ebony wood blanks

[mattcan]

Hi, I am brand new to this forum and first time visit. I am trying to find out where I can buy Ebony wood blanks in UK? I will be making plugs and inlay pieces in a Greene & Greene project. I am hoping to get blanks a couple of inches square and maybe 24" long...any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Matt

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

It might be worth searching on guitar luthier suppliers because they tend to stock ebony for the necks. I picked up some from a place in Lincoln about a year ago but I'll be damned if I can remember the name. Also, my blanks were already cut to neck thickness ie just over half inch so not what you want. Wood turning suppliers also worth a try and one that springs to mind is John Davis woodturning in Stockbridge, Hampshire. last time I was in there I'm pretty sure I saw some ebony on his shelves.

 

[CynicalFox]

You could try these guys: http://www.lincolnshirewoodcraft.co.uk/

Saw them at the Midlands show and the range seemed to me (as a newbie) to be quite impressive.

 

[williams1185]

stiles and bates are showing indian ebony blanks and theyre pretty good on delivery . ian

 

[custard]

Matt, Ebony is a pig to work with, West African Ebony is the worst, Macassar isn't as uniformly black but is a tiny bit easier. They're brittle, tear out as soon as you look at them, hard on your tools, and you have to be really careful that the dust doesn't get into the grain of whatever other paler wood you're using.

African Blackwood might be a better alternative, it still needs wiping with Acetone or Meths before gluing, and it's still not an easy wood to work with, but it's noticeably easier than the other two. Also I get the sense that the quality of African Ebony that's available today has gone right down in recent years, so you may well find that African Blackwood is actually blacker than the Ebony you can source.

By the way, ebonising a tight grained wood like cherry or pear with a couple of applications of aniline dye gives something remarkably close to the very best ebony of old at a fraction of the price, and both those woods are a dream to work with!

Good luck

 

[Racers]

Carboot sales sometimes throw up a rusty square with an ebony stock, I have found a couple in the past.

Pete

 

[iNewbie]

Timberline/Exotic Woods may be a possibility:

http://www.exotichardwoods.co.uk/

 

[JohnPW]

By the way, ebonising a tight grained wood like cherry or pear with a couple of applications of aniline dye gives something remarkably close to the very best ebony of old at a fraction of the price, and both those woods are a dream to work with!

Good luck

I agree. And it's not just about the price or its working qualities.

If it's just for decorative effect, then I think it's a bit of a waste to use ebony. And to cut up a long ebony guitar fingerboard into little pieces is certainly a waste!

If you must use ebony, then the ideal source would be small offcuts and scraps,

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Carboot sales sometimes throw up a rusty square with an ebony stock, I have found a couple in the past.

Pete

That's some square, with a 24" x 2" x 2" stock.

 

[mattcan]

First, thank you all for your QUICK and helpful reply's!! Ian, Stiles and Bates was the answer...the problem I have is you can get ebony blanks in a few different places on the web but most of these are usually only about 6" long. Some of my inlays on G&G projects can be 12" to 18" long. I have ordered them now and will await to see if they are indeed what I am after..

Thanks again, I am going to check out this site now and see what else is happening....
Matt