I hope no one is getting too bored with this reel seat insert fetish I seem to have developed.
The first is Quilted Sycamore Burl.
This next one is a nicer piece of Flame Boxelder. Much better color in this one.
I tried some inlay work on this one. Chinaberry with Quilted Boxelder Burl in the middle flanked by Honduran Rosewood
And another pen. This is Spalted Apple that I semi stabilized myself with polyurethane in a vacuum jar I made to work with my brake bleeder.
Beautiful!! Really beautiful! Now, if you only made them upsidedown!! :roll:
For you, I’d build them sideways if that was what you wanted. 
Kevin,
I really like the last one with the inlay.
They’re all great, but I really like the flame box elder. You ought to sell the inserts and the hardware together in a package.
Bruce
Thank you. The inlays have been a learning process. I have found that epoxy like Rod Bond or even 5 minute Devcon is the only way to go for putting this stuff together before turning. This one must have popped a joint at least 4 times on me while turning. Once I used the epoxy, I was able to turn without incident.
PM me.
Kevin
If you are needing to try something outside the box, I have seen a duck call turned out of Osage Orange wood, and then Flamed on both ends. It gave the piece a nice look it faded from black to the yellow.
Kevin,
I have found that with the inserts doing inlays-wood to wood (especially oily woods)/wood to antler to use Gorilla or other poly glues. Wood to cork use titebond III, using plastics to anything-Rod Bond 15 minute. With the poly glues just make sure you wet the surfaces to be bonded.
I will try the poly glues. I didn’t even think to use that.
Speaking of Duck Calls… This is Olivewood with a Rosewood stopper. I used HUT readymade call guts. It quacks, but since I don’t hunt ducks and my hearing is shot, I have no idea if it would fool a duck. :lol:
Kevin,
Whata ducks know about wood anyway - pay no attention to those quacks! Post your stuff all you want, you won’t get any complaints from me. Encore! Encore!
baitwaister - thanks for all the good info on glues.
Best regards, Dave S.
I have a few more that I have done.
This first is just something fun I had to try. The face is hand carved into an insert turned in basswood.
The following pens were all made from the wood I got from Lake Erie Highball in the Secret Santa Swap.
Zebra Wood
Walnut
Purple Heart
Padauk
Cocobolo
This is for a rod under construction now. The insert and main portion of the grip are Ponderosa Pine Bark. The grip has moose antler front and rear with walnut and olive wood accents. The olive is from Israel.
This pen is turned from Olivewood from Bethlehem. I have a supplier that sent me some beautiful pieces pen/insert blanks and some 1/8" slabs that I can use for accents on all kinds of things. I can see an olive burl insert with some carving in it in the works soon.
Just gorgeous!
Jack H will undoubtedly be sending his former senator to talk to you about your uncontrolled deforesteration effort. Serious beautiful work Kevin. I know you are having fun and most fresh wood dust smells so good.
I will probably be getting a scolding about that first sentence.
So… Kevin what are you going to do when you run out of moose antler? You will find that working with deer or elk is little more challenging as they get pithy much quicker. That grip and insert look great! Definetley would look great on a tiger eye blank.
I have only used that from my “stash.” I may have to make a trip to Jackson, Wy and buy some from the Boy Scouts up there. I never did hit any pith in this. It’s solid all the way through. I’m afraid you are right. This stuff will spoil me.
This is going on a green 8’, 7pc, 5w blank I traded for with Goduster. It’s one of those from Roger on Ebay. Moderate action. It will make a sweet little pack rod when I’m done.
Sounds good. This years shed hunting up here has not been very good so far. I have found 3 moose paddles and 4 whitetail sheds. Usually by now I have way way more than that. I have been seeing however a lot more wolf tracks…not a good thing.