Ebony Wood Question(s)

[DJ2772]

Hi all, I recently finished the last of my chess set pieces and I noticed a couple of my pawns that I had cut about a year ago started streaking brown. I'm curious to why this is happening. At first I thought it might have been due to poor compound cutting technique, but besides three pawns, the rest all look good. I played around with different blades until I settled on using Pegasus No 7 MG blades. I put an almost perfectly black bishop next to one of the changing pawns in the photo.

Also, any tips for sanding pieces like these? I've been doing them by hand working up to 220, but I have to believe there's a better (and easier!) way. Both of these pieces haven't been sanded yet.

Last question! Sorry I mashed them all in one post like this, but again, Ebony wood is so unique I want to get the experts' opinions on it. How would you recommend finishing it?

Cheers,

Dave

[Rolf]

Regarding sanding. I would normally use a 240 grit MAC mop. But You would have to be very careful not to take the corner details off. Best would be hand sanding. 

What wood is the brown streaker.?  It will probably go black when you put a finish on it.  Wenge looks brown streaky until I put a gel varnish on it, it then goes black.

I am impressed that you cut 3D chess pieces out of Ebony. 

[kmmcrafts]

I think most all wood changes color over time.. I'm not sure if it's part of a drying process or being exposed to light? Maybe the wood experts will chime in on this.. 

Years ago I made my wife a wedding ring cross out of purple heart as our wedding colors was purple.. anyway after about a couple years it turned brown ( the cross... not the wedding or marriage)  Back then when I commented about it everyone said the purple heart does that if it is exposed to light..  It's only brown on the surface. sanding it ( allot ) changes it back to purple.. I'm not sure if you was to finish it with a UV ray type clear if it'd help or not.. I can only assume this might be what has happened to your piece here..

Maybe a sanding mop would help with the sanding? I don't have or never used one but I've read a lot folks using them for sanding things similar to these..

I'll leave the finishing question to some more experienced with other finishes.. since I almost only use Danish oil finishes..  

[DJ2772]

 

T

6 minutes ago, Rolf said:

Regarding sanding. I would normally use a 240 grit MAC mop. But You would have to be very careful not to take the corner details off. Best would be hand sanding. 

What wood is the brown streaker.?  It will probably go black when you put a finish on it.  Wenge looks brown streaky until I put a gel varnish on it, it then goes black.

I am impressed that you cut 3D chess pieces out of Ebony. 

The brown streaked is ebony as well. I originally was going to do the dark side in Wenge too, but after experimenting I made the fateful decision to work Ebony instead. The streaked piece does look like the test wenge piece I made...I'll probably end up doing the few streaked pieces over or use some gel varnish as you recommended. I'll keep trucking away hand sanding in the meantime!

Thanks!

[DJ2772]

7 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I think most all wood changes color over time.. I'm not sure if it's part of a drying process or being exposed to light? Maybe the wood experts will chime in on this.. 

Years ago I made my wife a wedding ring cross out of purple heart as our wedding colors was purple.. anyway after about a couple years it turned brown ( the cross... not the wedding or marriage)  Back then when I commented about it everyone said the purple heart does that if it is exposed to light..  It's only brown on the surface. sanding it ( allot ) changes it back to purple.. I'm not sure if you was to finish it with a UV ray type clear if it'd help or not.. I can only assume this might be what has happened to your piece here..

Maybe a sanding mop would help with the sanding? I don't have or never used one but I've read a lot folks using them for sanding things similar to these..

I'll leave the finishing question to some more experienced with other finishes.. since I almost only use Danish oil finishes..  

I actually made our wedding cake topper out of purple heart as well! A few previous projects that sat in the sunlight a few years also started to loose their beautiful purple luster and start browning so I've got our topper hidden in our wedding box. I didn't know they had UV finish, I'll have to check that out!

Thanks!

[dgman]

An oil based finish will darken the Ebony. What I would do is dip the pieces in a 50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Wipe off the excess oil, then let it dry. Then apply a topcoat of your choice. Keep in mind anything that claims U.V. protection requires re application every year. It’s best just to keep it out of direct sunlight.

[Rolf]

For those of us that do intarsia we all know how all wood with rare exception change color. 

One of my favorites, Lignum Vitea,  actually returns to green when exposed to sunlight. 

yellow heart and Holly don't change much.

[Norm Fengstad]

I have never tried to cut Ebony, heard it is like cutting wrought iron only harder. I use purple heart occaisionaly and try to finish with a UV blocker Most out door finishes have a UV blocker.I have piece of Purple heart on the shelf for one of those get around to it projects, sat there for years it is protected fom light so color hasn't changed.

[DJ2772]

On 6/28/2020 at 11:48 AM, dgman said:

An oil based finish will darken the Ebony. What I would do is dip the pieces in a 50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits. Wipe off the excess oil, then let it dry. Then apply a topcoat of your choice. Keep in mind anything that claims U.V. protection requires re application every year. It’s best just to keep it out of direct sunlight.

I took your advice and dipped a sanded ebony and zebra wood piece in the 50/50 mixture, completely darkened it out. This picture is after about 3 hours of drying. I placed another offending "color changing piece" behind the treated one to illustrate how drastic of a change it was. Once it has fully dried I'll apply a spray coat of Miniwax semi-gloss. Thanks again!

[DJ2772]

On 6/29/2020 at 9:41 AM, Norm Fengstad said:

I have never tried to cut Ebony, heard it is like cutting wrought iron only harder. I use purple heart occaisionaly and try to finish with a UV blocker Most out door finishes have a UV blocker.I have piece of Purple heart on the shelf for one of those get around to it projects, sat there for years it is protected fom light so color hasn't changed.

When I first started compound cuts I practiced on some 1.5"x1.5" pine...it cut like butter. Zebra wood was a little difficult, but manageable...ebony...never again...never again! I'll stick to the lathe in the future with that beast of a wood!