Planning on doing a few simple turnings with wenge. Due to its price and the quanity I have to purchase before I can expierment Iwould like to hear from others who have some expierience with it. Thanks.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled
Replies
/, wenge is a hard, coarse textured and rather brittle wood. It's a bit chippy and certainly not ideal for turning anything with sharp detail. However, it is sometimes used for making tool handles, mostly because of its ability to take a great deal of abuse...so, it is possible to turn the stuff...I just doubt that you'll enjoy it much. Be sure to wear a respirator. The fine, dark brown dust is exceptionally irritating.
I've turned wenge with success in the past and recall that it needed a great deal of sanding while on the lathe as the lathe tools leave significant tool marks. The areas perpendicular to the annual rings were fine but the "flat sawn" surfaces were a bit rough as the grain wants to splinter a bit against the tool. If your turning to an exact size, as I have to create structural members in furniture, leave it a bit big and sand to size with a hard block.
Good luck,
Seth
mistake. There is no win
and there is no fail . . . there is only
make."
John Cage