Thank you, I'm trying my best.
Winegums' Woodcraft
- Thread starter Winegums
- Start date
Who can tell the difference? One is Ebonite and one is Blackwood.
I'm so excited to be moving away from Blackwood and using Ebonite. I've had numerous issues with Blackwood splitting on me during shipping and during creation which has caused a lot of trouble. Ebonite is a very hard vulcanized rubber that was meant to replace Ebony wood for the piano and pen industry. It is responding excellently to my lathe tools and takes just as high of a polish as Blackwood, if not glossier.
I'm so excited to be moving away from Blackwood and using Ebonite. I've had numerous issues with Blackwood splitting on me during shipping and during creation which has caused a lot of trouble. Ebonite is a very hard vulcanized rubber that was meant to replace Ebony wood for the piano and pen industry. It is responding excellently to my lathe tools and takes just as high of a polish as Blackwood, if not glossier.
Mulchmaker
Veni Vidi Vapi
Do you have to drill the bores for the ebonite blanks, or do they come pre-drilled?Who can tell the difference? One is Ebonite and one is Blackwood.
I'm so excited to be moving away from Blackwood and using Ebonite. I've had numerous issues with Blackwood splitting on me during shipping and during creation which has caused a lot of trouble. Ebonite is a very hard vulcanized rubber that was meant to replace Ebony wood for the piano and pen industry. It is responding excellently to my lathe tools and takes just as high of a polish as Blackwood, if not glossier.
szai
Well-Known Member
Ebonite on the left.Who can tell the difference? One is Ebonite and one is Blackwood.
I'm so excited to be moving away from Blackwood and using Ebonite. I've had numerous issues with Blackwood splitting on me during shipping and during creation which has caused a lot of trouble. Ebonite is a very hard vulcanized rubber that was meant to replace Ebony wood for the piano and pen industry. It is responding excellently to my lathe tools and takes just as high of a polish as Blackwood, if not glossier.
I have to drill them myself, they come as solid bars from Russia.
It's rated for 80*C before it starts to soften and become more like a traditional rubber. The material is processed at at least 177*C during its manufacture. It should be very stable until it burns, at which point you would be smelling burnt rubber and sulphur before you even took the hit. While that sounds terrible, a similar thing would happen with wood at those temperatures.
Short of actually torching the Ebonite I don't think it's going to be harmed in this application. I don't notice my bamboo (my thinnest walled stem) or other stems getting too hot even after two full caps and a few cycles. I would certainly feel and smell it if the wood was starting to heat up considerably after a cycle. Like you say it will also be lined and the brass tube I use now should conduct away almost all of the heat that the rubber might experience.
It's interesting that there's a lot of concern for metals and synthetics but we don't question if the wood we're putting our lips on is safe. What if some toxic wood compound were to vapourize out from exotic woods at higher temperatures? What if it wicks out of the wood into your mouth? Most people aren't even aware that their Cocobolo and rose wood products are actually sensitizing if the dust were to get into their lungs. Which is why I don't like using it in my pieces, apart from it being endangered. I don't even like having it in my shop.
PS: The Ebonite is actually on the right and the Blackwood is on the Left! You can actually see a crack forming in the Blackwood already.
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Mulchmaker
Veni Vidi Vapi
EDIT: nevermind--Winegums already answered the question.
Summer
Long Island, NY
I wasn't thinking in terms of the brass dispelling heat, but, rather, the rubber not having direct contact with the vapor & vapor path.
In answer to you question, most lay people think of wood as "natural," therefore it doesn't even occur to them that wood can be toxic apart from the treated stuff. I only know this because I have birds.
Ahh, I was commenting on the thermal properties mainly because that was what your question was about. While smoking pipes are often tipped with Ebonite, I still wouldn't wish it to be in the vapour path.
That makes sense, kinda? In my mind there's a whole lot of "natural" stuff that can do all sorts of nasty things to a human body. I guess I take for granted the amount of knowledge I've gathered over the years about materials and nature.
What birds do you have? My parents used to have cockatiels and my Grandma had a canary for a time.
Summer
Long Island, NY
Hogni
Honi soit qui mal y pense
I intend to use it mainly where I would have used Blackwood. I don’t plan to use it for any mechanical joints or connections. The rubber will always have some sort of metal tube to isolate it from heat and vapour. I too don’t think seating the tip in Ebonite will go well. Despite it not getting too hot it would still likely cause issues.
Best to play it safe.
Polarbearboy
Tokin' Away Since 1968
Hey, I just bought your beautiful hex stem on Etsy. Doesn't it have blackwood mouthpiece and tip ends? Should I be worried about cracking? But before you take the time to respond, put it in the mail to me! Can't wait!
It will be on its way tomorrow! I've got a whole day of errands to run and I was unable to get out today unfortunately. Your piece was made in a different way to the other stems which are pressure fit, and it has a much thicker cross section. If it ever should crack please send it back to me and I will replace the Blackwood with Ebonite and refund your shipping.
Polarbearboy
Tokin' Away Since 1968
Thanks. Didn't mean to rush you and know that you weren't feeling good. Hope you're feeling better.
I'm feeling much better today thanks!
Speaking of feeling better, I realized that I don't need weed in my life anymore? I used to use it because it was the only way I could relax and stop my thoughts from circling, but after coming off a recent T-break and barely vaping this past weekend... It just feels like I'm fogging my head and raising my anxiety more than I'm relieving any sort of stress or psychological problems. I'm going to put away my vapes and tools for a while and see how I feel after some more time away from it.
This doesn't mean I'm going to stop making things, this is just a choice I'm making for my personal health.
I don't tend to do well with stop and go when I partake in a substance. Even little micro doses are feeling a bit overwhelming now that my tolerance has dropped so far.Winegum's you don't have to completely give it up nor use it everyday, just a little microdosing over the weekend when you are just hanging out. That's my style.
Ramahs
Fucking Combustion (mostly) Since February 2017
I say do whatever you feel like. Nothing wrong with using cannabis, and nothing wrong with not using cannabis. Don't use it if you don't feel like it. Use it again when you do feel like it, repeat. The amount of time before, between, or after matters not.
You should ideally be keeping it waxed fairly often. I like to keep my stems looking shiny with a cotton cloth soaked in bees wax. If the wood looks dry or dull it needs more wax. Eventually it will stop absorbing as much wax and only need seldom recoating.
Your stash can also be waxed to polish it. It is finished with a hardening oil finish, so it won’t absorb much if any wax but it will improve the appearance.
I've had trouble in the past trying to make the 45 degree cuts in figured woods on my router and chop saw. Then after destroying three panels on the router when making these boxes I told myself that I needed to do something different. So I've been patiently working at getting a jig setup to do mitered corners that accurately lineup to exactly 90 degrees.
I'm happy that I took the time to do it as it was really holding back my ability to make these vape stations, ABV bins, and valets. I should have more of the stations done over the weekend. I have Cherry cut up and need to pick another wood to use for a third option.
I'm happy that I took the time to do it as it was really holding back my ability to make these vape stations, ABV bins, and valets. I should have more of the stations done over the weekend. I have Cherry cut up and need to pick another wood to use for a third option.
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