I am looking for a source for ebony to use for collars to hollowforms?
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Source for ebony
- Thread starter Stacey S
- Start date
Ever considered african blackwood instead? Most ebony are notorious for cracking.
If you are interested, I have some big Texas Ebony logs (with cracks/checks). They are dark but not as black. I am sure we can work out something if you are interested.
If you are interested, I have some big Texas Ebony logs (with cracks/checks). They are dark but not as black. I am sure we can work out something if you are interested.
Hi Stacy,
You can actually ebonize hard maple to good effect. Just soak a pad of steel wool in white vinegar. Use this to stain the maple. I suggest hard maple because it has a very tight grain that, when sanded and finished well, will give you a similar texture to ebony.
Dietrich
You can actually ebonize hard maple to good effect. Just soak a pad of steel wool in white vinegar. Use this to stain the maple. I suggest hard maple because it has a very tight grain that, when sanded and finished well, will give you a similar texture to ebony.
Dietrich
Ebonizing is a great tip!
Also note that some wood react to the solution better than others.
Also note that some wood react to the solution better than others.
Dietrich, Thats Cheating! Actually that is a pretty good idea but I am kinda being a purist and I would really prefer ebony. but I will have to remember that. Getting hard maple for me will probably be just as difficult because there are no good lumber dealers in my area.
Dario, That sounds good but my concern is you are in Texas and I am in Georgia and I don't know how shipping would be also I don't really know what I have that is that special that you would be interested in.
Stacey
Dario, That sounds good but my concern is you are in Texas and I am in Georgia and I don't know how shipping would be also I don't really know what I have that is that special that you would be interested in.
Stacey
actually, Stacy, it's not cheating. You just list the wood as ebonized -----. This is subtilly different from "dying" it, although that's what you're essentially doing. Buyers will tend to react with more of a "cool, how do they do that" reaction than with an "aw, it's not real ebony" reaction.
It's actually environmentally better too, as ebony is an endangered wood and various African regimes fund themselves with illegal wood sales. Also, ebony is quite toxic in dust form so it's safer to use other woods.
You might want to try pecan and see how well it ebonizes. Nice dense wood. Just avoid the woods with highly visible grain such as oak or ash. In fact, cherry might work well. Check out the thread on aging it.
Dietrich
It's actually environmentally better too, as ebony is an endangered wood and various African regimes fund themselves with illegal wood sales. Also, ebony is quite toxic in dust form so it's safer to use other woods.
You might want to try pecan and see how well it ebonizes. Nice dense wood. Just avoid the woods with highly visible grain such as oak or ash. In fact, cherry might work well. Check out the thread on aging it.
Dietrich
Thanks. I was just kidding but good to know about the environmental issues hadn't thought of that.
How long should the steel wool soak in the vinegar.
How long should the steel wool soak in the vinegar.
A couple of days is good. Strain it good before you use it.
Also, on open grain woods it can be used for an unusual effect. My Grandmother has some furniture that was made of red oak that was ebonized and the pores filled with silver dye. Very nice looking. It will not cling to the open pores unless you add a few drops of dish detergent.
There was an article a few years ago about this in FWW. Explained the whole process.
Also, on open grain woods it can be used for an unusual effect. My Grandmother has some furniture that was made of red oak that was ebonized and the pores filled with silver dye. Very nice looking. It will not cling to the open pores unless you add a few drops of dish detergent.
There was an article a few years ago about this in FWW. Explained the whole process.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
Atlanta Wood Products in North east atlanta has ebony, or at least did the last time I was there which was a year ago or more.
Jeffries wood products Between Knoxville, Tn, and Sevierville, Tn has ebony but it varies as to how much and how big. They specialize in most other woods but usually have some blackwood and ebony in small sizes.
Wish I could give you phone numbers for both but I'm at work and don't have them here. I'm not sure I have them at home, I usually just drive over.
Jeffries wood products Between Knoxville, Tn, and Sevierville, Tn has ebony but it varies as to how much and how big. They specialize in most other woods but usually have some blackwood and ebony in small sizes.
Wish I could give you phone numbers for both but I'm at work and don't have them here. I'm not sure I have them at home, I usually just drive over.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
my afternoon assignment is late so I looked these up.
Atlanta Wood Products
5400 riverview Rd
30126-2997
Phone 404-792-0910
Jeffries Wood Products
8807 Valgro Rd
Knoxville, Tn. 37920
865-792-0910
Atlanta Wood Products
5400 riverview Rd
30126-2997
Phone 404-792-0910
Jeffries Wood Products
8807 Valgro Rd
Knoxville, Tn. 37920
865-792-0910
Ebony??
Hi... have you considered African Blackwood as an alternative instead of dinking around with the wannabes???? Just explain to clients it is a good substitute for Ebony. I have no problem getting any size I want, and I can put you in touch with a supplier that will ship to you direct. Or, if you prefer, he has Ebony.
Mr. Don
Hi... have you considered African Blackwood as an alternative instead of dinking around with the wannabes???? Just explain to clients it is a good substitute for Ebony. I have no problem getting any size I want, and I can put you in touch with a supplier that will ship to you direct. Or, if you prefer, he has Ebony.
Mr. Don
I just posted a photo in the gallery of an urn that I made recently. The finial is made of walnut, and I ebonized it. My solution was a little diffferent than Dietrich's in that I used apple cider vinegar and some nuts and bolts. Same effect - walnut ebonizes really well. Try it - you'll like it!
dkulze said:
Okay, what'd I do wrong? I put a pad of 0000 steel wool in a jar of plain old white vinegar Thursday evening around 5:00. Sunday at 2:00 nothing had changed. The vinegar was still perfectly clear and the steel wool pad remained unscathed. I thought, maybe, that this was stainless steel wool, as unlikely as that seems. So I pulled the pad out and rinsed it in water. Within an hour it started to rust, so the stainless theory is shot.
Could it be the vinegar? I'm confused.
The mixture IS supposed to be clear... I was confused the first time I tried this! Try straining the mixture through a t-shirt (to get rid of the metal chunks and then wipe some on walnut!! About two coats and it should be a deep black.
Ebony
Riggs High School, Pierre South Dakota. Ask for or leave a message for Pat Hoeing (semi-retired shop teacher). I saw him this past June at an art show and we talked about turning and different woods used. I don't know if he was kidding or actually offering but he said the shop store room had some ebony, very old, 20, 30 maybe even over 40 years old! They don't have much for shop classes anymore so I'm sure the school would be willing to part with some of it. It's been awhile but as I remember the storage room was a sealed room, everything racked to keep it from warping.
Frank D.
Riggs High School, Pierre South Dakota. Ask for or leave a message for Pat Hoeing (semi-retired shop teacher). I saw him this past June at an art show and we talked about turning and different woods used. I don't know if he was kidding or actually offering but he said the shop store room had some ebony, very old, 20, 30 maybe even over 40 years old! They don't have much for shop classes anymore so I'm sure the school would be willing to part with some of it. It's been awhile but as I remember the storage room was a sealed room, everything racked to keep it from warping.
Frank D.
Er, sorry bout that Greg. Yah, the vinegar reacts to the tannins in the wood and turns the iron from the wool black. Doesn't react till on the wood, though.
Dietrich
Dietrich
dkulze said:
Ah. Well that's a stain of a different color. I'll give it a quick test tonight so see what happens.