? when working with antler or bone

[zimmerstutzen]

When making a powder measure or other pieces, especially when turning bone and antler, what go you use to seal the porous section in the middle.

One a site on about a guy that makes ball point pens of antler, he says he uses a cyanacrylic sealer glue that fills the voids.

I read in another thread about using wax to fill in and seal the porous interior of a powder measure.

In looking for answers, I came across a site that made reference to "bone turners" making moulds for button makers. But could not find any description of the process or the button making. Did they mean for hot molten metal like silver or pewter? or perhaps for clay for ceramic buttons?

 

[WyomingWhitetail]

Ive heard of epoxy type glues being used or even superglue.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I use hobby grade CA glue for my turnings, I buy the thin stuff ( think water ) and use it on the inside as well as the outside when I start a design, it helps strengthen up the pourous areas, then I use the thicker stuff ( think syrup ) to finish it with, acts as a sealer to fill the voids.

I typicaly sand the piece and leave the sanding dust on and add the thicker CA glue, sanding dust is also a filler.

 

[Rifleman1776]

One a site on about a guy that makes ball point pens of antler, he says he uses a cyanacrylic sealer glue that fills the voids.

I make pens, and other items on the lathe. I also use antler at times. Some customers prefer the rough, marrow, section to be filled in and polished. Others like it left natural. I have done both. One of my personal pens is made from antler that I filled in. The CA wore down to where the antler is now what I feel when I hold the pen.
If only smooth bone is desired then the hardest part of making an antler pen is finding an antler portion that is exactly the right size for drilling and turning to end up with no marrow on the surface. If available, axis deer antler has a much narrower marrow center and makes a smooth pen very nicely.
For larger items, finding marrow free sections can be very problematic.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

I was going to try to make a fancy wooden case for a target style percussion pistol and wanted to make the cleaning rod handle, cap box, and handles from turned antler so it looked a bit like old yellowed ivory. The pistol is currently in progress and I found a large piece of beam antler that may actually work for a nose cap. And a flat piece from the same to use as a side plate opposite the lock.

 

[BrownBear]

... cap box....looked a bit like old yellowed ivory

I'm assuming you want it about the size of a cap tin?

A bud in Montana did something that might appeal to you and meet those needs. He made his wife a small, round jewelry box using elk. It looks and feels so much like ivory, it's hard to tell yourself it's anything else.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

well yes the size of a cap tin. But the old style, which were a bit less (1/4 in less) in diameter and slightly taller (maybe 3/16)

I have some pieces of an unknown species' antler. It is a medium brown outside with a rich dark ivory color inside almost one and a half in diameter, also some flat pieces from the same antler. I have worked with other kinds of antler for some things, this stuff really looks like old aged yellowed ivory. (I also have a half of a moose rack, I haven't done anything with yet.)

 

[BrownBear]

(I also have a half of a moose rack, I haven't done anything with yet.)

Let us know how that works. I've handled lots, but never tried working with it. My "impression" is that it's softer and less dense that elk or deer, with a thinner hard outer layer. But impressions are what my butt makes in the sand when I loose my footing.... Usually not a stellar creation! :rotf:

 

[ohio ramrod]

Iuse plain old super glue to seal the bone or antler on anything that I don't have stabilised. :idunno:

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Iuse plain old super glue to seal the bone or antler on anything that I don't have stabilised. :idunno:

I use the hobby grade CA glue only because its actually stronger than the super glue, also the medium glue takes a bit longer to set and this allows it to "soak into" the material better.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Iuse plain old super glue to seal the bone or antler on anything that I don't have stabilised. :idunno:

Have you used stabilized antler? If so, do you stabilize it yourself? I have been asked to stable some antler but haven't. I don't know how it will react in the solvent :idunno: and I don't want to ruin three gallons of perfectly good stable solution. :shocked2: I know, need to experiment. :redface: What has been your experience?

 

[ohio ramrod]

I send my elk horn to Wood stabilising specialist in Iowa to have it done when I send out my wood knife handles. I have found it to work quite nicely on elk horn. :idunno:

 

[Rifleman1776]

I send my elk horn to Wood stabilising specialist in Iowa to have it done when I send out my wood knife handles. I have found it to work quite nicely on elk horn. :idunno:

Thanks. Answers my question. The antler, then, does not dissolve in the stable solution. I'm going to do some.