# The Journey (WARNING Pic heavy)



## rhossack (Sep 15, 2013)

I’ve been asked a few times how I make my Red Fir (Douglas Fir) Bark pens.

While I’ve made a tutorial for Fishing Rod Builders I’ve changed a few things since then here is how I make my pens.

First we start with the bark and a visit with a 1-15/16” Hole Saw for a Fly Rod Handle or a 15/16” for a pen blank.












Then a trip to my Sanding Station to Face the bark square.






This is my crude but effective way for drilling out the bark for the pen tubes and in this case 3/8” for the Long Clicker Pen kits. These are all Red Fir Bark and you can see the color variation. The one in the center is typical, full of beetle tracks and holes that I fill.






Here the bark rings are glued with a PU Glue which is about the only thing I’ve been 100% sure of no glue failures.






When turned on the lathe I will turn down to a 1/16” of the size and then make a slurry paste of sawdust and Tru-Oil to fill the voids. It may take several fills before the blank is round enough to put a finish on,

One Elegant Beauty and One Long Click from Exotics.






Long Click with a piece of bark for a background.






Still playing with finishes and the Long Click has one coat of a Moisture Cure Urethane and the Elegant Beauty has 6 coats of Gorilla Glue.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## rockb (Sep 15, 2013)

Hey Ron, thanks for sharing that idea....I love it. Immediately made me start thinking about manzanita burl cores similar to your doug fir. 
One of the best things about WB is members who are willing to share their "secrets"....


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## Wildthings (Sep 15, 2013)

Gorgeous -where can we get some?


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## DKMD (Sep 15, 2013)

Very cool! Thanks for sharing!


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## BassBlaster (Sep 16, 2013)

How come Im only seeing one pic? The rest are just red X's.


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## ssgmeader (Sep 16, 2013)

Just a couple of questions. When you say PU glue do you mean a Polyurethane glue like titebond makes? or something else?. Also have you tried other barks or does it just seem to work with the DF because of how thick the bark is? These are stunning by the way.


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## rhossack (Sep 16, 2013)

ssgmeader said:


> Just a couple of questions. When you say PU glue do you mean a Polyurethane glue like titebond makes? or something else?.


I'm using the White Gorilla Glue for these but have some of this also. PU Glue
I normally use TB III for gluing cork and bark but was having joint failures with the bark.


> Also have you tried other barks or does it just seem to work with the DF because of how thick the bark is?


I've used Bull Pine and Cottonwood bark. Bull Pine looks similar but the cottonwood you could see the rings where I glued them together.


> These are stunning by the way.


Thanks


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## rhossack (Sep 16, 2013)

rockb said:


> Hey Ron, thanks for sharing that idea....I love it. Immediately made me start thinking about manzanita burl cores similar to your doug fir.
> One of the best things about WB is members who are willing to share their "secrets"....


You are welcome but it's no secret. I've been doing this for 5-6 years and have a tutorial floating out there for fly rods about bark.

I love mazanita and haven't seen any since I moved from CA years ago.


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## rhossack (Sep 16, 2013)

Wildthings said:


> Gorgeous -where can we get some?


Do you have Doug Fir trees in your area? I just peel the bark off trees that have been felled for the trip to the Lumber mill.

Someone (Oregon Burls?) has some stabilized Red Fir bark. It's a little different than what I do because mine is considered X Cut so the grain goes wild looking.


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## Wildthings (Sep 16, 2013)

rhossack said:


> Do you have Doug Fir trees in your area? I just peel the bark off trees that have been felled for the trip to the Lumber mill.



Along the Texas Gulf Coast - no way LOL. Those look saaaaweet!!


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