Gum Balls in Teal

[OldWrangler]

I was going for more of a turquoise but wound up getting teal. Well, its only an experiment and it will get better. These gum balls that litter my driveway needed to go and here are about 4 of them. They are hard to turn and I really think I've got to get a pressure pot to do these right. For every good one I turn, 3 explode on the lathe. At least I'm not wasting an expensive pen kit. This is just a RT gold Euro. Take a look......

 

[GouletPens]

Y'know, that almost looks like tru-stone webbing that so many people have been trying to replicate. That's the closest thing I've seen to it.

 

[bitshird]

George, are you using Alumilite or Silmar 41 type PR ?? the pen looks real nice, it actually does look like Turquoise with a nice matrix.

 

[Skye]

Do you think it would be worthwhile to try and stabilize them before you cast them?

 

[sbell111]

I thought that I knew what a gum ball was, but I was wrong.

 

[markgum]

yeah; i'm confused. (but that is getting easier to do each day...) gum ball in the driveway??? I chase the little twit down that put it there an make them scrape it up with a putty knife....

 

[Jim Smith]

Gums Balls are what some people call the seed pod from the Sweetgum tree. They are about the size of a "real" gum ball, but full of holes from where the seeds were. They are also a real pain in the foot if you ever step on one with bare feet.

Jim Smith

 

[akbar24601]

Looks really good. Looks like it was worth the effort you went through. Good job.

 

[OldWrangler]

Jim is right. It is the seed ball from the Sweet Gum tree. They fall in profusion and cover the ground about a month before the tree loses all it's leaves. It is one of the first trees in Texas to turn color and drop leaves. Leaf looks almost like a Maple. It is kinda a 5 pointed star. Wood is also good for pens. It has color and figure most times. Here's what the balls look like.

 

[bitshird]

Seems like they would need to be stabilized, I know they hurt like the devil on bare feet, but aren't they quite a bit softer and more porous than a pine cone? probably need to keep them soaked in CA while you turn and soak turn and soak, sure does make a pretty pen though.

 

[jskeen]

I like that color resin, it really does look almost like kingman turquoise.

I do my "hurricane Ike" pens with those using casting craft PR and cast them inside 3/4 inch pvc molds. a few vac/pressure cycles does a pretty good job of getting the bubbles out and the resin into the balls to stabilize them. One thing I have found is that it seems to look more uniform if you pack the balls together to eliminate spaces between them, but that may just be a personal preference.

James

 

[sparhawk]

I have a couple of handfulls in my truck i picked up the other day to try. Have both green and dry ones. Have any of you tried both?

 

[OldWrangler]

Dry balls seem to work better. The green ones spray water when turned.

 

[toolcrazy]

Very cool idea. Nice work.

 

[OldWrangler]

Here's 2 more I made today. Both blanks turned great. Nothing exploded or cracked. I cast another in a different color today and will do that one tomorrow.

 

[akbar24601]

Those are beautiful too! Are those the gum balls as well?

 

[OldWrangler]

Yep, these are more gum balls in a blue/pearl PR.

 

[NewLondon88]

Yep, these are more gum balls in a blue/pearl PR.

You could put these in a machine and people could buy them by inserting quarters.. :tongue:

They look good!