Ebony(another ? please)

[PChristy]

Anyone ever turned it? How hard is it and what kind of finish would you use on it

 

[woodArtz]

Re: Ebony

Hard and brittle. It finishes like glass though. Sand it through 12000MM and you'll love what you see. It makes great pens, accents, and finials. I love it when I can get it.

 

[boxxmaker]

Re: Ebony

Hey Bob,don't you mean when you can afford to get it :gar-Bi

 

[PChristy]

Re: Ebony

Hard and brittle. It finishes like glass though. Sand it through 12000MM and you'll love what you see. It makes great pens, accents, and finials. I love it when I can get it.

Then I should turn at the slowest speed? - Will I need to apply any finish to it? Alos when boring it out for the pens do I need to bore it like I would acrylics

 

[FredP]

Re: Ebony

Then I should turn at the slowest speed? - Will I need to apply any finish to it? Alos when boring it out for the pens do I need to bore it like I would acrylics

drill slow. heat in the enemy. once round it peals like butter and leaves a smooth surface with very little sanding to do. it polishes with MM and requires no finish at all. I think you're gonna like it.:gar-Bi I turn it at regular speeds but slow it down for sanding. heat.... remember?

 

[ScottM]

Re: Ebony

+1 on drill slowwwwwwwwwwwwwww. Very slow. This means both the drill speed and the rate of feed. Also us a sharp clean bit.

 

[sawduster]

Re: Ebony

i have several pieces ( old knife handle blanks ) I got from my FIL and i love it ! :icon_thum I can attest to the tips offered here. Drill s-l-o-w , sharpen that skew so you can shave with it ( is there any other way ? :mrgreen: ) micro-mesh and "wow" It really does work nice once you get it rounded :icon_thum
It is unforgiving on the drilling side ....I ruined a couple of pieces before I wised up :BangHead: :gar-Cr

 

[CaptnA]

Re: Ebony

I have made pens out of ebony and it can look incredible. I have done a few with some white and black, quite a stunning effect.
As said, drill slowly. Sand with light pressure. Stop often to - let the wood cool. I've have ebony pens that were very nice... until they cracked. ARGH!!
I quit turning ebony until I've had the blank for a while and knew the wood was dry and stable.
I got my last bunch of ebony pen blanks at a very reasonable price - less than the price of 2 at WC, so deals can be found-
At the same time I got some long pieces (also for a steal) and have only turned 1 of them. I keep thinking about trying some sort of instrument - a flute or fife but I don't know where to start.
What else do you do with a 2" square 20" long?

 

[PChristy]

Re: Ebony

Thanks guys I can't wait to try it - :eusa_danc will let you see the out come soon I hope

 

[erasmussen]

Re: Ebony

What else do you do with a 2" square 20" long?

Use it for making thin trim rings on segmented turnings :gar-La;

 

[Kyle]

Re: Ebony

wear a mask.. the fine particulate from the Macassar ebony made me itch like crazy and burned my nasal passages.

Nice stuff though..

 

[CaptnA]

Re: Ebony

^5 Earl!
Truly something I hadn't even considered...
I thought a segmented turning was one of mine after I had to fix it-
like the dogwood piece Thursday that inderwent 3 "modifications"...... grrrr
I will not make one more pass
I will not make one more pass
I will not make one more pass...

 

[PChristy]

Re: Ebony

wear a mask.. the fine particulate from the Macassar ebony made me itch like crazy and burned my nasal passages.

Nice stuff though..

Will do Kyle:icon_thum

 

[PChristy]

If I wanted to add some acrylic to the Ebony will CA or Epoxy hold the two together

 

[Mike Davis]

That will just make the Ebony look cheap and plastic. Use a contrasting wood instead.

 

[FredP]

If I wanted to add some acrylic to the Ebony will CA or Epoxy hold the two together

I'm with mike. it will work but why would you?:dontknow: maple, holly or ash would be better IMO.

 

[PChristy]

That will just make the Ebony look cheap and plastic. Use a contrasting wood instead.

I'm with mike. it will work but why would you?:dontknow: maple, holly or ash would be better IMO.

:BangHeadidn't think about the acry;ic making the Ebony look cheap:BangHead: Think man think:BangHead:

 

[FredP]

:BangHeadidn't think about the acry;ic making the Ebony look cheap:BangHead: Think man think:BangHead:

:gar-Bi kinda like buying a 24K gold ring and having a gum ball set in it........:gar-Bi

 

[Russ Denz]

shhhhh, Fred; my wife might hear you.

For our 40th anniversary, the LOML wanted a big classy new ring, so....I got my (jeweler) brother-in-law to set a "cats eye" marble in a 24k setting and it was gorgeous...until it fell off the bathroom vanity onto the ceramic tile floor and "exploded" into a million pieces. Fortunately she has a great sense of humor - she married me after all - laughed.
One last important note: file this under pure fiction :rotflm:, but I couldn't resist telling a story - sorry.
Russ

 

[TexasTimbers]

I just turned a bottle stopper with some yesterday - my first time to turn Ebony. I love it. I finished it with Mylands friction polish and it looks like it was dipped in lacquer - but it doesn't have a cheap plastic-y look.

Yes it's brittle but with sharp tools and careful execution you shouldn't have any problems.