anyone work with ebony?

[sunnybob]

I am trying to source a piece of ebony approx 250 x 250 x 20 mm, any ideas where I could buy a small piece like that?

Or, any other very black wood that I dont know of which would look similar.

 

[clk230]

Try these , always had good service -http://www.exotichardwoodsukltd.com/page72/page74/rapidcart-2/

African Black is normally blacker than Ebony

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Yandles would be worth a try or suppliers to the guitar industry (fingerboards on necks are often made of ebony). But have you considered just ebonising (black paint) a regular piece of wood?

 

[sunnybob]

I've just found that site by surfing and have emailed them thanks.

I'm not good with paint, and this piece will be the front of a trinket box so really need it to look the part.
I'm starting to think this might be more expensive than I thought. But its a yin and yang box and I need something black to contrast with the white maple.

 

[marcros]

ebonising is easy enough to do. or even dyeing something black.

African blackwood would be an alternative to ebony.

does it need to be a single piece? does it need to be 20x20. pen blanks are normally 130-150mm and 17-18mm or so.

(edit, sorry mis-read the sizes)

 

[sunnybob]

I need a backing piece which has to be 220 x220 10mm Then I need a half front panel which would be 220 x 120 x10mm. Then I would need 1 round piece approx 50mm diameter x 20mm.
I think I can get all of that out of my starting size.
i just want a black wood to contrast with the white panel.
I suppose I could not have the largest piece if the smaller ones were available a reasonable price.
If the price gets too silly I shall just have to compromise.

 

[beganasatree]

Hi Sunnybob,

I made two trophy plinths for Janette one oak and the other one larch, the oak one I stained with steel wool and vinegar, nice black finnish.She wanted the larch one to look the same but it turned gray,not enough tannin ,so I washed it with a used tea bag and let dry repeated this five more times then used vinegar and steel wool solution the result a nice black plinth just like the oak one .So why not give it a try??The more tannin you use the blacker the finnish.

Peter

 

[MattRoberts]

Have a look on YouTube at ebonising wood - you might be able to achieve the right look with some vinegar and wire wool

 

[sunnybob]

Peter, just been surfing utube and I think I've found something I might be able to do myself. It seems to be really simple to match my skill level. Now I have to go out and see if any of this is available here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhCcBc6kndk

 

[marcros]

i dont have any sound on my work pc, but this may be suitable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wImippyKMSE

 

[sunnybob]

lol. found that one 15 minutes ago. It still amazes me how much is on you tube. i think we need to start a queat for a subject that ISNT on there.
The dye and stain look to be my way forwards.

 

[marcros]

another thing to consider is whether you need anything as dark as black to contrast with the maple- a rich brown may well have sufficient contrast to look good and be more readily available. that is a design thought though, and only one that you can answer.

 

[sunnybob]

There are a lot of brown / white boxes on google images, they dont look right to me.

 

[stuartpaul]

Thought about wenge Bob?

Not as black as ebony but it has a nice black/brown figuring that would contrast nicely with maple.

 

[sunnybob]

Thought about it? man, I never HEARD of it.
Another surfing experience coming up.

 

[sunnybob]

Nope, wenge is out for a smooth trinket box front

Can be difficult to work with hand and machine tools. Blunts tool edges. Sands unevenly due to differences in density between light and dark areas. Very splintery—care must be used when handling unfinished wood with bare hands, as splinters have an increased risk of infection. Very large pores can be difficult to fill if a perfectly smooth/level finish is desired.

 

[woodbrains]

Nope, wenge is out for a smooth trinket box front

Can be difficult to work with hand and machine tools. Blunts tool edges. Sands unevenly due to differences in density between light and dark areas. Very splintery—care must be used when handling unfinished wood with bare hands, as splinters have an increased risk of infection. Very large pores can be difficult to fill if a perfectly smooth/level finish is desired.

Hello,

Don't believe all you read online! I just completed 5 trinket/jewellery boxes with wenge components and it is absolutely fine. A little hard to work, yes, but hoe hard to work do you expect ebony to be. Wenge is beautiful!

Mike.

 

[sunnybob]

What put me off was the unevenness bit. I want this for a face panel, and I want it perfectly smooth. Did you manage that level of finish?

And of course then I have to track down a square of it.

 

[woodbrains]

What put me off was the unevenness bit. I want this for a face panel, and I want it perfectly smooth. Did you manage that level of finish?

And of course then I have to track down a square of it.

Hello,

Perfectly flat. I suggest the unevenness bit is nonsense, in fact. Something like Douglas-fir can get high and low portions when sanding, because of the vastly diffent density in the early/late wood, but wenge does not vary in density to anywhere near the same degree. It was not an issue at all with the stuff I have ever used. You will need SHARP planes etc. though, but then you will with ebony.

Did I read right, you want a 250 mm square by 20 thick? If so you are very unlikely to get ebony, the trees are very rare these days and small. A 10 inch wide ebony board I would suggest, near impossible. Whatever wood, you'll probably need to join it from narrower stock.

Mike.

 

[sunnybob]

yes, i realised I was asking too much very quickly once I started looking in earnest. I dont want the back piece joined.

I think I will have to just dye and stain something I have here. Luckily I have a lot of small scraps of a half dozen woods I can practice on