Archive for the ‘Available for Custom Order’ Category
30
Aug
Posted by uniquetreen in Available for Custom Order, Locust Burl, Osage Orange, Pens, Pens - Rollerball, Sold, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. Leave a comment
Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a very close grained wood, one of the heaviest woods in North America. It burns nearly as hot as coal when used for firewood. This pen is made from a burl which is sort of like a wart or cancer on the tree. The grain in a burl is typically very convoluted and this one is no different. Drilling the blanks was difficult, and turning the wood on the lathe was no easier. The wood likes to split and the little eyes in the grain readily pop out. Think Marty Feldman’s character Igor in Young Frankenstein. Fortunately a little patience and cyanoacrylate solved solve the challenges and the pen turned out beautifully.
Mechanism: 24-Carat gold plated classic 1920s classic Parker style pen design. If gel rollerball is preferred, inserts are available at most office supply stores.
Finish: The pen was sanded up to 400 grit, then burnished with 0000 steel wool to bring up a smooth surface. It was then finished with mineral oil, bee’s & carnauba wax and a final polish with paraffin wax.
Price: US$78
Item Ref No: LBPCRP0051
Status: Sold but a similar pen may be available. Click here to inquire.
This second rollerball pen is made with Osage Orange wood …
Osage Orange is a much easier to turn wood than Locust Burl. I like that it’s a very tough wood but takes to the lathe knife really well, peeling off fine curls of shavings as I go. Besides, it smells nice and takes a beautiful finish. This pen took less than half the time to make compared to the above Locust but a lot of that is simply climbing the learning curve for a new style of pen and a new wood to work with. If you like a rollerball that has a nice slim profile and gratifying weight, you’ll like these!
Price: US$78
Item Ref No: OOPCRP0052
Status: Gifted but a similar pen may be available. Click here to inquire.
21
Jul
Posted by uniquetreen in Available for Custom Order, Fruit Muddler, Handmade, Holly, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. Leave a comment
I made this fruit muddler as a present for a friend who has an affinity for Mojitos. The wood is from some Holly branches collected from another friend’s yard trimmings a couple of months ago. The wood was still fairly green when I worked with it, so I got to experience the joy of watching 3-foot long shavings shoot past my shoulder as it turned on the lathe. Most of what I turn daily is either kiln or air dried. It was a real treat to turn something green for a change, just for the shear pleasure of it, plus Holly takes a fabulous finish because it’s so hard.
As its name suggests, the muddler is great for muddling or smashing fruit or herbs in a cocktail shaker or glass, such as cut limes and mint leaves for Mojitos. You can also use it for grinding fresh herbs like garlic, ginger, chillies, etc. to make pastes, or for crushing dried herbal seeds and spices on a board or bowl.
This muddler is 8″ long with approximates of 1.5″ rounds but I can make custom ones to fit your bar set or kitchen needs.
Price: US$30
Status: Available for custom order. Click here to inquire.
17
Jul
Posted by uniquetreen in Alder, Available for Custom Order, Handmade, Potpouri Holders, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. Leave a comment
This potpourri holder is now sitting on my mother-in-law’s chest of drawers in Singapore. She alternates its original purpose with coin change storage. The pewter cover is one of four I found at a local word-working store. I didn’t pay much attention to pewter until I met my Malaysian wife who hails from the home state of Royal Selangor Pewter, the world’s largest pewter maker. She is an avid collector. The holder is turned out of
Alder (Alnus rubr) which is nice to turn on larger scale items. I like turning alder with knots in the wood, I think it adds character. Since humans are so good at finding faces in obscure places, I frequently find them in my work. I’ve always thought this particular piece looked like one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and my sister has a very similar piece that looks like the Koolaid Pitcher character.
Finish: The bowl was sanded up to 400 grit, then burnished with 0000 steel wool to bring up a smooth surface. It was then finished with mineral oil, bee’s & carnauba wax and a final polish with paraffin wax.
Dimenstions: 4-inch diameter at its center, 4-inches high.
Price: US$38
Status: Available for custom order.
Click here to inquire.
13
Jul
Posted by uniquetreen in Available for Custom Order, Osage Orange, Pens, Pens - 0.50 Caliber BMG, Pens - Ballpoint, Peruvian Walnut, Sold, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. 2 comments
These pens are made from once-fired .50 caliber BMG (Browning Machine Gun) shell casings. The turning of the pens is relatively straight forward but the assembly was less so and took some figuring out.
The
Peruvian Walnut (dark brown, left in top photo) has some nice grain to it and I’ve always liked turning this particular species. The
Osage Orange has some nice cathedral grain and I cut a faux cannelure groove into it to simulate a real bullet using an AP round that was given to me as a gift.
Mechanism: Cross style twist ballpoint mechanism.
Finish: The wood was sanded to 400 grit then polished up to 0000 steel wool. A wax & oil finish was then applied. The brass shell casing was sanded to 800 wet & dry, then up through 0000 steel wool, and finally polished with silver polish to a soft luster. Since these are once-fired brass, there are dings & scuffs from the firing, extraction and collecting processes.
Price: US$40
Item Ref No: OO-50BMGP0049 (Osage Orange) and PW-50BMGP0050 (Peruvian Walnut)
Status: Sold but similar pens may be available. Click here to inquire.
13
Jul
Posted by uniquetreen in African Blackwood, Available for Custom Order, Handmade, Mpingo, Osage Orange, Pens, Pens - Fountain, Sold, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. Leave a comment
Osage Orange (Maclura pomifera) is one of my best selling woods, and with good reason. It starts out as a bright orange color when freshly cut but mellows to a very nice dark orangy-brown with exposure to light and use. I try to make my pieces from wood that I find and this one is no different. My brothers and I split this tree for bow staves a few years ago and I now use the smaller pieces for turning on my lathe.
Mechanism: A classic Parker style nib and reservoir. The finish is 24 carat gold plate with an epoxy coating for a very durable surface that comes with a lifetime guarantee. This fountain pen has a postable insert, which means that the end can be inserted into the cap while you’re writing to keep it in place. There is room for an extra ink reservoir inside, so you don’t have to worry about running out, and it comes with a cleaning tool to flush the mechanism for maintenance.
Finish: Sanded to 400 grit, then 00 through 0000 steel wool for an extremely smooth surface. An oil and wax finish was then applied.
Price: US$78
Item Ref No: OOFP0045
Status: Sold but a similar pen may be available. Click here to inquire.
A second fountain pen (with similar mechanism) made out of Mpingo (Dalbergia melanoxylon) also known as African Blackwood …
I chose a piece of cut-off Mpingo that had such a variety of colors and grains, it cried out for a nice-looking pen.
Price: US$78
Item Ref No: MFP0048
Status: Sold but a similar pen may be available. Click here to inquire.
9
Jun
Posted by uniquetreen in Available for Custom Order, Handmade, Mpingo, Pens, Pens - Ballpoint, Sold, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. Leave a comment
Mpingo (
Dalbergia melanoxylon) is commonly known as African Blackwood and frequently used in the manufacture of musical instruments due to it’s high density and ability to take a fine finish. While this pen looks like it’s all black, there is actually some swirling grain that shows up as reddish undertones that’s difficult to photograph. You’ll really like the weight of this pen because the wood is very dense, so the pen is heavier than you expect and feels nice in the hand.
Mechanism: Cross style in gold with black accents.
Finish: Bee’s, carnauba and paraffin wax with mineral oil. Sanded to 0000 steel wool.
Price: US$35
Item Ref No: MSP0029
Status: Sold but a similar pen may be available. Click here to inquire.
While this pen looks like it’s been cut from two different blanks, there really was that sharp of a demarcation in the wood. Mpingo is a joy to work with. It’s hard and tools almost like a plastic, and takes a wonderful finish. The nicest parts are the red undertones that you simply can’t see in the photo, especially on the lower barrel where it appears black, but if you bring it out into the sun, you’ll see the red beneath the surface. Beautiful!
Mechanism: A Cross style mechanism in gun metal gray.
Finish: Bee’s, carnauba and paraffin wax with mineral oil. Sanded to 0000 steel wool.
Price: US$35
Item Ref No: MSP0022
Status: Sold but a similar pen may be available. Click here to inquire.
Photo above by Jennifer Tai Photo Artistry
8
Jun
Posted by uniquetreen in Available for Custom Order, Handmade, Ipe, Pens, Pens - Ballpoint, Sold, Treen, Unique Gifts, Wood. Leave a comment
Ipé (
Tabebuia chrysantha) is an incredibly dense wood, so dense it sinks in water, and won’t sustain a flame. It’s most common use in the US is for making decks. It’s naturally insect & rot resistant, and a number of famous boardwalks are made from it, like the one in Ocean City New Jersey. It’s density makes it difficult to work, and it quickly dulls your tools. I acquired this particular lot of Ipé from a guy who started building a deck from it and discovered he was allergic to it. He sold me all his decking and was glad to see it gone. Although the wood is a dark brown in color, the saw dust is actually green for some reason. It’s also a pretty good irritant, so, if you don’t wear a mask, you’ll probably be coughing for a couple of days afterwards. The wood takes a lustrous finish and you’ll like the heaviness of the pen.
Mechanism: The mechanism is Cross style and refills are readily available in most office supply stores.
Finish: The pen was sanded up to 400 grit, then burnished with 0000 steel wool to bring up a smooth surface. It was then finished with mineral oil, bee’s & carnauba wax and a final polish with paraffin wax.
