ebony cracking

Ebony is very difficult to season. Here is what I do.... I buy it, usually in a very far away local with different climatic conditions, take it home and set it inside on a shelf. After about a year, I will take it out into the shop and let it sit for awhile. Then I turn it to rough shape, where I will leave it for a week or so. Sometimes it will crack from here, sometimes not. It is a very fickled wood.

Also various types of ebony is susceptible to heat checking when sanding. I like to use wax when sanding as it keeps the heat down and also keeps the dust down. I agree with Steve that ebony require a lot of care while drying.

Will

John:

Ebony can be difficult. If you are using a friction polish or any finishing method which generates heat, that could make the problem worse. Heat from aggressive sanding may also contribute to the problem.

Bill

one way is not to use Ebony (usually Diospyros melanoxylon) ...but to track down some African Blackwood..(Dalbergia melanoxylon) which is what clarinets is made from...the right pieces are just as black as Ebony and MUCH more stable. Yeah, *wry grin*...I know, you already have this Ebony...I do too...and I keep using my Ebony for small projects and sometimes it is fine if I take it slowly...but I bought some Blackwood locally, and I am going to go see if they have more....

good luck!

I second the motion for African Blackwood only ever turned one piece - but it cut like Indian Rosewood and was black as coal - quite pricey tho, - got mine from Exotic Woods in NJ not the place for bargins

would you be willing to share your source of Blackwood?

Dale

Hi all again, Thanks for all your help. What I found that helps is to make the inlay the desired diameter and then saw it off with a fine toothed saw instead of using the parting tool. No matter how slow I went with the parting tool it always generated too much heat which then caused the cracking. John

for African Blackwood

I haven't talked to them in over a year, but I will see if I can find their address etc...(I have 'sorted ' things since then,,,*grin*)