Very very amazing work with this sort of material. I really wish if I have such oen parts and such tools and other materials for making. But you really insipiring me alot
NIce Bob.. I know a guy who manufactures his own Trex material for flooring trailers.. Think I will go by and and pick up a scrap or two to see what kind of results I can get.. Great idea!
I turned sth. similar and the wpc(for these decking parts are made of wood and plastic) turnes great with sharp tools. I used a part of megawood which is roughly 75%wood and just 25% plastic. This stuff can be used as a tinder as well the people of the company told me. And all their scrap pieces from the production are gathered for the bonfire at Easter. Keep up the great work and be safe in your shop. Best regards from Germany Sebastian
Gave you a big thumbs up. I have some of this stuff laying around and never thought to try to turn it, now I will thanks to you. I think it would also go well with a bolt action pen as you mentioned. I have a brown and a light gray piece of this Trex and I'll combine two of your videos and put a celtic knot in a civil war pen. Thanks, Ralph
Hi Bob! My understanding is that the Trex and other name brands are essentially recycled plastic bottles. I've used it for shop pencils. You can drop them with out chipping or cracks and they don't absorb oils etc.. I simply burnish by using my skew on the flat side. Any flat metal item would probably do the trick.
I've constructed two decks with Trex, one gray and one tan. That stuff lasts forever, so I use the scraps to build other things, like tool holders for my lathe. I don't have to worry about putting a ding in my gouges. Nice pen. It should last forever too and water certainly won't hurt it.
I have turned Trex-like materials before and did not have the success you've had here. I will be going back to try it again and use your method this time. Thanks for the great video.
I have been wanting to try that too and I am glad you showed it to us. I also have some laminated beam wood to try but it is juus laminated plywood and it may not work so good. thanks Bob
Very helpful info! Have you any idea if scraping Trex with carbide tooling will result in a decent cut? That texture of the material looks interesting. It reminds me of Eastern European "beaver barf" phenolic resin. It just avoids the horrible formaldehyde fumes when working with it!
Have done some Eagle Scout pens with recycled deck material, wasn't trex brand and not a colorful more muddy brown. Kept it a matte finish and worked out. Was from a large camp project hundreds of Scouts had worked on over the years, good source of material and memories.
Great pen Bob. I never would have thought of using the trex material for turning. How does is feel in your hand? Do you know anything about how it will compare over time with wood or plastics? Love your videos!
With the C/A finish, it feels like any other pen, maybe a bit lighter. Since Trex doesn’t absorb water, it shouldn’t shrink and expand so I think Mechanically it should hold up well. The only concern I have is the recycled plastic may release from the C/A. We’ll see over time. Regards, Bob
Hi Bob, Trex Pen turned out OK, but as you say material looked a bit dull, might look better if it was laminated with something brighter. Had you thought about putting a coat of BLO on the blank before putting on the CA finish ? Also on a safety note I would have thought (but could be wrong, so happy to be corrected )the makers of Trex put chemicals in it to stop it from rotting, so even great care should be taken about NOT breathing in the fine dust from it when sanding. Keep up the good work. Regards Roger.
Thank you Rodger. The material is non absorbent as fat as I can tell due to all the plastic it’s mixed with. I’m not sure BLO would have soaked in. It may have just laid on the surface and gotten wiped off. Interesting idea though, might be worth testing. Regards, Bob
I bought my first lathe last February and have turned bowls, acorns and boxes. But since I’ve been watching your videos, pens have become an addiction. I’ve got over 35 pens made and can’t seem to stop.
Well, well, well. I guess I've figured out what to do with some of the scrap from a deck project I completed a few years ago using the Trex material. The one thing I do remember from that project was the Trex material will melt fairly easily when cutting it. But it certainly looked like it turned easy enough. Could certainly be an option. Not sure what channel I saw this on, but a few weeks ago I watched someone turn a pen using Moose dung and the outcome was pretty similar. :-)
I believe that Trex is a blend of sawdust and recycled milk cartons (ie, polyethylene). One of the major advantages is that is pretty tolerant of moisture, which could be an advantage in some situations. I turned a dowel from Trex for use in reinforcing a splice in decorative plastic tube (part of an outdoor light fixture) where the water resistance eliminated the concern for rotting. However, CA won't bond to polyethylene, which would cause me to be concerned about the longevity of the CA finish. So it doesn't strike me as a good choice for a 'fine writing instrument'. But Trex could be ideal for making barrels intended for 'rough duty' applications (eg, a shop pencil) and where finish is actually optional.
Bob I totally enjoy your channel so much so that you are the only Pen Turning channel that I now watch. I sure liked the look of this blank in the end. I would like to say something and please don't be offended. You are spending too much time telling what you are going to do over and over. Tell what you are going to do then do it, don't tell what you are going to do again and again. Really, I caught it the first time and I just turned 72 years old. That may be the trouble there, an old man just hunting something to gripe about. Enough of that kind of talk. I am going to continue to watch your channel even if you tell me 20 times that you are going to sand or roll in the mud or whatever. Please don't be angry. God Bless my friend.
LOL, Thank you Frank. I noticed that too, I make the videos in sections over the course of several days so I forget what I said the previous day and repeat myself. Regards, Bob
Hey Bob, about your buffing wheels; is there ever a need to clean the blue compound off of the wheel after use, or do you just re-charge the wheel each time you buff a pen?
Hang your pen press on the wall. It makes putting the pens together much easier. You can make a table under it , with a whole for the string rod to go through.
Hi Bob! I’m very new to turning and have been really enjoying watching you work. Thank you for taking your time to make all of theses great videos! How much do your stickers cost? I’d love to have a couple! Thanks again!
going to spend some time tonight watching some of your old videos. Interesting stuff
Thank you Dennis,
I appreciate that.
Regards,
Bob
I actually like that. Great job Bob.
Thank you Joe.
Regards,
Bob
Very nice looking pen Bob, well done. 👍😍😍
Thank you Eric.
Regards,
Bob
Not bad for a pen made out of a deck material. I really like it.
Thank you Joel.
Regards,
Bob
Bob, I had a bunch of cutoffs from our deck. I glued three of them together to make a handle for one of my lathe gouges. Great stuff!
Cool idea Alan.
Regards,
Bob
Creative idea Bob, I enjoy your videos.
Alan, that's a great idea, and gives me some ideas...
What kind of glue should one use to glue this stuff?
Bob l am delighted with your work! All your products are great!
Thank you very much.
Nice looking Pen Bob! Thanks for sharing the video with us.😎👍JP
Thank you J.P.
Regards,
Bob
You're very welcome Bob 😎
A classic lesson in perseverance there. Really nice tip about trimming up the ink refill. Great looking pen as an outcome.
Thank you Andy.
Regards,
Bob
Very very amazing work with this sort of material. I really wish if I have such oen parts and such tools and other materials for making. But you really insipiring me alot
Thank you Kuldeep. That is a great complement.
Regards,
Bob
NIce Bob.. I know a guy who manufactures his own Trex material for flooring trailers.. Think I will go by and and pick up a scrap or two to see what kind of results I can get.. Great idea!
That very interesting, send me a photo
Of one of your pens when finished.
Regards,
Bob
Interesting. I would never have thought of turning Trex. Thanks for sharing
Thank you Don,
I really never thought of it either until a fellow turner sent me a chunk. It was a fun turn.
Regards,
Bob
Turned out lovely Bob....take care
Thank you Val.
Regards,
Bob
This video has me out looking for some Trex as well as other "alternative" media! Thanks so much for sharing!!!
Thank you John.
Regards,
Bob
Great job, it turned out to be a very nice looking pen. Thank you for sharing..
Thank you Eddie.
Regards,
Bob
I turned sth. similar and the wpc(for these decking parts are made of wood and plastic) turnes great with sharp tools.
I used a part of megawood which is roughly 75%wood and just 25% plastic.
This stuff can be used as a tinder as well the people of the company told me.
And all their scrap pieces from the production are gathered for the bonfire at Easter.
Keep up the great work and be safe in your shop.
Best regards from Germany
Sebastian
Thank you Sebastian,
Great hearing from Germany. I appreciate the information.
Regards,
Bob
Gave you a big thumbs up. I have some of this stuff laying around and never thought to try to turn it, now I will thanks to you. I think it would also go well with a bolt action pen as you mentioned. I have a brown and a light gray piece of this Trex and I'll combine two of your videos and put a celtic knot in a civil war pen. Thanks, Ralph
Photos please when finished. I think the bolt is the way to go.
Regards,
Bob
Great work Bob, nice finish!
Thank you Kwstas.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob! My understanding is that the Trex and other name brands are essentially recycled plastic bottles. I've used it for shop pencils. You can drop them with out chipping or cracks and they don't absorb oils etc.. I simply burnish by using my skew on the flat side. Any flat metal item would probably do the trick.
Thank you Vic,
I appreciate the info.
Regards,
Bob
I've constructed two decks with Trex, one gray and one tan. That stuff lasts forever, so I use the scraps to build other things, like tool holders for my lathe. I don't have to worry about putting a ding in my gouges. Nice pen. It should last forever too and water certainly won't hurt it.
Thank you Steve.
A lathe tool holder made of trex is a great idea.
Regards,
Bob
Nice looking blank there,i bet it would take color dye very well. Nice pen as well. Have a great week Bob
Thank you Robert.
Regards,
Bob
Nice one Bob. Looks like a great material for pen blanks. Keep up the great videos
Thank you Patrick.
Regards,
Bob
I have turned Trex-like materials before and did not have the success you've had here. I will be going back to try it again and use your method this time. Thanks for the great video.
Thank you John.
Regards,
Bob
nice job on that bob, keep up the good work
Thank you Gene.
Regards,
Bob
I have been wanting to try that too and I am glad you showed it to us. I also have some laminated beam wood to try but it is juus laminated plywood and it may not work so good. thanks Bob
Thank you Gerald,
I’d go for that laminated wood. Maybe cut it at a 45.
Regards,
Bob
I had never heard of that material until today. It looks great! Kind of reminds me of granite or maybe graphite. Looks very cool.
Thank you Bret.
Sometimes you can get free samples from the home stores in the decking section.
Regards,
Bob
Very helpful info! Have you any idea if scraping Trex with carbide tooling will result in a decent cut? That texture of the material looks interesting. It reminds me of Eastern European "beaver barf" phenolic resin. It just avoids the horrible formaldehyde fumes when working with it!
I’d bet you could use carbide on Trex. It was a tiny bit draggy but it turned well. The trick is finishing it. 😀
Regards,
Bob
I currently have that pen for sale in my Etsy store. 😀. Just an FYI.
Regards,
Bob
Have done some Eagle Scout pens with recycled deck material, wasn't trex brand and not a colorful more muddy brown. Kept it a matte finish and worked out. Was from a large camp project hundreds of Scouts had worked on over the years, good source of material and memories.
That sounds like a pretty cool pen with some sentimental value.
Regards,
Bob
Great pen Bob. I never would have thought of using the trex material for turning. How does is feel in your hand? Do you know anything about how it will compare over time with wood or plastics? Love your videos!
With the C/A finish, it feels like any other pen, maybe a bit lighter. Since Trex doesn’t absorb water, it shouldn’t shrink and expand so I think
Mechanically it should hold up well. The only concern I have is the recycled plastic may release from the C/A. We’ll see over time.
Regards,
Bob
I wondered about using Trex from a deck my father in law built. Guess I'm going to make some cedar color Trex pens this Spring.
LOL, I say go for it.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob, Trex Pen turned out OK, but as you say material looked a bit dull, might look better if it was laminated with something brighter. Had you thought about putting a coat of BLO on the blank before putting on the CA finish ? Also on a safety note I would have thought (but could be wrong, so happy to be corrected )the makers of Trex put chemicals in it to stop it from rotting, so even great care should be taken about NOT breathing in the fine dust from it when sanding. Keep up the good work. Regards Roger.
Thank you Rodger.
The material is non absorbent as fat as I can tell due to all the plastic it’s mixed with. I’m not sure BLO would have soaked in. It may have just laid on the surface and gotten wiped off. Interesting idea though, might be worth testing.
Regards,
Bob
I bought my first lathe last February and have turned bowls, acorns and boxes. But since I’ve been watching your videos, pens have become an addiction. I’ve got over 35 pens made and can’t seem to stop.
Thank you,
I’m happy my channel helped your pen interest. They are addicting to make.
Bob
Hi Bob,
When I had my Trex deck installed, I was told that Trex is a mixture of recycled milk jugs and sawdust, cured under pressure.
Thank you Jim,
I appreciate the info.
Regards,
Bob
Nice pen ones again Bob Have any more ideas for segment pens please
Thank you Nigel,
I do, just need to free up some time.
Regards,
Bob
We have used that stuff to make tables at work
That’s cool.
Regards,
Bob
kept up good videos
Thank you Bill.
Regards,
Bob
Well, well, well. I guess I've figured out what to do with some of the scrap from a deck project I completed a few years ago using the Trex material. The one thing I do remember from that project was the Trex material will melt fairly easily when cutting it. But it certainly looked like it turned easy enough. Could certainly be an option.
Not sure what channel I saw this on, but a few weeks ago I watched someone turn a pen using Moose dung and the outcome was pretty similar. :-)
Moose dung, that’s awesome!!!
I’d love to give that a try.
Regards,
Bob
Can you please make a video on removing the blank after applying CA GLUE? I have troubles removing that access CA from the blanks.
Acetone will
Work.
I believe that Trex is a blend of sawdust and recycled milk cartons (ie, polyethylene). One of the major advantages is that is pretty tolerant of moisture, which could be an advantage in some situations. I turned a dowel from Trex for use in reinforcing a splice in decorative plastic tube (part of an outdoor light fixture) where the water resistance eliminated the concern for rotting.
However, CA won't bond to polyethylene, which would cause me to be concerned about the longevity of the CA finish. So it doesn't strike me as a good choice for a 'fine writing instrument'.
But Trex could be ideal for making barrels intended for 'rough duty' applications (eg, a shop pencil) and where finish is actually optional.
Thank you Louie.
Regards,
Bob
nice, wonder if an alcohol dye takes on trex? thanks for the video.
Thank you Edward,
If you get a chance to try it, I’d love to hear about findings.
Regards,
Bob
Bob I totally enjoy your channel so much so that you are the only Pen Turning channel that I now watch. I sure liked the look of this blank in the end. I would like to say something and please don't be offended. You are spending too much time telling what you are going to do over and over. Tell what you are going to do then do it, don't tell what you are going to do again and again. Really, I caught it the first time and I just turned 72 years old. That may be the trouble there, an old man just hunting something to gripe about. Enough of that kind of talk. I am going to continue to watch your channel even if you tell me 20 times that you are going to sand or roll in the mud or whatever. Please don't be angry.
God Bless my friend.
LOL, Thank you Frank.
I noticed that too, I make the videos in sections over the course of several days so I forget what I said the previous day and repeat myself.
Regards,
Bob
Hey Bob, about your buffing wheels; is there ever a need to clean the blue compound off of the wheel after use, or do you just re-charge the wheel each time you buff a pen?
I’ve just been recharging it. I’m not sure if a cleaning is needed.
Regards,
Bob
Looks cool . I wonder if it would take a stain or dye . If only the wood particles would change colors it might have an interesting look . Take care .
Cool idea, I’m not sure.
Regards,
Bob
Hang your pen press on the wall. It makes putting the pens together much easier. You can make a table under it , with a whole for the string rod to go through.
Thank you David,
I thought about doing that but didn’t have a dedicated place. Maybe as I rearrange the shop.
Regards,
Bob
buddy you work wonders with those CA finishes ... any blanks in the works for the 14th?
I wish, to much going on at work to think about it.
Regards,
Bob
Good job Bob. Have learned a lot from your channel. Have you ever turned ebonite? Was wondering what the best way to finish it is.
Thank you Patti,
I haven’t turned ebonite but want to get my hands on some to make sections for my bespoke pens.
Regards,
Bob
When I turn trex I usually use plastic polish it really gives it that shiny pop
Thank you for the info.
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob! I’m very new to turning and have been really enjoying watching you work. Thank you for taking your time to make all of theses great videos! How much do your stickers cost? I’d love to have a couple! Thanks again!
Oh and by the way, I live a few hours NE of you in Kokomo...nice to see a fellow Hoosier!
Thank you,
PM me your address and I’ll drop one in the mail to you.
Regards,
Bob
Nice looking pen, Bob. It kinda looks like granite to me.
It sort of does.
Regards,
Bob
Hello,
Tree and other composite deck material is a combination of recycled plastics and sawdust.
Jim
Thank you Jim.
Regards,
Bob
👌👌👌👌👌👌
Thank you Alan.
Regards,
Bob
Bob. Do you have a secret for organizing your bushings. I’m starting to accumulate a lot
I use a Plastics box with twenty or so small compartments. I put a label on each compartment so I know what the bushings are for.
Is that the same as a gatsby?
There is a subtle difference in that you
Press a threaded insert into the front of a Gatsby but other than that, there the same.
Regards,
Bob