Clint's Wood Inspired Thoughts and Dreams

Most Elemental of Particles

2007-01-03T21:49:00.000-08:00

Now called Ghost Gum, this eucalypt has snow white bark and is always cool to the cheek. It grows tall and multiple crotches are rare. Creation Song Tree might be an appropriate name, too, since its Sprites and their Stories clearly draw us in ever more deeply, where the essence of reality (ah, yes, and unreality as well) dwells.

The universe as the most infinitesimal of building blocks seems to be pure living loving light, conscious of all that it is. Creation is the love weaving tapestries of perfect (I love that oxymoron) beauty. Perspective is absolute when there are no absolutes. Reality is a dream. We awaken to the cosmic consciousness we're made of.

The Face of God

2007-01-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

Since definitions differ, for the purpose of discussion let's say God is the conscious and self aware Universe, in all its continual outpouring of creation...
According to advanced Quantum Mathematics, infinity divided infinitely is one and infinity divided into any other number of parts is infinite.
So yes, the face (or the hand) of God is evident everywhere.... if one sees it or not seems to be a choice.
Get out a microscope or a telescope and if time is real and illusion and the Universe has no limits, then there must also be all limits... which works out the same, really.
Turn the visions (each scene is made of 4 natural wood blanks each 5 1/2" long x 3/4" square) in the photo about in your mind. See what they're saying. Listen with your eyes. Each new opening contains another brand new baby universe being born. Break down the components of anything and eventually one arrives at everything... molecules to atoms to sub atoms to even smaller parts of the sub atomic. At the point (I like calling it an event horizon) of indivisiblity, oneness is achieved.
Each infinitesimal speck of the all is the all, like the DNA of DNA of DNA repeated infinitely. Theoretically, then, everything is an impossibility and a necessity and beyond both and neither. Therefore, possibly the wisest words ever spoken (or sung) are, "Don't worry, be happy!"

Benedictus Dei

2007-01-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

The truth is in there (apologies for the photo, but you get the idea). My translation of this Gospel of Wood reads something like, "In Heaven, All is One... nothing is excluded... and Heaven is everywhere always!"

The writing is on the air, earth, fire and water. Nature spells out her lessons for us to read, hear, smell and taste. Perspective is relative and we see what we are. The Infinite resides inside each piece of wood and raindrop and...

About the effects of perception on

2005-11-29T22:40:00.000-08:00

In some translation of the Bible, I read that Jesus is quoted as having said (and I paraphrase), "...open a piece of wood and you will see me. Lift a stone and I am there." That about says it all for me... I take it as a promise that my work in freeing Wood Sprites in on the right track.

Yes, there is a Holy War going on, and we're constantly able anew to choose sides. Love supports God and Hatred supports Satan... whatever the terms you use. Terrorism isn't on both sides and any side that practices it supports Darkness. There is no murder that supports the Light. Killing destroys Life... Loving creates it.

What is Al Qaeda but a reflection of that which it fights? It is all subjective perception... they see American killers as Demons and we're encouraged to view them as Even Worse Demons. In that way are we manipulated toward Evil... it presents itself as Beauty and Truth and if we're kept in enough fear, we believe the lie.

The truth is that there is no Peace through War. War only benefits the Mongers, and to find the greatest Evil, we must look to who benefits most. A few people in this country are getting rich on the misery of others (the world over). We are one planet and one people... all fractals of the One.

Remember... the choice is Love or Hatred. The ones proclaiming loudest that they are killing for God are the true Enemy.

Joy is the way! If we create that for ourselves and others, the Light Brightens. If we create pain and misery anywhere, then the Darkness Deepens.

And that brings me to "Puzzle Pods". Click www.clintsmcfamily.com to visit my web site.

Divinity is in there.

Zen and the Woodcutter

2005-11-11T12:25:00.000-08:00

OK... so finding the right words for some concepts is difficult. Buddhism, meditation, spirituality, religion, faith, Zen, connectedness... all are fragments. Fortunately (Design or Coincidence?), fragments are each blueprints for the whole.

Please feel free to substitute your own word(s) for it.

Wood has its voice and we have our ears... except in this case its vision and eyes.
A poetry of sight, so to speak
............................

Bushes bristle and whistle in breezing weather
to the tune of whatever you're hearing
as we're nearing
smilings' staying here, inside,where "...there's the bushes' whistle, too!).

Imagine that!
.............................

To be honest, I'm curious about Google Adsence and the way the ads reflect the content of a blog... Seems like of all fragments, words are not the best way to communicate, but there you go.

Please forgive the Inquisitive!

Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Muslim, Rostafarian, Truth, Beauty, Compassion, Brotherhood, Togetherness... Science... it doesn't matter since It is all the same, fragmentally.

Do we contribute to Love or Hatred? Each of us makes that decision constantly and it is time we focus on Light over Darkness. If it preaches Hate or Fear then we have to fight it. Love is the only Way.

On the Fracticality of Matter

2005-11-08T15:44:00.001-08:00

I spend a lot of time cutting wood, looking for the Face of the Divine, knowing that when I'm ready to see, I'll see.

All the faces and scenes that appear as I expose layers are fragments of some Universal Force. Mathematically or Spiritually, the Infinite, divided Infinitely, is One. Any Fraction of the Infinite is Infinite.

Like a magnificent mosaic, all the pieces make the whole. When speaking Cosmically, Everything is Everything.

Which is why there is a difference between "Science Vs. Religion" and "Science + Spirituality".

It seems a Spiritually concerned person understands that anything preaching separation is against the nature of Love. A Religion that encourages divisive works is against the nature of Love. We can't fight for Love by using Hatred... whatever the Media Spin.

I submit that if it encourages rage or hatred, or yes, even fear, it is not something my God would want me to support.

If you agree, choose Love.

Remind the people you know that we are all one and God wants us to love each other.

Reflections in a Wooden Eye

2005-10-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

A few reflections on String Theory...

I like the idea that the Universe is made up of living rainbows. It explains a lot about prisms and mirrors... and let's not even get into putting them together, face to face to face to face.

Infinitessimal bits of loving energy... making up you and me and all the other bits of cosmic dust...

In a dimension of duality apparently, on the one hand is Harmony and Light and on the other is Darkness and wailing. Today's Vogue is to focus on the pain and suffering and greed and hatred, but it is up to us, individually and collectively to focus on love and charity.

If metaphysics and quantum theory are correct and all things are not only connected but interdependant, then things really are what we perceive. We influence reality by the way we see it to be. So, by seeing goodness and beauty in the world, we help make it be.

As some point we must tear ourselves away from corruption and violence and attend to unconditional love. I have the fortunate opportunity to exlore the lessons inside wood on an almost daily basis and I'm reminded constantly that miracles happen. The beauty and the order inside everyday things gives me hope that something will happen to wake us from the trance the Rulers of the World (ROW's) have put us under. With the help of a Media which slants everything toward the Dark, we've been deprived of the stories of Light... and with that we become easy prey for Wielders of Terror.

It seems to me that to find out who created something heinous, we need only look at who profited. The ROW's didn't get where they are by being honest or considerate. All the people making the most money from the Oil Wars are connected with the current administration... so why would anyone in their right mind support that? Because none of us are in our "right" mind! Part of the ROW's Master Plan for a long time has been the brainwashing of thinking people. We've been so conditioned to take Hatred for granted that we've tacitly accepted it. We've become inured to it by a constant stream of horrific images. What we have to do is recognize the fact that the ROW's would sacrifice almost any and all of us for the sake of their Greed.

God does not support killing for money, I'm sure of it!

A Plea for Reason...Reasons to Plead

2005-10-03T21:24:00.000-07:00

I cut wood, whenever I can, to see and free what faces lie within. Places, situations and stories galore also await... think of images in clouds, then add colors and animation!

There seems to be a language that Nature uses to communicate with, but most of us humans have lost the skills of translation, except, perhaps on a superficial and fleetingly emotional level. We can't "read" the words in the patterns waves leave on beaches. If we're lucky we can notice that there is beauty and mystery and... something more.

Lately my Wood Muse has been sharing treasures that border the sublime. The concept in quantum physics that elemental particles can be in more than one place (or dimension) at a time makes me wonder how many scenes can be in a piece of wood? And if it is possible that there are no limits then that applies to everything, right? So...

I've heard the idea that the Face of God is everywhere if only we look correctly. Seems like reason enough for a good translation. I'm always amazed when I look for red wood for Valentine's Day and every piece I cut has heart shapes! When I try to decide between identifying a wood as Catalina Cherry or Lyonwood (either would be correct) and the first cut reveals a closeup of the face and mane of a remarkably detailed lion, then it doesn't seem too crazy to think that we're communicating... whoever we are.

The stories the wood's been telling lately have all been about the war between rampant greed and generosity... between corrupt power and the power to heal... between, well, Good and Evil, ultimately, I guess. So, we have to decide which side we're on. I want to choose Love over Hate, but that's part of the struggle, too.

The God I'd want to serve forever wouldn't want me to serve the causes of Fear and Pain and Suffering and Sorrow... of deception, corruption and murder. Gasoline is $3.00 a gallon and oil companies are making billions of dollars in windfall profits each month. However THAT is allowed to happen doesn't have most peoples' interests at heart.

We all know that Billionaires generally don't care much about people like you and me... I mean, some would sacrifice my life and the lives of my children to keep their riches pouring in. The thing is, they are doing it right now.

The middle class is endangered. When it is gone there will only be a very few rich people and countless numbers of poor and suffering.

Those few unimaginably rich and powerful people (URPs) have been planning a long time and they seem to feel invulnerable now because their tactics of Fear, Patriotism and Religious Zeal are working. We don't see how manipulated we've become. Take the last Presidential election for example... the people who most want to be and do good were convinced that a leader who legislates death for profit could be seen as somehow good instead of evil.

Einstein (another example of the connection between physics and metaphysics) said (and I'm paraphrasing) that we can't stop war with war. Evil will not defeat Evil. So, what will prevent the spread of hatred and fear and destitution and desperation? What will prevent the URPs from taking everything and leaving us in poverty? We will.

Someone with a Voice of Reason will appear and help people understand that we're at our best when we're caring and sharing... when we're loving. God wants us to do right, to be right... he didn't say, "Thou Shalt Not Kill... except when it is for money and power!". The Voice of Reason will cut through the smoke screen of Terror and help us remember that our duty, unto death, is to Good and we'll recognize the Face of Evil and we'll just say, "No more.".

A Legacy of Character

2005-05-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

At a major Santa Cruz intersection lived a very old..."eccentric" with a fairly large lot. And on that lot he had some weeds and stones... and two Aromatic Juniper trees. For the last 26 years, I have driven past his place a couple of times a day, a silent witness to his Sisyphean labors.

In slow, obviously painful movements, he would... rearrange the weeds and stones. It would take a couple of months for the front and about 4 months for the side by the road. For the six months a year he didn't appear, I assume he worked his way around the back and other side. By the time he got to the end of the front, of course, the weeds were already taking over the corner where he started.

About every 4 or 5 years he would... trim the Junipers and use the limbs for decorative borders that were almost gone by the next circuit. About 3 months before he died, the eccentric removed all the remaining limbs on both trees, leaving a curious eyesore.

Long story short (at the insistence of my critic)... the corner is now the resting place of a Million Dollar house, "expertly" landscaped. Of course the Junipers were replaced by more... presentable trees.

I consider myself fortunate, indeed, to have passed by as the Juniper remains were about to be hauled away and... returned to the earth. In that wood are sprites who give testament to the old man's incredible character. I'm looking for the one that can teach me some of what it was that drove his spirit.

The Controversial Nature of Nurture

2005-04-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm not that funny... but it is about time I wrote a bit about "drying wood" and it makes me nervous because I think my views may be controversial and I generally try to avoid confrontations. Anyway...

I've never had any trouble with fresh wood splitting... it is DRYING wood that splits. How does one dry it without degrade seems to be the question. The answer is... one doesn't! Drying is cause for almost* all the problems (splitting, checking, warping, wracking, kitchen sinking). One can MINIMIZE the amount of loss through various materials and/or procedures, but stopping the problem is impossible (in my humble opinion).

After a long, long time (and with some intervention... how does the Zen saying about "when the student is ready, the master will appear." go?) it occurred to me that saving wood might be more about how NOT to dry it.

Theoretically, then, what would be the optimal way to dry wood? Removing small amounts of material uniformly and rapidly, so the wood dries quickly and evenly! That sounded a lot like turning to me... and it so happens that turning might be the only way to "dry" wood without loss.

Most Woodturners know that even a VERY large bowl, turned from fresh wood, will assume an organic shape, but not split if the walls are thin and even.

Thin and even walls... sounds like pens to me:-)

So, that's the why of how I prepare the wood I work. With Cling Wrap, Superglue (CA), Canola Oil, Beeswax and Carnauba Wax, I create conditions that PREVENT the wood from drying until it's its time. Then, when the project progresses to the final form, an application of CA will bond any remaining moisture (and there is very little by then) to the wood fibers, locking in the vibrant colors and preventing shrinkage).

Pieces like lidded containers require "dry" wood, and to do THAT to the wood I offer requires time, patience and frequent applications of the oil/wax mixture mentioned above.

But then, even after it is "finished", wood needs care to look great forever. Wood is very good at "interacting" with the atmosphere, and ALL of it (tables, chairs, drawers, vases, bowls, pens) occasionally needs "rejuvenating" (moisturizing) ... applications of oil/wax... works wonders. Most of the general public doesn't know how to care for beautiful wooden pieces... so we need to educate them. I always included a little card with "care and consideration" directions.

Anyway, those are some thoughts and dreams of wood drying:-)

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*Wood also moves when stresses are introduced by removal of material, regardless of the amount of moisture content (even a completely dry rubberband will move when cut).

Sad Story of the Plum and the Chinese Elm

2005-03-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

When I moved to the house I've lived in now for almost 30 years, some of the area roads were still dirt, Wilderness was "just over the hill" and the population has since doubled and doubled again.

As literally thousands of new houses were built and occupied, the type of people living here changed (three bedroom houses that were $65,000 then and now top $700,000 might have something to do with it, too).

Long story short, many of the new neighbors took offense to the Plum and Chinese Elm trees that lined the median of the "main" street leading to my cul de sac. The fact that they were all healthy trees and much older than any of the "recent arrivals" didn't stop them from somehow convincing the City Council that the street needed to be "beautified". The fact that many of us "old timers" showed up and voted to save the Chinese Elm and Plum trees didn't stop them either.

So, finely tuned to the sound of a chain saw as I am, I followed behind the road crew for two days and as they dropped the trees I "rescued" what I could. I tried to convince the City Council to allow me to build a "memorial" to the trees... a permanent display of vessels and bowls made from their wood... FREE! ... but NONE of the members were interested... no place for it, they said.

The good news is that the legacy of the Plum and the Chinese Elm lives on through the heart and hands of craftspeople around the globe!

The saddest part is that many of the replacement "trees" have died. The "grass divider" they planted has never been more than a bed of weeds (not to demean weeds, mind you) and the "automatic watering system" has never worked right. I probably don't have to say it, but I preferred the OLD median, with its mature trees and established "mini ecosystem".

I try to be philosophical about it... after all, I DID end up with a lot of Glorious wood... and I guess it is just another in Life's "Lessons on Attachment". I'm just not convinced it is "Progress".

A Couple of Wood (Related) Stories

2005-01-24T22:29:00.000-08:00

About 20 years ago I thought I'd try some bowl turning. I'd done about every other kind of woodwork, but never any lathe work. First is find a bowl blank, right? Well, I went to my favorite lumber store and found a Maple blank I liked... about 10" long x 10" wide x 4" thick. It was $35.00! With 5 kids and all planning on College, I thought, "...I can't afford this hobby!"

I called several tree service companies and asked if they had any Claro they needed to dispose of... all said no (pretty much period), but one guy said "...sometimes. Give me your phone # and I'll call when I come across some." I thought, "Yeah, sure you will." but I gave him my number anyway. About a week later he called and asked if I was still interested, because he had a pickup load of Claro on the way to be burned. About 10 minutes later he backed up a DUMP TRUCK INTO my drive way and dumped dozens of Awesome logs! One log had a large, old wooden box nailed into it (not with square nails, but almost!). The next day in the paper I saw a photograph of the "Historic Santa Cruz High School Walnut" that had overlooked the home stands at the Football Stadium (the same one my three son's played at). It had weakened with age and threatened the safety of the fans and was removed. Prominently displayed in the foreground was the log with the old wooden box and the guy who brought me the wood.

Turned out he was a consulting arborist, member of the International Wood Collector's Society and (from then on) my friend and liason to the Wood Muse. He had a vast reverence and knowledge of wood and was very generous in his sharing. With his teaching, I was started on my life of "finding my own wood" and now the hobby can't afford me, so I share the wood that comes my way, thanks to eBay.
************************************************************************************

And now a few words about the Poplar I have for sale on eBay now ( http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/mcfamilywood).

I have a friend who had a main house and a guest house ... the bedrooms separated by 10 feet. He was living in the guest house and his son and daughter-in-law were living in the main house. In the back were several 150 tall poplars with about 8 foot diameters. One night, about 3 a.m., wet soil and high winds brought one down. While people slept, the tree fell between the two buildings. With less than a foot to spare on either side, neither building was touched (nor people killed!). Needless to say, things like that make one wonder about Destiny and Luck and Fate and, well...the Divine.

The wood from that tree had some of the Wisest, most Compassionate looking Sprites I've ever come across... go figure :-)

Clint's Wood Covering

2005-01-11T01:04:00.000-08:00

Q: What is that waxy material you coat your blanks with?

A: I let any cut ends and any "enhanced" areas ( spalt, voids, worm holes, inclusions and sometimes splits) soak up all the water thin CA they want, then immerse the blanks in a very hot solution of Canola Oil, Beeswax and Carnauba Wax. The Superglue wicks in the oil/wax mixture and then sets, locking in vibrant colors and strengthening any weak areas. It also helps make the wood turn easily, like fresh wood rather than the hard, brittleness that comes from CA preparation alone.

Q: You occasionally call some of your blanks, "Zingers". What exactly do you mean?

A: One of my favorite customers has been pencrafting for a long time and he recently requested some blanks with lots of holes, fissures and voids. Somehow we ended up referring to them as "Zingers" and the name stuck! Turns out ( I love the expression), he began experimenting with using a variety of materials for "filler". He mentioned powdered stone and "liquid metals", but the possibilities are endless. I always created a slurry of superglue and sawdust to highlight areas of "character" (and to great effect, if sales are an indication of popularity:-), but I find the idea of alternative choices to be quite compelling.

Q: Could you please explain what you mean by, "Wood Sprites"?

A: When you cut wood, and especially when you bookmatch it, "faces and places" appear. Sometimes there are whole scenes and "stories" to go with them. In my imagination, "Wood Sprites" are those faces with enough personality to inspire recognition. Sometimes I even come across people I know...my next door neighbor, for example. Once I even found myself ( I'll NEVER know why I let THAT pen get away ! :-)

To me, one of the most interesting things about "Wood Sprites" is that they are often "wood specific". Claro tends to produce "Sprites" that look like Wizards or Wise Men... Juniper tends to produce "Sprites" that live in and of Valentine Heart shapes or "Flames of Desire", as I think of them... Lacebark tends to produce "Dragon Sprites" with glittering scales... Spalted Silvertree likes to hide exotic "Reptile Sprites".

I especially enjoy when the "Wood Muse" sends me "pictures" that are relevant to my state of mind at the time. I think the best example comes from some Lionwood I was cutting recently. I'd gotten a double identification of the name... the person who grew it called it a "Lionwood Tree", while the arborist friend who brought it to me (after cleaning up the "windfall") said he thought it was Catalina Ironwood. I was was deciding whether to call the blanks Lionwood or Catalina Ironwood when I cut open a piece and there was a"Lion Sprite" looking me in the eye. Click on the link to see what I mean: http://pix.auctiva.com/pix/08/00/36/lion_sprite.jpg

I don't want to get too metaphysical, but it amazes me how tuned in the "Wood Muse" is to my state of mind. When I've "been good", she always shows me what I need to see:-)

Catalina Ironwood, aka: Lionwood

2005-01-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

Q: What is Lionwood?
A: One of my favorite customers did some research and found that Catalina Ironwood, sometimes called Catalina Cherry, is actually prunus lyonii! Apparently, Lionwood is a common name derived from the botanical name.

I could call it any of the above, I imagine... but when I'm wondering what to call it and my first cut reveals a Lion's face staring right at me, I pretty much have to go with that:-)

When I've been VERY good, the Wood Muse likes to play games like that. Definitely endearing, don't you think?

Clint's Backyard Sprites Pen Blanks

2005-01-07T21:29:00.000-08:00

I live in a neighborhood with a street in front and neighbors' houses on three sides. On the S.W. corner of my yard grew a magnificent Monterey Pine. I tended to it and enjoyed it for 25 years. It made beautiful sighing /singing sounds in a low wind.

Anyway, last winter was very wet here and when it bagan to lean, the Pine's nearest neighbor called the City Inspector. It was decided (totally without any input from me) that it was a danger and had to be removed. Well, I didn't think it was dangerous, but I don't like to fight losing battles, either, so it was removed... at my expense, of couse (but that's another topic of conversation:-).

When the tree was first cut the wood showed very little color, figure... or the elusive "character" sought after by master pencrafters:-) A few pieces found their way into my "Spalting Area" and a year later, the fruit of the Wood Muse's Labor of Love is evident. Click on http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8160358073&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT to see photos of the Backyard Monterey Pine Wood Sprites.

Every piece I cut today had great "Wood Sprite" stories to show and tell. I think some lucky bidder is in for a treat!

Wooing the Wood Muse

2005-01-07T20:55:00.000-08:00

FAQ : "Where do you find your extraordinary wood?" A: If you visit my eBay page http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/mcfamilywood you'll find a poem one of my daughters wrote while I was in a clockmaking period. I think she perfectly describes my relationship with wood! She writes: "...You will see he has grown gray as the backyard apple... yesterday he cradled her broken branch...He does not know that the trees have begun to wander, lonely and lovely as daughters, to his gnarled arms."

In my imagination, the "Wood Muse" is She who whispers to the trees, encouraging them in my direction. It is the Wood Muse who, when I call for Valentine's Day Gift Pen wood, sends Aromatic Juniper with hearts! The more I appreciate her gifts ...the more generous I am with my "Tithed Blanks"... the more complex and expressive the "Wood Sprite Stories" become.

I guess a word about my punctuation is in order. I use unusual terms to describe the blanks I offer on eBay... In my item descriptions, I try to remember to "quote and italicize" words and terms that might need defining. I'll try to make this web log a running dictionary... hopefully contextually self evident:-)

I know :-) may not be considered proper punctuation, but I think it fits the intent, if not the definition, of the process:-) Anyway, enough humor for now.

FAQ: "What do you mean by "Tithed Blanks"? A: Most all of my woodcutting is progressive halving... ie. I take a log and cut it in half, then quarters, then eights until down to bookmatched pen blank size. At each cut, I "tithe" half to the Wood Muse. The first cut goes half to pen blanks and half into my "Spalting Area" where it sits, sometimes for a long time, while She paints her magic on the wood using staining techniques only She knows:-)... The second cut goes half to pen blanks and half "tithed" in the form of "Gift Blanks"(usually bowl or vessel blanks) that I offer for a price that just covers my eBay and PayPal fees.

Clint's "Faces and Places"

2005-01-07T01:16:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to set up an easy way to relate "Stories of the Wood Sprites"... thoughts and dreams inspired by the wood I cut.

I've also been working on a FAQ section for my eBay store, "Clint's Hand Selected Hardwoods" and my eBay auctions, "Clint's McFamily Wood Auctions", but needed a simple interface. If I can link this weblog to my eBay store, I think it will be just the ticket!

It looks like the FAQ section will be evolutionary... I'll be adding questions and answers as they occur and hopefully, it will be an easy scroll:-) This might also make a good archival record of "Clint's Pencrafting Tips and Techniques" ... we'll see. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I've wanted a way of communicating more about my thoughts and dreams of wood than the regular eBay auctions allowed.

The most often asked questions so far, center around my use of Superglue to stabilize and finish my most precious blanks, so I'll try to describe the technique. I'm sure I'll raise more questions than I answer, but that's part of the idea, right?

Anyway (one of my favorite words, you'll discover, if you read even a little of my "ramblings"),
here goes: First of all, I'll start by describing the process of finding, isolating and preparing the character for a pen blank. When a piece of wood comes my way, I usually start by cutting it in half, along the major "fault line". I Tithe one half to the Artistic Spirit of the Wood Muse by setting it aside in my "spalting area" for Her to "work her magic on". The other half gets halved again and part set aside somewhere to forget and be surprised sometime that I still have some left:-) The other part I usually cut into 2" x 2" stock... a great size because by quartering I get two bookmatched pairs of pen blanks. I try to keep to bookmatches of pen blanks, because more "Wood Sprites" appear that way.

I build precarious piles of random assortments (some call it "squirrelling away") of sizes and types of wood. As time goes on, pieces find their way to my pathway and I know it is time to either give them away (I call these my "Tithed to the Wood Muse" blanks) or try to open and read the "Faces and Places" inside. When pen blanks result, I let the cut ends soak up all the water thin CA (I buy mine from Paul at CPH International...1800900GLUE ... because it is the finest quality, about 1/3 the cost from catalogs AND he includes free 2 oz. bottles and fine tip applicators when you purchase a 16 oz. bottle) they want, next I let any "Character Deposits" soak in their fill of CA, then immerse the blanks in a very hot solution of Canola Oil, Beeswax and Carnauba wax (I am always searching for the "perfect proportions" for the wood being treated. The CA wicks in some of the oil/wax mixture, then sets... providing stability and locking in the vibrant colors.

The next step is to wrap several blanks together in cling wrap to await their turn on the lathe. When ready to turn, I cut the blanks to the proper length for the brass tubes and pen style... then again coat the cut ends with CA. I usually work with two mandrels (hence 2 pens) at a time, so the glue is drying on one set while I prepare the other. When the CA is dry, I drill a hole the proper size for the brass tubes (I use a self centering drill press vise and always provide a sacrificial piece of scrap for the drill bit to enter as it exits the blank (reduces splinter out to a minimum). I try to insert the tubes as soon as possible, because removing the material sets up new stresses and sometimes the wood moves so much I have to redrill. I glue the brass tubes inside the wood blanks (barrels) with Gorilla Glue because it expands to most effectively fill every gap between materials.

Once mounted on the mandrel with the bushings in place, I examine the blanks to decide how much care and special treatment they need. Many exquisite blanks can be turned and finished without any extra care. Sometimes though, I recommend a "Considered Approach" when there are fragile areas or areas to be filled. After a while, you can tell by feel, but at first, turn off the corners then stop the lathe and inspect. Any areas of concern should be allowed to soak up all the water thin CA possible (be sure to cover the ways with paper towels or rags), then spread the excess CA over the entire barrel with your finger (you can wear a rubber glove finger or finger cot, but it is a bit more difficult), working from the center to the edges. The edges should get just enough CA to soak in without running over.

After the CA dries, turn away the treated wood, then stop and inspect again. Sometimes several treatments are necessary before the proper size is reached and sometimes only one or two. Sometimes, the wood is so "temperamental" that I power sand to size. Whether by skew or gouge or powersander, once the barrels are sized, I always recommend a final soak of CA to make the wood strong enough at that level of thinness to last a lifetime AND to lock in the vibrant colors. Wipe off any excess before it dries, and sand while still damp (wear eye protection). This creates a slurry that fills any imperfections and sets up the perfect foundation for a super finish. Once dried, sand to desired grit. I use "microfinishing film" from Highland Hardware... it produces fewer scratches, at any grit, than any other abrasive I've used.

If there are holes or fissures or voids or inclusions that you want to highlight by filling with something other than sawdust, you should probably fill before beginning the sizing.

After final sanding, with the lathe revolving, I use a paper towel to apply a friction polish of canola oil, beeswax and carnauba wax. Depending on the wood I polish with one to several coats.
After that, I apply a couple of drops of CA to the same part of the papertowel (to prevent stuck or burned fingers) and quickly buff onto the the spinning wood. One or more coats produce an extremely durable and glassy surface that stands up to daily handling.

Have I created material for my FAQ section? If so, ask away!

Experiencing the Paranormal

2004-12-29T19:20:00.000-08:00

Like many, I've long been interested in the Paranormal... XFiles was my favorite TV show (before that it was the Twilight Zone...you get the idea), Rhine was my favorite researcher, campfire stories always centered around clocks that stopped just when the owner died... that kind of thing.

As hard as I tried, though, I failed every ESP test I ever self administered, and as I got older I gradually let go of the dream of being a famous mind reader or spoon bender. I'd pretty much convinced myself that mine was to be a life of the mundane, in terms of Psychokenesis or Clairvoyance...then the unexplained happened!

Twin studies had been a fascination for me in college and when my wife presented me with twins, I became a househusband and observer of "twinness". Our boys were two years old, we were living in San Jose, California, I was toilet training and we had two bathrooms. Jake finished in one and I sent him outside to play. I was finishing up with Zac when suddenly, I KNEW that Jake was drowning. The latches on both gates had somehow been left open and Jake was out by the pool and noticed a sowbug struggling in the water. He tried to save it and fell in.

To say that something literally dragged me outside by the scruff of the neck is barely an exaggeration. The CERTAINTY was profound! After diving to the bottom, bringing him up, unbreathing...eyes rolled back in his head... , administering CPR and getting him breathing again... the realization dawned on me that something beyond my normal senses or awareness had happened.

Exactly WHAT happened still eludes me and is difficult to describe (30 years later I still get goosebumps when I try). There wasn't exactly a voice that said "...Jake is dying!"... but something like that. There wasn't exactly a movie in my mind's eye of Jake lying at the bottom of the pool...but something like that. It wasn't exactly as if God had slapped awareness into me...but something like that.

For whatever it was that "tuned me in", I'll be forever gratefull... If I got to have only one "Extra Sensory" experience in my life, I'd had the one that mattered most!