Turning black palm

stickthrower · Post by **stickthrower** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 1:08 pm

Okay, I am getting ticked off. I know it happens, but twice I had a piece of black palm that i was turning that broke in two. What the heck?! Is black palm hard to turn? I picked it up the last time I was at WC, and at this point I am about ready to stick it in a corner and forget about it. i had them cut down to 3-4 inch pieces to make into ornaments.

I had one I just started rounding and it broke in two, and then the second was rounded and I was about to start shaping, and IT broke! At that point I put it aside and grabbed something else. But I need that black palm to get all the ones done I am planning on making (for now). If I don't have that, I don't have enough wood.

any help would be greatly appreciated. i am thinking my tools are dulling a bit, but it broke when i was using the Easy wood turner with the round blade. now i know that thing is sharp!

i have 2 made so far, need to make 7 or 8 more before Wednesday.

I should be fine as long as the dang wood stops breaking on me!!

Nathan

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 2:05 pm

Black palm is very soft, very fibrous, and can be difficult to turn.

Use SHARP tools using a shearing action (skew or gouge floating the bevel on top of the spindle) USE VERY LIGHT CUTS in other words patience and good sharpening skills are required. You may want to try some adhoc stabilizing using minwax wood hardener, glue sizing, or flooding the blank with thin CA. This will fill the gaps between the fibers and strengthen the material some. This kind of adhoc stabilization does need to be repeated as you reduce the diameter of the spindle.

Carbide tools typically use a scraping action at or just below center line. I have heard of a few people that claim to be able to make shearing cuts with a carbide tool, but I've never seen it. I find it hard to believe as the bevel is so small on those cutters. Disclaimer I do not have a carbide cutting tool and have never used one.

stickthrower · Post by **stickthrower** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 3:25 pm

Just got done sharpening my tools. now I am done working in 5 minutes, and then I can see if hopefully that will make a difference.

Thanks Terry!

stickthrower · Post by **stickthrower** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:28 pm

Yeah, that didn't work. Still blew apart. I did get further into it though before it blew. So maybe sharpen it up even more, and then sharpen it again part way through? I don't know. I think I am going to just let it sit to the side for awhile. I have now wasted between 8-12 inches of it. Like I said, I know it is going to happen, but even still, it hurts to waste a $15 piece of wood.

I am going to have to check around here for some more wood. I only have 8 inches left of the honduran rosewood I have been using. I am making up ornaments and still need to make 6 more. so I need to look around here as I don't have to get down to WC. That is where I have been getting most of my wood.

Terry, Thanks again for your input. I think i am just a little too new at turning to be trying to turn something like this. I need something a little more forgiving.

Nathan

reible · Post by **reible** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 5:54 pm

Hi,

I think about a year ago someone posted some pictures of black palm pens and they looked great. I have never tried that material but have thought about doing so.

Here is the link I was thinking about, start at post 43 or so or better yet if you have not looked at the thread yet check out the whole thing.

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=9334

You might want to contact the poster to see if he would be willing to give you a few tips.

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/member.htm?u=74

Ed

stickthrower · Post by **stickthrower** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:03 pm

Thanks Ed! I read through the entire thing. Man, I need to get some more skills so I can start making things like that! And I did send a message to the person that used the black palm. Thank you for adding the link!

i have four ornaments made, and I will post pics a little later.

Nathan

scollins · Post by **scollins** » Fri Dec 14, 2012 6:26 am

Black palm is not a good newbie wood. Sharp tools are a must. Reading the grain is another must or you will catch the black fibers and blow it up. Someone suggested using CA glue (needs to be thin CA) to stablize the blank before turning. I used some spalted oak for an ornament finial. Not thinking, I stablized the end that went into the chuck, but not the rest. It sheared off the second the tool touched it. Tried again, stablizing the whole thing and finished without an issue. Thicker CA formulas will not penetrate the wood while thin will soak in till the wood is saturated. Let it dry for 15 minutes or longer if you really saturate it. I drilled some duck calls a day later that I had poured about a half bottle over 3 calls and it off gassed big time from the heat from the drill. I had the dust collector pulling the fumes and dust away from me.

Pretty wood once you figure out how to work it.