# justallan's FBE burl



## ChrisK (Jun 15, 2015)

One of the FBE burl blanks (a Gentleman kit) I got from @justallan . The bad quality pic doesn't do justice to this fantastic wood.

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 8 | Way Cool 1


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## justallan (Jun 15, 2015)

Beautiful work, Chris.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner (Jun 15, 2015)

Nice job Chris!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin (Jun 15, 2015)

Primo. Prachtig. Merveilleux.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal (Jun 15, 2015)

Great looking pen !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ripjack13 (Jun 15, 2015)

Wow....I love that! I have some of Alans burl also....it's out of this world!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## rdabpenman (Jun 15, 2015)

Lots of color and character in the piece of timber.
Well done.

Les

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ChrisK (Jun 16, 2015)

Thank you all for the warm words gentlemen.


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## phinds (Jun 16, 2015)

Fantastic. Is it stabilized and if it does, will that mean that it will keep the wonderful color or will it still totally fade the way box elder flame does?

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ChrisK (Jun 16, 2015)

No Paul, this one isn't stabilized.
Meanwhile, the rest of the same batch I got from a trade with Allan is now stabilized and the only one I turned has a more vivid and stunning red color.


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## Nature Man (Jun 16, 2015)

Can't imagine even more vibrant colors! Very nice pen. Chuck

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## phinds (Jun 16, 2015)

That's too bad it wasn't stabilized, Christos. It will fade over time unless kept in the dark.

What I was asking was, do you know if stabilized box elder will fade? Or ANY stabilized wood for that matter? I've read that stabilization locks in the color pigments but I was asking for your experience about that.


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## Jerry B (Jun 16, 2015)

Beautiful pen Christos , that FBE makes such a stunning piece, whatever it's used for 

Paul, Stabilizing will slow down the fading but not stop it completely
best way to retard the fading is use a finish (Lacquer/Poly) that has a UV Inhibitor mixed in with it
but nothing can compete with the sun over time, all woods will eventually fade even in indirect sunlight

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Informative 1


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## Kevin (Jun 16, 2015)

Jerry B said:


> Beautiful pen Christos , that FBE makes such a stunning piece, whatever it's used for
> 
> Paul, Stabilizing will slow down the fading but not stop it completely
> best way to retard the fading is use a finish (Lacquer/Poly) that has a UV Inhibitor mixed in with it
> but nothing can compete with the sun over time, all woods will eventually fade even in indirect sunlight



Jerry I'm not doubting you but would like to ask how you know this. I have a piece of FBE that I stablized 2 years ago and last time I looked I can't see that it's faded any. It's just been kicking around in my shop getting moved around from horizontal surface to horizontal surface, and my shop is full of skylights. 

Have you run your own sort of non-scientific experiment too?


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## Jerry B (Jun 16, 2015)

Kevin, I didn't say it wouldn't help, it does in fact slow the fading process down, quite considerably
but in time (years, maybe 5-10) it will eventually fade
am not a scientist (where have we heard that before  ) , but have watched same wood species, from same cut (purple heart)
both stabilized, and not, the non stabilized started fading within 6 months, the stabilized piece hasn't faded a bit yet (been 3 years)
Stabilizing basically fortifies the wood, making it denser, but can't do anything to actually protect color _permanently_.
But I guess you could say I've done an un-scientific test, as I need to know how long a finish will stay, when I'm selling pieces to others
I can't sell something to a person and have it completely change appearance without them knowing in advance
(ie; when I sell Maple bowls/platters, my customers know it'll darken over time/age, but will look better than the original piece)

I have also spoken in length with Curtis Seeback about this (Cactus Juice retailer),
and he somewhat agrees with me, it'll greatly retard the fading process, but cannot stop it completely,
in all honesty, I doubt anything can stop the fading permanently, unless maybe being completely sealed in an epoxy type finish.


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## phinds (Jun 16, 2015)

I've had VERY poor results with multiple coats of UV-blocking polyurethane. Slows the fading down considerably, but does not seem to change the end result at all, just the amount of time it takes to get there (years instead of months). I was hoping maybe stabilizing made the color permanent. No joy there, huh?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin (Jun 16, 2015)

phinds said:


> I've had VERY poor results with multiple coats of UV-blocking polyurethane. Slows the fading down considerably, but does not seem to change the end result at all


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## justallan (Jun 16, 2015)

Crap! So much for making that sailboat, Dagummit!


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## ChrisK (Jun 20, 2015)

Sorry for the delay to reply guys. I was on my way to Greece.



phinds said:


> That's too bad it wasn't stabilized, Christos. It will fade over time unless kept in the dark.
> 
> What I was asking was, do you know if stabilized box elder will fade? Or ANY stabilized wood for that matter? I've read that stabilization locks in the color pigments but I was asking for your experience about that.



No Paul I don't have any experience in stabilizing FBE blanks. The first ones I've processed this way last month, are the ones I got from Allan + some other blanks I purchased from Greg (Threecyclehardwoods). Until then the only blanks I've stabilized were spalted poplar ones. And I can't tell for the latter for I hadn't the occasion to check the ones I sold. As for the others I have for sale, they're stored in the darkness of a leather portfolio.
But your question arises my curiosity. When I'll be back home, I will assemble a "Perfect Fit" kit, using finished parts (spalted quilted poplar blanks) I set aside due to a slight defect and try it on thoroughly.


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## phinds (Jun 20, 2015)

Thanks for that follow-up. Black line spalting won't fade and many wood change color very little over time and few ever get better of time (cherry comes to mind right off), but some of the colorful ones do fade. The absolute worst is redheart, followed by aromatic red cedar. There are lots of others, including box elder.

check here: http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/_color change/index.htm

Reactions: Informative 1


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