Shopsmith Forums

I'm making pens again and found two blanks with the number 9313 written on them. It is not my handwriting so I have to guess that where ever I purchased them marked them so I could ID them at some point. A google search yielded no useful links.

So does anyone know who marks their blanks like this? And or what kind of wood it is?
Strips are saw marks and not grain I think.......

Ed

Sorry, Ed. I don't turn and have no idea what the numbers mean.

If these are blanks you purchased yourself at some time in the past, try to remember what places you might have purchased them. Then, look at those companies' websites and search for that number. It might lead you to the information you want.

Maybe plane one surface or a corner to help with ID?

- David

It's a bit hard to tell with it being rough cut, but maybe lacewood.

My searching has turned up nothing new. Went through the last years worth of receipts and found nothing. Now for all I know I purchased these blanks a few or more years back but that search would then become exhaustive. I checked the mail order places I buy blanks but found nothing with this number. Searched two piles of woodworking related papers and nothing there. Think this has going to have to be an unknown wood......

When I first started making pens I didn't keep records and didn't label the wood of the pens. After a couple of years and numerous requests I started printing up labels to go with each pen if I knew what the wood was. In some cases I got blanks without labels from bargain bins or bulk sales, then I could guess some of them but preferred not to do that in case I was wrong.

At this point I have made pens out of 40 known woods since I've kept track. Even some of those are actually in question, ie "from Indonesia"???? So this will have to go unlabeled and there have been maybe 10 to a dozen blanks like that in the past. I have also turned some plastics and some with embedded things like coffee beans. I don't like turning the plastic as they all seem to stink?

I've also had a few requests, they supply the wood and I make the pen. One was some what I would guess was maple flooring??? I also have a stave from a whiskey barrel to try and make a few pens out of.... not sure that is going to work as the wood is not in good condition and curved so not much to work with but I will give it a try.

Thanks for the help.

Ed

The whiskey barrel stave is white oak.

Turned one of the blanks, pretty much bland in nature.

Since I give away my pens I think perhaps someone might pick it but in the past the very light color pens always go last....
I think I will tag it with the number 9313 in case at some point I find out how that is related to the type of wood.

Ed