Black Palmera Help

[Lightweeder]

Can anyone advise me how to handle Black Palmera? I've bought a few pieces for an order and it's got the better of me :? My tools are sharp, but they're almost bouncing off this stuff, while the end grain's almost punky. Other than bin the stuff, is there anything I can do please ?

 

[John. B]

Other than posting them direct to me for disposal, :lol:

It makes wonderful looking pens, knife handles, or if it's long enough, snooker cues.
Or like a walking stick screwed together.

John. B

 

[cornucopia]

Black palm wood can be a real pain and very troublesome to work with- you dont say what it is your trying to make with it but i've made a few box's with it and i found that your tools have to be razor sharp and when dealing with the end grain a very fine slicing cut followed by neg rake scraping left the best finish.
just remember that like all wood its made up of a series of tubes except that in black palm there very large tubes!!! you have to cut with the tubes not against/directly into them

 

[Lightweeder]

Thanks both.

George, I'll need to turn a long 3"x3" block into a cylinder to make a set of 3 tea lights of different height. But I also bought two 5" bowl blanks which were absolutely stunning. I've never seen anything so beautuful, and was just trying to make a bowl - but it's putting up such a fight.

I asked the chap at Hexhamshire Hardwoods (where I bought it) what it's like to turn, and he said it would be OK as long as I didn't want any sharp edges.

I'll take a breather from it then have another go. Thanks for the advice.