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Hello from Vancouver Island, Canada

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frankonthetis

Apprentice Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2022
Posts
5
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
First Name
Frank
Been a "lurker" for some time as feel unable to provide useful pen turning information to you more experienced turners. Took up pen turning after quitting golf and have enjoyed the last 6 years. My wife makes children's clothes and with my pens, pencils, sewing implements and recently bowls we enjoy our weekly local summer market from 24 May to Labour Day in Sept. Our island is home to a couple of marina's and church camps so the summer population increases exponentially. Vacationers are often looking for memories of their visits so using only locally sourced wood that is what I can give them. We have arbutus/madrone, maple, alder, cypress, deodara cedar, hawthorne, dogwood, plus lots of shrubs like lilac, rhododendron, wild rose, wild crabapple that provide enough wood for blanks. Beauty of pen turning is the size of wood needed for your blanks. Have gone to CA finish which to me high lights the beautiful wood grain.
 
flexi

flexi

Executive Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Posts
6,520
Location
Maidstone
First Name
mark
Welcome to the 'open' forum, we all have something to bring to the table....never thought of Rhododendron or Madrone so looking forward to a couple of pics...
 
F

frankonthetis

Apprentice Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2022
Posts
5
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
First Name
Frank
Thanks Mark, here are 3 pictures, 2 of arbutus/madrone burl wood and one showing a rhododendron. Generally avoid taking pictures of turned items but do so when filling special orders. The picture with 5 pens was for someone wanting a click pen. The last picture is from an ornamental deodars cedar tree. It turned like a resin blank, all the shavings stuck everywhere and sanding was no fun either. You can see my photographic ability leaves a lot to be desired.
 

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  • arbutus burl.jpeg
    arbutus burl.jpeg
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  • Arbutus:Madrone burl fountain pen.jpeg
    Arbutus:Madrone burl fountain pen.jpeg
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  • Click Pens.jpeg
    Click Pens.jpeg
    560.9 KB · Views: 13
  • deadora cedar.jpeg
    deadora cedar.jpeg
    332.5 KB · Views: 13
F

frankonthetis

Apprentice Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2022
Posts
5
Location
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
First Name
Frank
Thanks Kelvin, Phil, Peter for your welcome. Kelvin, just wish our local rhododendrons provided more wood for bowls.
Pete, at my age it ain’t coming with me when we go so using the 1224 c/w 24” bed extension was a dream come true. The golf weakly golf winnings would never compete with our summer market take and the market is good. The gulf islands are lovely places to live.
 
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