a minimum size that the pieces in the order could be. I prefer all of mine to be 3/4 x 3/4 x 5 or 6, but if a few of the blanks are a little smaller, that's okay.
It might be worth checking out similar ebay auctions for the same types of wood that you are planning to cut. Domestic hardwoods are not hard to obtain and are relatively inexpensive, compared to exotic stuff. For example, a board foot of oak cost around $3.50 and should yield 24 blanks (that makes cheap pen blanks). The shipping alone will exceed that price.
Additional, is cutting up scraps worth the risk of injury or worth the wear and tear on equipment? I would be inclined to try to find another use for your scraps.
If you do proceed, here are a couple of ideas.
1. Separate the blanks from the prime sections of the wood with unique grain structure.