Any tricks for black palm ?

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Petricore

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I have tried 2 black palm stabilized blanks and had no luck with either. First one cracked while drilling so I CA'ed it and turned it pretty close to finish and it split again in half this time. Second one I drilled most of the way, cut off the end and the blanks were fine. I was turning at 3K rpm and using a newly sharpened tool. taking extremely small cuts I still got some tearout that ruined the blanks. I think part of the problem is Im using a 3/4" blank and cutting it out for a jr gent pen, leaving little material in some spots to cut.
Are there any tips that I can do, or should I give up and make them pick a new wood ?
 
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Are the tear outs small enough to fill with sanding dust? I sand palm to 320. Then, using that same used piece of 320 grit paper I continue to sand while dripping thin CA. This creates a slurry of sanding dust and CA that fills the tearout. After it dries I sand again to 320 to smooth it out and continue my normal finish. Hope this helps. PM me if you have more questions.
 
I have only turned a few non stabilized palm blanks and I ended up using my 150 grit paper to finish the job. I have had the same problems with some cross cut and 45 degree cut blanks. If I start blowing chunks,(maybe that is not the right phrase) I hone my skew. If that dont work I get out the sandpaper. I try not to fight problems, I try to go around them.
 
I need to take a photo but I just did a BP El Grande this week. I turned it half way down and then add thin CA to further stabilize. Went and had lunch and then finished the turning.

Frank - if you have any you are giving away, send it up my way.
 
I think you have to drench black palm with thin CA as soon as you look at it and again regularly as you turn it. Otherwise you get mega-tearouts. I hear that it is not really wood - actually a grass !
 
Originally posted by ericw95
<br />I need to take a photo but I just did a BP El Grande this week. I turned it half way down and then add thin CA to further stabilize. Went and had lunch and then finished the turning.

Frank - if you have any you are giving away, send it up my way.
Click to expand...

Did that already. Sorry. Never again.
 
I have had no problems with black palm at all. What I have used came from our local Rockler store. It was not stabilized but it did have a thick coat of wax on it. I have turned a couple of slim lines in it for my mother in law. So after I saw this post I went and turned a bottle stopper in it. I had no problems at all turning this. The photo stinks but I do have a light box on the way.[:D]



Mike
 
I have turned 4 El Grande BP pens. The first one I blew it bad. I thought about it for a while and went back out. I used my big skew on the others and had no problems after that.
 
Hello,

I turn quite a bit of Black Palm and have no problems with it using a 1/4" micro Spindle Gouge sharpened with an Irish swept back grind. You have to keep a sharp edge and refresh it frequently, as the palm is very abrasive and hard on the tool edge. All of the Palm I turn is natural, but I have turned the stabilized on occasion as well. Good luck and best wishes to you.
 
Hi Linc,
I have tried any pens in Black Palm, but did get really ambitious and tried a pepper mill..
20077823727_PM%20BLACK%20PALM.jpg
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The stuff came off like sand.. terribly gritty stuff... and tough on the tools.. seems like I sharpened or touched up a tool every third of fourth pass. Drilling was really a chore..
and as stated earlier, it's not really wood, it is a grass... it's great looking when you get it done though.
 
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