Worked with crosscut Macassar Ebony?

[monkeynutz]

Got some blanks of another specie on Ebay the other day, and the vendor tossed a couple crosscut ME blanks in the box as well. Beautiful patterns, but having worked with ME in martial arts weapons in the past, I know how tough and brittle it can be, particularly in the darker sections. I am worried that, even with sharp tools, I'm gonna bust up these blanks on the lathe, mainly because they're crosscuts, and there will be no long grain whatsoever. What strategy do you all recommend? Should I just drench them with thin CA every couple passes and hope for the best?

 

[sbell111]

Scuff the tubes to make sure that the glue adheres well.
Make sure the you get good glue coverage.
Be patient, using very sharp tools.
Prayer changes things.

 

[monkeynutz]

Originally posted by sbell111

Prayer changes things.

ROFL! Started doin' that when I first laid eyes on the things...

 

[monkeynutz]

Update... Well, I gave one the old college try... Worked well for a while, till I got down near the tubes, then I pulverized both halves of the blank right out on the ends. Lost 1/16" on one, and 3/32" on the other, even with very sharp tools, careful work and enough CA to put a car together...

So, I made lemonade... Me and the disc sander got together, shortened both halves and built a pencil... I may get a couple of longer tubes and approach the other remaining blank in the same manner, with the idea that I can shorten them to pen length this time, and then I'll have a set.

 

[Firefyter-emt]

Yes I have, AWESOME look to it with a major depth, but was it hard to keep it from blowing out. I would not try this if you are not good with a sharp skew.

 

[monkeynutz]

Originally posted by Firefyter-emt

I would not try this if you are not good with a sharp skew.

Getting better by the day with the skew. I actually think the ME is a bit easier for me to skew than a softer wood, because the cut doesn't tend to plane deeper and deeper as much. There is just so little support for the wood where it's thinnest on the ends of the tubes. I guess a 50% failure rate is not too bad for a noob on a tough wood. Gotta work to get my average up, though.