Yes David knows a lot about bone for bobbins. His advice is correct I am sure that members will know that Archers is a specialist bone bobbin maker http://www.ararcher.com/index-ie.html
Firstly it is quite difficult to find bone thick enough from modern cattle as we slaughter them comparatively young. I go to the "Knackers yard" I am not sure if that is "international language" It is the place where they kill various cattle for the pet food trade as opposed to human consumption. Broadly speaking I sort through a big bin of them (not at all pleasant) They are so cheap that if I choose wrong and only get one blank from a bone it does not really matter. When I get them home I rough cut the bones (NOT to blanks size just the knobs off the end etc) then I boil them up in a solution of caustic soda and Nappisan (Is that international language for what is probably only "bleach"?) for about four hours, even more if the fat does not seam to have been removed. I then bleach them and dry them in the sun (That is easy for us in Australia) I wait about a week then cut what blanks I can from the bones. I would agree with the Dremel being pretty hopeless for bobbins and also Bonnie Klein's being a great lathe. I world like to point out that you can turn bobbins on a big lathe too. I alternate between a Carbitech (quite cheap) as a miniature lathe and my large lathe. It makes no difference except I have a register device on my Carbitech. (ie a thing that clicks in at different angles which I use for types of decoration) I have had good success at finding big bones in pet shops, they are a little more expensive but in the USA they are sold in what I think are Pet "supermarkets" and the labelling has gradings on them as to size. I did know what was best but have forgotten. If you send bone overseas label it "Sterilized bone for carving" and please be sure you have cleaned and boiled the bones. Foot and mouth disease is a very real problem in many countries. Brian from Cooranbong, Australia - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED]
