gluing ebonized boards


Shane Jimerfield

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Some of you know I like the "contrasting wood thing." I'm designing a hall table and want to make the top and legs of black walnut, and the skirt from ebonized red oak.

 

I really want the oak to be BLACK, so I'm leaning toward using an ink-alcohol solution.

 

The skirt will be a mortise and tenon joint to the legs. Will glue (PVA) still work during assembly? 

 

The tenon will not have a shoulder so it will be exposed. I want the line clean so was thinking that I should ebonize the tenon. I could leave most of it unaltered for the glue, but it would be good to know if the glue will hold regardless.

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Just glue up some test boards. I too suspect the ink will have little to no effect on the glue, but ebonize and then glue some scrap boards together and bang them around when they are dry and fine out for sure.

If it does cause issues you could always use a different glue.

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I would use solvent based dye. I've had good luck and no purplish hues. Tape off the tenon but not the shoulder, that lets you get a clean line. I would at least seal the dye/ ink whatever before glue up then peel the tape and tape over the sealed dye before gluing.

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What would be a good glue alternative? I've never used anything other than PVA for wood? Titebond polyurethane glue?

 

Yeah, a polyurethane glue would probably work. They say that stuff works on glass, so I'd imagine it'll work on any surface treatment you could put on wood. Epoxy works on nearly anything too.

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I'm gonna tape it off as best I can. If I get too much ink creeping into the glue zone then I'll probably go with some poly glue.

 

Here is a dry fit - pre-ebonized. I need to make a bottom shelf to give this thing more stability - 3 dowels just ain't enough to hold these legs stable. I'm gonna do ebonized oak for that too.

 

(Yes that's a solid black walnut slab for the floating top  :P )

 

 

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I really like that design. The floating top and tapered legs give it a beautifully light feel. And that walnut top is awesome. I'd be hesitant to put a lower shelf on there though. Seems like it'll really detract from the airy design. Perhaps a single long stretcher across the width and two short stretchers across the depth?

 

I'm a bit confused by the dowels though. I thought you said the skirt would join the legs via mortise and tenon? Hence the issue with dye? If you're using dowels that should allow you to dye the skirt before you put in the dowels and you won't have any issues at all.

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I hear you. I don't want to add anything, but it's just too wobbly. I'm thinking some light, perhaps round, side stretchers with a narrow shelf. Keeping with the light look and feel.

Yeah, nice catch. I changed from multiple square tenons to dowels. I should have stuck with the original square tenons, bad decision to change it. I'm going to ebonize the dowels too. No white wood will be left.

The more this table comes together the more I think I've seen it before...I think I'm copying something, and now starting to realize it. Oh well, we stand on shoulders.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ink was interesting. Almost like a very thin black paint. Goes a long way too. I barely put a dent in the bottle. It definitely seals the wood quite a bit. I'm finishing with a hard wax oil and it doesn't seem to penetrate the ink. Gives it a nice smooth sheen though after I rub it out.

I did the whole vinegar steel wool method, and though it worked quite well it didn't get all the way to black like the ink does. I thought I wanted BLACK, but now I'm not so sure. I think the more traditional vinegar and steel wool might have given it a more natural look.

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I hear you. I don't want to add anything, but it's just too wobbly. I'm thinking some light, perhaps round, side stretchers with a narrow shelf. Keeping with the light look and feel.

Yeah, nice catch. I changed from multiple square tenons to dowels. I should have stuck with the original square tenons, bad decision to change it. I'm going to ebonize the dowels too. No white wood will be left.

The more this table comes together the more I think I've seen it before...I think I'm copying something, and now starting to realize it. Oh well, we stand on shoulders.

Shane, A similiar table is featured in the latest edition of Popular WW mag. But it looks like you started yours before it came out, so I don't know where you might have seen it?

The one in PWW has a top of 12", what is the width of yours? That's one neat looking board!

What is a 2/3 chamfer that you're putting on the top?

The one featured in the mag will be my next build.

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When I put a 2/3 chamfer on the bottom, it starts 1/3 the thickness down, sorry kind of confusing. The top is ~ 3/4" thick. I had to rip it to flatten the cup and twist without loosing too much of the thickness. Unless you know that you probably wouldn't see it.

 

Mine is 14" deep and 48" long and 31" high. It's all finished now. I'll post some pics tomorrow in a Project Showcase thread.

 

Yeah, I saw that. I must have seen an early picture of the table somewhere/somehow - it's just too much of a coincidence for it not to be the influence. I look at so many zines and internet photos there's no way to keep track of it all in my little brain, so I don't know how it happened exactly.

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