Mounting Antler and Bone

[Big Dog]

Does anyone have any ideas on mounting antler and bone? I need to be able to turn both sides, some of the items will be used for box tops and lids and I like to turn the insides.

 

[S. Clark]

I have turned antler as pen blanks where they have ben drilled and installed with the brass tubes. The core is softer than the outer edges and somtimes requires hardening with CA. It is also porous. Gluing with a poly type glue helps fill the material.

I've also turned antler for small finials (less than 2" long). These I've glued to a waste block with CA after squaring the end with a sander. Slight pressure from the tail stock was necessary to pin it in place. you could probably turn a little tenon to glue into a hole for a better attachment. My system popped free several time and I found it necessary to take very light cuts.

All this being said, I've been working with black tail and white tail deer antler. Maybe other species are of a different consistency?

 

[underdog]

I was wanting to turn some very small pieces of antler where the core would be mostly drilled away anyway. So I had thought I would use a screw chuck in the center and turn the outer to suit me before I drilled the center out.

Suppose that would work?

I was also wondering what tools you use for this material. Scrapers? Or can you use a cutting tool?

 

[Big Dog]

I am looking for possible ways to mount the items for turning things like box tops. I do use all of the regular tools but primarily a skew and a fingernail ground gouge.

 

[Hugh]

I have used bone and antler for inserts on vessels and for small items. I use a waste block and I just use hot melt glue to hold the antler to the block of wood. Sometimes when the piece gets small you have to worry about the antler you are turning getting hot and coming loose. But usually this is not a problem.
Hugh

 

[DennisM]

Does it smell?

Thought I would hop into this thread with a related question. I have begun to make a deer antler pen for my son-in-law for Christmas. I started to band saw the antler for the pen blank and the smell was over powering. I retreated to a hand saw and the smell was still quite unpleasent.

Antler is several years old and quite dry. Is this normal?

Thanks

 

[Dudley]

The smell of bone!

Dennis,
Although I have never turned antler or bone...or wood for that matter (total newbie... see my First lathe post), I have cut many bones for my dogs. And yes, it smells.

I've used both hand and power saws (with a disc sander to round down the edges) and it always smells. The only ones that don't are fresh boiled soup bones.

Hope this helps,
Brad

 

[S. Clark]

Thought I would hop into this thread with a related question. I have begun to make a deer antler pen for my son-in-law for Christmas. I started to band saw the antler for the pen blank and the smell was over powering. I retreated to a hand saw and the smell was still quite unpleasent.

Antler is several years old and quite dry. Is this normal?

Yep! Old, new it doesn't matter. Smells like a butcher shop. It isn't quite as strong when turning though.

I was wanting to turn some very small pieces of antler where the core would be mostly drilled away anyway. So I had thought I would use a screw chuck in the center and turn the outer to suit me before I drilled the center out.

Suppose that would work?

I was also wondering what tools you use for this material. Scrapers? Or can you use a cutting tool?

Much of the core in the antlers I've worked with is soft and porous. This would not hold a screw thread well. The outside shell is quite hard. Nearer the tips it all becomes dense and hard. You can tell the hard and soft spots easily when drilling. I'm not familiar with bone though.

Light shearing cuts work best. A skew and spindle gouge are what I prefer but scrapers will work if used as a shearing tool.

 

[DennisM]

Thanks for the info

Dennis,
Although I have never turned antler or bone...or wood for that matter (total newbie... see my First lathe post), I have cut many bones for my dogs. And yes, it smells.

I've used both hand and power saws (with a disc sander to round down the edges) and it always smells. The only ones that don't are fresh boiled soup bones.

Hope this helps,
Brad

It helps to know when something unexpected is consider "normal". Looks like I will have to wait for a warm day and do the work outside.

 

[John Taylor]

bone turning

I open all the windows and sweep first. The ony one who likes the bone turning is the dog, who tries to clean up the lathe and floor afterwards.