First, I apologize for not getting pictures of the final products, but you'll just have to take my word on it.  I will make a few more and post pictures of them.  This is a part of a stud in one of the oldest houses in Pensacola.  I expected it to be a true 2" X 4", but it is not.  It shows the planer marks and measures the typical size of 1.75" X 3.5", so it is within the past 50 years.  It is a fat piece of pine and would burn quickly.  As I cut it to make pen blanks, oil came out of it and it smoked.  

 

 

As you can tell, someone weakened the strength of the stud by chipping away on one side.  And, this is rather old but one fat piece of pine.  

 

 

This side was near a heat source like a fire place as the black is where it started to char.  Where these nail holes are, when cut open, the heat traveled along the nail and the hole is also blackened.  I wanted to see if this piece of pine would chip like fir and other pines.  I'll say I was rather surprised.  

 

 

 

This is the first time I have used this Shopsmith mandrel.  I had to purchase more bushings as what came was insufficient to hold the blanks even after tightening the screw.  

 

 

 

This is only to show how I space my pen blanks.  

 

 

 

Now both parts of the blank is mounted with sufficient bushings so that the screw will tighten down on the blanks.  

 

 

 

Almost finished turning.  It worked very well.  Not all that smooth.  Softwoods chip excessively but this worked well.  I will now sand and apply CA glue for a finish.  

 

 

 

This fat piece of pine looks pretty good.  Each recipient has been very impressed with the grain.  One did chip at the edge. I tried to conceal it with the pocket clip.  The doctor I gave it to didn't seem to notice and I didn't point it out.  I do not recommend turning any softwoods, but I got away with this.  Now I need to clean the gum off the gouges and hone them.  I have 9 more to make.  

 

 

Edited December 10, 20205 yr by FlGatorwood
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Nicely done.  That's the good old growth Southern Yellow Pine.  Some of that is hard as Oak.  My first house was built with that and I had to drill a pilot hole for drywall screws when I replaced some bad plaster.  I like the look of it too.

Sounds like the wood our pre 1870's house is framed with.

Drive a nail in it.. NOT HAPPENING!

That old pine is really something special. You can't find grain and color like that anymore. 

 

This piece was from our "Old Jail"- built in 1818 and left standing when the Confederate soldiers burned our town in 1864. They replace the jail coupla a couple of years ago and a friend managed to talk them out of several beams.

 

 

 

 

We made 150 pens from some of the wood. They sell them in the Old Jail building, which now houses the local historical society.

 

 

 

 

Lew, that is beautiful wood.  I am so happy that you got some of that old wood.  It is amazing to me how it turned without the usual chipping, but I did get a lot of gum on my gouges.  Thanks for showing that pen and that timber with the XV.  What a piece of history!

I have turned pine from cheap studs for dowels and such but have not turned pine for a pen since early attempts at practice on the lathe.  Yours came out really well, some nice coloring and veins.

 

 

Had never thought of turning lighter or pitch pine but it is pretty hard and I would have thought brittle. Good job

This lighter pine is gummy.  I had to clean my bandsaw blade between making blanks.  It gummed up my drill bits. I had to use a toothbrush to clean between drillings.  If these things get near a heat source, all that will be left is a bunch of metal.  LOL  It turns easily enough, and the soft parts like any other conifer will chip out the soft veins.  Made blanks for 9 more today.