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While visiting family in Oregon recently I stopped in at Woodcrafts of Portland.  They had a bin of Brazilian Ebony on sale.  Anyone ever used this wood?

Price was a fraction of Gabon Ebony.  The wood is very hard, fine grained and black.  Not as fine and black as true ebony but very close.  It does have a visible grain when you look closely at it and the color is not as black as ebony.  However after smoothing up a small piece and finishing it with a clear coat it looks good.

My advice and comments are always worth what you paid for them.

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Sounds great.  Some of the "ebonies"  being sold are striped with various shades of black and even brown.  

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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I'm not familiar with this wood - had to look it up.  Brazilian Ebony, Swartiza tomentosa vs. the various species of "real" ebony, all from the genus Diospyros.  So we are not talking about a variety of ebony, but something that resembles it.  Very dark brown to nearly black with not so dark streaks.  Newly cut wood is yellow/orange until it oxidizes to the dark color.  It works well.  Dust hazard was listed as unknown - don't take this to mean there isn't one; protect yourself. 

 

The highest quality ebony will be solid black but will still have streaks/pockets of brown that will decrease the yield of solid black wood.  You must protect your self from ebony dust.  The oil in most most tropical hardwoods makes gluing problematic unless you wipe the surface to be glued with acetone just before the glue is applied.

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In chasing links for this wood, it reads as though it would be insanely difficult to cut or rip or slice as hard as it is. I suspect doing much of it will effect the cutting edges of the tools used. This is a hidden cost.

There is not all that much that is black as far as deck furniture. 

Topside planking will involve a lot of ripping.  Wales, especially top and butt or anchor stock involve a lot of cutting.

This hardness may lend it to being worth it for miniature scale models.

 

NRG member 50 years

 

Current:  

NMS

HMS Ajax 1767 - 74-gun 3rd rate - 1:192 POF exploration - works but too intense -no margin for error

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - POF Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - POF Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner - POF framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - POF framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  - POF timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  - POF timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner - POF timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835 packet hull USN ship - POF timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  - POF timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - POF framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - POF framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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4 hours ago, Jaager said:

In chasing links for this wood, it reads as though it would be insanely difficult to cut or rip or slice as hard as it is. I suspect doing much of it will effect the cutting edges of the tools used. This is a hidden cost.

There is not all that much that is black as far as deck furniture. 

Topside planking will involve a lot of ripping.  Wales, especially top and butt or anchor stock involve a lot of cutting.

This hardness may lend it to being worth it for miniature scale models.

 

I have found that to be very true. I have one blade that I only used for ebony as the wood leaves a serious stain on the metal.  Luckily, I don't cut much ebony even though I have a stock of it that was rough cut.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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