BBQ Black blanks

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Bope

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2018
Messages
195
Location
Western NY
Any one know what is in these blanks? These things are rock hard. And of course right at the end they explode. I use epoxy and you could see it on the blank and tube where it explodes. I will avoid these in the future.
 
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I believe they are hardwood pellets used in pellet grills. I've never turned one but often times when you cast something harder than the resin you will have that issue, especially since there are so many and less resin. The pellet construction could also be the problem. To help you can saturate the blank a few times during the turning process with thin CA. That may help hold them together along with the usual sharp tools and light touches. Sadly not all blanks turn the same and some make us work a little harder.
 
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Yo could probably achieve the same look with feed pellets and be much easier to turn. But, they wouldn't be BBQ then, unless you count after you have butchered.
 
I took a closer look last night and the glue is not what failed. The paint on the inside of the blank failed. I did some looking and epoxy seems to be dissolved by acetone of mineral spirits so I might try turning the the rest of the blank off and cleaning up the tube and try again. The cap is all turned and ready so I might as well try making a body with the same material.
 
It was either a 1/2" gouge or a negative rake square carbide. I was trying to find what would work best. I don't remember which one I was using when it exploded.
 
It was either a 1/2" gouge or a negative rake square carbide. I was trying to find what would work best. I don't remember which one I was using when it exploded.
If it was carbide, were you holding it parallel to the blank, or at an angle? I have much better success with a shearing cut, even with inlace acrylester (which is notoriously "chippy").
 

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I wasn't having chipping problems. It was just so hard. Patience is needed for these blanks because you are only going to get small shavings. No hogging out the blank.
 
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