Turning stock

[poolhound]

BT3 Turners please help me out and hopefully I can help you. I just bought a bulk lot of exotics. I think I got a reasonable deal but I wont know until I go through everything.

I am not a turner and dont own a lathe but I had to buy the lot as a whole and it had a variety of turning stock and exotic pen blanks. My question is how much do such things cost or I guess what are they worth?

At this point I am just trying to figure out if I did, or did not get a deal on the lot. I know you will ask what do I have but I wont know until I separate everything out. I will take some pics and post so you guys can give me you considered opinion but at this point I am just trying to get a rough feel.

Once I know more I will post to members classifieds as I have no use for any turning related items. If anybody is interested in more detail before I get to that point PM or email me.

As a rough guide I can tell you that I know in the general stock is everything from mundane to wow! Including:

Figured walnut
Various spalted woods
Rosewood
Zebrawood
Paduk
Ebony (maybe african blackwood)
Purpleheart
Mahogany
tulipwood
Bocote
Lacewood
Qtr Swn white Oak

[Uncle Cracker]

Those are all good turning woods, although the oak is rather plain-looking. On the others, figure is important. Burls and crotch-figured woods are usually the most interesting to the turner. Thickness is going to affect what the turnings can be... generally, 3/4" thick is minimum for pen blanks, 2" for bottle stoppers, and so on... None of the woods you have listed is particularly scarce, so you can go to Ebay stores to get a feel for what the going rates are.

[TB Roye]

Go over to www.penturners.org and check out the various classified forums and you will get an Idea of what they would go for. Mike "RussianWolf" is a member there also. I have bought most of my stopper and pen blanks from there lately. Better price and nice wood. You will also get an Idea how to package/sell them.

Tom

[poolhound]

Thanks guys, I will check out your suggestions.