Stabilizing ebony

[wimkluck]

A friend of my asked if I could stabilize a piece of ebony. Thera are some cracks in the wood. I need to dry the wood to reduce the moisture to almost zero.
But ebony does not like heat. Only very small cracks will be filled with the stabilization resin.
Does anyone have an advice?

 

[KenB259]

A couple things come to mind. Stabilizing wont fill cracks and ebony is too oily to be a candidate for stabilizing.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

Maybe try to do a colored epoxy fill in a pressure pot on the ebony? The epoxy is more forgiving that alumilite.

 

[KenB259]

Maybe try to do a colored epoxy fill in a pressure pot on the ebony? The epoxy is more forgiving that alumilite

You could probably color the epoxy black and you'd never even see it.

 

[SabertoothBunny]

You could probably color the epoxy black and you'd never even see it.

Certainly but I would pesonally use a bolt, off setting color with the black to have the contrast. Matching the black could difficult. In the end personaly preference.

 

[MRDucks2]

As everyone above said you can fill but it will not stabilize properly.

 

[PatrickR]

I have done it but it is not worth the effort. oil content is not a problem (The heating process will bake the oil making it a solid) Ebony is so dense that there is very little air to be replaced with the CJ. If there are light streaks in it those areas will take a little as they are less dense. Also baking it till oven dry is a pretty sure way to make it crack.
Casting with epoxy is a good way to go if you want to fill large voids.
In my experience if the ebony has checked during air drying it is a poor candidate for use and has shown that it may continue to crack over time. I allow mine to dry, acclimate and age for several years before any use and checked areas are not used. Good luck.