Holly Polaris Pen

[leehljp]

I went to Memphis to buy some holly wood last week and I could only find one board at a specialty lumber company. They wanted a $100+ for a board about 2X8X6ft.

This past weekend I was with some friends when we drove by a house in which they were cutting down a small holly tree. I got two small logs about 16 inches long and 6 inches in diameter.

I brought them home and made a couple of pens with them. These were practice run pens as I intend to make a pen for my daughter's wedding.

Below is a Polaris pen with the free holly. Daughter and LOML love it because it looks so much like ivory.

[Ken Massingale]

That Polaris is beautiful, Hank. That Holly sure does look like Ivory.
Any problem with the sanding dust from the bushings getting on the white Holly?
k

[leehljp]

Any problem with the sanding dust from the bushings getting on the white Holly?
k

There was a little but I learned a trick/technique before I tried holly and use it to prevent the bushing dust from coloring the blanks.

I sand normally but lightly on the ends up until the general finish is done. When I hit 400 sandpaper and up, I start in the center and go to the ends. . .Center to the right; center to the left. I do it lightly and check on the sand paper or the Micro Mesh - does it look like bushing dust? Move to a new piece of sand paper or micromesh. Takes a minute more to do it that way, but it there generally is no bushing dust.

For me, bushing dust came from too much pressure while sanding. I am learning how to sand with less pressure, a tad more time, center to end, and let up at the end before getting on the bushing. This part is like golf, patience is the key. The minute or two longer that I take in technique saves 10 in having to re-do it because of bushing dust.

[DUD]

Hi Hank
This is from a Holly Tree with the red berries? I have 1 in my yard now, it's pretty good size, have already cut 1 down and hauled it away.
That is a beautiful pen. Bill

[mater]

Beautiful pen.

[leehljp]

Bill,

Yes, red berry type. If you cut that one down, I want some wood!

Holly is getting expensive when you find it in specialty wood stores.

[DUD]

Hank I will certainly remember about the Holly. I will also ask my tree trimmer friend. Bill