Shopsmith Forums

Wow, is that stuff super hard. Probably the hardest wood I have ever cut or turned. While turning a small piece (to make a bottle stopper), I had a minor catch on the end grain. That catch caused the piece to crack where it was screwed into the mandrel and wobbled badly. I had to abandon the piece. I know that you must have a sharp chisel, in fact, I had just sharpen my roughing gouge. Has anyone else had a bad experience with ebony or share some advise for turning ebony?

Bob
San Diego

I've only turned ebony a couple times on pens, but yes it is HARD... The only thing I can suggest (which I'm sure you already know), take it slow, light cuts and SHARP chisels...

I was amazed after sanding and finishing an Ebony pen, it looks like shiny black plastic, you really have to tell people it's wood that hasn't been stained/dyed or painted.

I have heard of similar issues occurring when clarinets are made.
BPR

I think it is a great wood for turning. And concure with Tom that the finish is amazing.

Hi
Some years ago I watched a program on the Discovery Channel or one of those type of channels that was showing how the musical instrument the clarinet was made and how the people of Africa gathered specific straight grained pieces of ebony for the process. The clarinet bodies were turned on metal turning lathes using metal turning techniques and not hand held tools. They said that the ebony is almost as hard as some metals.
For what it's worth.
Bill V

I have turned an ebony pen blank before and it didn't seem quite as hard as this piece. Yes, the finish was really beautiful, it dazzled in the bright light. It does look like some sort of plastic. I'm wondering if a pen blank is pure wood or could it have some sort of filler in it to make it easier to turn?

Bob
I've thought about using CA glue but here's my question.
Would you still see the hairline crack or does it disappear?

Bob
San Diego

I've had the best luck turning ebony using a scraper with a slight relief grind on the top edge, much the same as when cutting acrylics. Just my 2 cents.

rdewinter wrote:I have turned an ebony pen blank before and it didn't seem quite as hard as this piece. Yes, the finish was really beautiful, it dazzled in the bright light. It does look like some sort of plastic. I'm wondering if a pen blank is pure wood or could it have some sort of filler in it to make it easier to turn?

Bob
I've thought about using CA glue but here's my question.
Would you still see the hairline crack or does it disappear?

Bob
San Diego

There was a turning article I read recently. For sanding/finishing, it summarized that ultra-fine sanding is often associated with a "plastic" sensation, and medium-fine sanding is considered "woody." The author had actually convinced some people that plastic was wood, and wood was plastic, just by choosing his final polishing degrees differently on his pens.

I have used CA-glue and (matching-wood) sawdust for some minor repairs a few times lately. You can tell it's there by sight, but not by feel. And it really looks sharp as a rule.

Enjoy!