Black palm slimline

[Scry]

First time I've worked with palm before and I can very confidently say I will almost never ever touch this stuff again.
Started off using carbide tools and when that created too much chipping (and subsequent incredible amounts of splinters in my arms) I opted for to sand it all the way down.
I thought turning ebony or any of the black woods were annoying before, but this simply takes the cake. Pretty pen though... only took me 3 hours to finish...

 

[Stuart Robertson]

View attachment 326402
First time I've worked with palm before and I can very confidently say I will almost never ever touch this stuff again.
Started off using carbide tools and when that created too much chipping (and subsequent incredible amounts of splinters in my arms) I opted for to sand it all the way down.
I thought turning ebony or any of the black woods were annoying before, but this simply takes the cake. Pretty pen though... only took me 3 hours to finish...

Nice pen though.
Maybe not worth the pain?

 

[Alan Morrison]

I like it.

 

[Todd in PA]

I stabilized a couple of palm blanks when I had a batch going… but still haven't used them. So I can't say yet whether stabilizing made it easier to work with.

 

[qquake]

Great looking pen! I've turned black palm a few times, but don't remember having any problems with it. I used a radiused carbide cutter with a shearing cut.

 

[Amanap]

I stabilized a couple of palm blanks when I had a batch going… but still haven't used them. So I can't say yet whether stabilizing made it easier to work with.

I stabilize my own and have never had a problem. I am not sure if the difference is the way I am stabilizing or my palm is different. For the soaking I put in my pressure pot. Black palm comes from a species of palm tree in Asia , I am using Queen Palm.

 

[Scry]

Great looking pen! I've turned black palm a few times, but don't remember having any problems with it. I used a radiused carbide cutter with a shearing cut.

I noticed that using the detail cutter carbide gave me very little trouble, though it was still creating some chipping and by that point I was already getting close to the tubes so I didn't want to risk it and went back to the 80 grit abranets.

 

[qquake]

I noticed that using the detail cutter carbide gave me very little trouble, though it was still creating some chipping and by that point I was already getting close to the tubes so I didn't want to risk it and went back to the 80 grit abranets.

The diamond shape cutter?

 

[Scry]

The diamond shape cutter?

Yep

 

[qquake]

Yep

I'm surprised. They have a very sharp tip.

 

[MRDucks2]

I stabilize my own and have never had a problem. I am not sure if the difference is the way I am stabilizing or my palm is different. For the soaking I put in my pressure pot. Black palm comes from a species of palm tree in Asia , I am using Queen Palm.

We're you using Cactus Juice (or equivalent) or something else to stabilize, William? I have a process in which I utilize CJ and a pressure pot but had not tried it with palm.

 

[Scry]

I'm surprised. They have a very sharp tip.

Mine have a somewhat rounded tip, so it wasn't as aggressive.

 

[Amanap]

We're you using Cactus Juice (or equivalent) or something else to stabilize, William? I have a process in which I utilize CJ and a pressure pot but had not tried it with palm.

I also use CJ. I have a plastic container that fits inside both my vacuum chamber and my pressure pot so I vacuum like normal and then transfer to PP and put under pressure for 2 times the vacuum time. Just not sure if it my stabilizing technique or the type of palm I use but never have any issues.

 

[howsitwork]

I also use CJ. I have a plastic container that fits inside both my vacuum chamber and my pressure pot so I vacuum like normal and then transfer to PP and put under pressure for 2 times the vacuum time. Just not sure if it my stabilizing technique or the type of palm I use but never have any issues.

I must try that techniques as even with a shearing cut with razor sharp HSS if you took your eye off it even for a second it splintered!

I stabilised it first with stickfast and should probably have soaked after vacuum for a bit longer . Didn't pressure treat afterwards though

 

[sorcerertd]

I've made a few pens and this magic wand with black palm and haven't had any trouble with it. I think the key is patience and a very sharp skew.