"Wand-Sized" Turning Stock?

[ScoutHikerDad]

Guys-I don't make brushes, or even turn. However, as a teacher of creative writing and sponsor of the literary magazine at a major suburban high school, I get all the nerdy kids (my people!). One of my favorites is a sixteen year old girl who has started a small business turning Harry Potter wands on the family lathe (weird, I know, but I bet there's a market knowing the kids I know). So far she has been working with cheap poplar dowel stock from Home Depot, I suppose.

What I am looking for is a source where she can score some real wood, maybe even some rosewood, ebony or similar that would polish up nicely into a proper wand! As she is new to this, I don't think she is ready to tackle square blanks, but if anyone knows a source I can point her to for some nice dowels in, say 10"x1/2" or so, I would appreciate it! Thanks for any recommendations-Aaron

[Hirlau]

That Andrew probably knows or TinTin.

[32t]

Just a quick search.

dowels

Dowel Rods - Walnut - 36" long-Choose size | Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

[ScoutHikerDad]

Thanks, 32t-At least you didn't tell me to google it lol.

[HARRYWALLY]

Not weird at all, I turned one a while back for a very good friend for his birthday.



The piece of wood I used was a piece of a limb I salvaged off one of our job sites.... No idea what species but it worked well.
Often times fire wood piles are fantastic places to salvage wood. They quite often are spalted because it's been sitting outside for so long, and spalted wood is a turners dream. Like others have said, you can get maple and oak dowels from the local hardware store for a pretty decent prices, and the come in many different size diameters.

The key with salvaged material of the streets is , get rid of the pith. The pith of the wood will shoot out cracks, so splitting the material and removing it can control any splitting that might happen. sealing the end grain with old paint will also help control splitting, until it's dry enough to turn.

[tintin]

here's one that sell long 40 inch acrylic blanks. 40 Inch Acrylic Rod Variety Pack (15 Piece)
or here's some exotic wood too. http://www.bellforestproducts.com/wo...nX8aArdi8P8HAQ

[HARRYWALLY]

That birdseye maple sure would be nice!

[ScoutHikerDad]

Thanks all-I am sending these links on to the kid!