Sam at 10 testing a turning project for a class
Hello Friends of Borouz Woodworking. My name is Samuel, this’ll be my first post for the site and I just wanted to give a little idea on how I like to turn and which materials I prefer and how I started out.
Resin Blank
Usually the material that I use or prefer to work with is Acrylic. Just due to the types of pens (variety) you can make and the ease of turning (long streamers peeling off make me happy).
A hat block, also known as a hat form or bashing block, is a wooden block carved into the shape of a hat by a craftsman known as a block shaper. They are used by hat makers or milliners to produce a hat.
I am still adept with turning with wood and still enjoy the types of products that can be made with wood, however, I prefer the colors and combinations that can be achieved with acrylic.
When I’ve picked out the blank I am going to use I also try to look for a pen kit that would most benefit from the colors of the main blank. If the blank has more darker colors I would mainly be looking for a bit darker kit to work with, lighter vice versa.
When I’m done with picking the blank and prepping it for turning as well as get it turned down to shape I like to sand it down to be as smooth as possible going from 150 frit to 16000 grit making sure it is smooth. After this I also use an extra bit of plastic polish on my acrylic pieces to make them look shiny. If I’m using wood I like using wax to give a similar affect.
Sam at 20 turning a pen blank
Editors note: Sam is a contributor here at Borouz as well as being the head of Wolf Studios. He first picked up a turning tool around the age of 7. Acrylic caught his attention because of the colors and choices it offered. Once the ability to create combinations of his own because a thing he stopped purchasing premade blanks and focused on creating his own. While turning projects maybe his primary focus in the shop he is also active over on the saw milling side of things.
