Wood used for deadeyes?

[rschissler]

 What wood do deadeye manufacturers use to make their deadeyes?

 

I think I need to make my own deadeyes, since I need triangular deadeyes smaller than 5mm.  My thought was to use walnut, since that is the main wood in my build, and it seems like all the manufacturers of deadeyes list their deadeyes as walnut.  However, when looking at them they seem to be a finer wood that walnut, so I'm wondering if they are using boxwood or something similar and just coloring them to look like walnut?  Walnut can be somewhat brittle and has open grain so I am somewhat leery of using walnut to make these small parts.

 

Randy

Edited May 8, 2015 by rschissler

[Jaager]

Black Walnut is an attractive wood - for furniture - the grain is tight, so it does not fuzz or roll out as you work it, but it is open, so it is not really the best for 1:48 scale or smaller, especially small parts like deadeyes , blocks, rails, combing, bits, etc.  European kit assemblers probably use a different species, but what I see is still open grain and not as rich a color as Juglans nigra even.

 

I am not familiar with SoCal botany,  but see if you can source a dead branch of a Dogwood tree - a live one will work, but you would need  it to season before you can use it. 

If you have old formal gardens there, see if you can get pieces of Boxwood.  Real Boxwood (Buxus simpervirans) from temperate gardens is tight grained and hard as a rock - tough to work.  It may have a faster growth pattern in your warmer climate.  When you prune it (saw out a sizable branch) you will quickly appreciate just how hard a wood it is.

Rock Maple would be better than Walnut.  Black Cherry would be better than Walnut.  Either would do a good job, they are just softer and faster working than Dogwood or Boxwood. Holly will work and it can be dyed to match any shade of wood.

Edited May 8, 2015 by Jaager

[Richard Griffith]

Excellent adice from Jaager.  BTW, juglans nigra is the Laten name for American black walnut.  Don't use it, or any other open pore wood, nor any soft wood for deadeyes or blocks.

 

I use dogwood which works like boxwood.  Dogwood grows here in Connecticut so it is easier to get and cheaper than box.  Maple, apple, cherry, pear, and similar are the best.

 

Keep building and above all, have fun.

 

Duff

[wq3296]

Greetings rsch...

 

Are you guys kidding - find a formal garden, and get a piece of dogwood? All this to make some simple heart shaped deadeyes? Why not use the smallest commercially available ones and sand them down a bit? I have some that came with a Mamoli kit and they are about 7mm - walnut. I expect somebody makes smaller sizes.

 

wq3296

[Chuck]

I just laser cut some for a customer.....  I can make as small as 3mm.

 

Let me know if you need them.  These are 4mm.  They will be kits in three layers and you will need to assemble them and sand them.

 

Chuck

 

[wq3296]

Beautiful Chuck - you made my case.

 

wq3296